Morkes in Algonquin has apples and chocolate and pumpkins, oh my

With the nearby construction, it might be hard to get in there right now. But once you stop in the new Morkes Chocolates along Algonquin Road and try the gooey delights inside for fall, it might be even harder to stay away.

Every fall, people flock to Morkes in Palatine for their famed caramel apples, which the store makes daily just to keep them in stock.

During the Halloween season, they go through hundreds of thousands of the apples, with many people stopping in to buy them by the case.

The caramel-covered concoctions now are available at the store's Algonquin location, just west of Randall Road at 2755 W. Algonquin Road.

Morkes sends its trucks up to Michigan at least once or twice a week from now through Halloween to get the fresh Jonathans and red delicious that they then submerge in caramel.

But they don't stop there.

Next they cover them with just about anything you can dream up. Some are covered in chocolate, while others are smothered in peanuts, M&Ms and sprinkles. The store also has specialty caramel apples, such as the Doolittle, which they cover with Butterfingers.

And if a regular-sized apple isn't enough to satisfy your sweet tooth, Morkes also sells jumbo red delicious apples cove red in caramel, which they call the Extreme apple. Those are often covered in more treats such as peanut butter cups and dark chocolate.

"People know to come to us for apples every year," owner Rhonda Morkes said. "In Algonquin, since we just opened a month ago, it's going to take a little while, maybe even a season. But we do have a small percent of clientele that know us out here and they're really excited we're here and they're telling everyone they know.

"They're going to know about our apples soon enough," she said.

Those of you who do find the new store, also will find chocolate coffins, skulls, cauldrons, eyeballs and even brains for Halloween.

And just to show that they do know how hard it is to find them with all of the construction going on along Algonquin Road these days; they also sell chocolate hard hats and jackhammers.

Meet in peace:

Looking for a place for your group to meet in the early-morning hours?

The Panera Bread in Elgin has regular visitors, such as church groups and moms groups, that use its meeting room every week while they sip the coffee and eat the bagels the business is known for.

They say they're always open for more groups to join the fun.

Coming soon:

Trying to look your best? A new business is coming to Algonquin Commons that might be able to help.

Refine 360 is slated to make the Randall Road location one of its newest non-surgical centers in the Chicago area.