Founded in 1909 by Emerson A. Bolen in Morris, Illinois, the Northwestern Corporation revolutionized the vending industry. Starting as a single-match dispenser for taverns, the company expanded into the iconic bulk vending space, building some of the most reliable and highly collectible gumball and candy machines in history.
- 1909: Founded as the Northwestern Novelty Company in Morris, Illinois, originally manufacturing Yankee cigar lighters before pivoting to bulk vending.
- 1933: Introduced the Model 33, the machine credited with launching gumball popularity into Western culture.
- 1940s–1980s: Released highly successful units like the Model 49 (1949), Model 60, and Model 80, becoming known for "The World's FINEST Bulk Vending Equipment".
- 2017: The company was acquired by National Entertainment Network (based in Colorado), ending the era of manufacturing Northwestern gumball machines in Morris, Illinois.
If you are looking to purchase replacement parts for any Northwestern candy machines and do not see them listed in our parts section, please feel free to send us an email inquiry and we can track them down for you!