Rockford’s Candy Cloud Breaks Ground on New Drive-Thru Location

If you’ve grown up in the Rockford area like I have, it's always exciting to see hometown favorites spread their wings and expand to new communities that fall in love with them. We've seen Beef-a-Roo do it, and now it's Candy Cloud's turn.

The History of Candy Cloud

Candy Cloud's history is a story of grief, hope, sacrifice, and triumph that began with flowers.

After the death of their daughter Evelyn, Alex and Paityn Edwards began growing flowers in their backyard to sell at local markets where they noticed the excitement food trucks bring to an event. Fast forward a few years to 2019, the Edwards began spinning cotton candy in their little flower truck, and Candy Cloud was born.

Over the next few years Candy Cloud became way more than just cotton candy and flowers.

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By spring of 2022, Candy Cloud had opened its first brick-and-mortar café on East State Street in Rockford serving all kinds of unique and delicious drinks, shakes, ice cream, and treats. Now in 2026, Candy Cloud franchises exist in 13 different states across the country, and its second Stateline-area location just broke ground.

New Candy Cloud Location Coming to Machesney Park

A few weeks ago Candy Cloud broke ground on a brand new location at 173 West Lane Road in Machesney Park, and it will be the very first one with a drive-thru too!

Candy Cloud owner, Alex Edwards, told mystateline.com:

Breaking ground in Machesney Park marks an exciting next chapter for us, and we’re so grateful to continue growing alongside the community that started it all.

A tentative opening date for the new Machesney Park location has not been released yet, but I've got my fingers crossed it will be sooner rather than later. Until then, I'll be stopping by the E State store to get one of these: