Katherine Duncan, whose caramels, truffles and now toffee we love to love, is moving on up.

The Potbelly-sandwich-slinger-turned-confectioner on Tuesday moved into her very own space at 2745 W. Armitage, after four years of commercial kitchen tenancy.

Though Duncan says the space has "retail potential," for now, it is functioning as a private kitchen. Duncan also will make the space available for private events -- truffle-making parties, anyone? -- and is creating a tasting area for brides.

Duncan launched her business, Katherine Ann Confections, in 2006; that's when we first met her, before everyone else got wind of her and her unbelievably pillowy caramels. Since then, she's built a steady, devoted following at farmers markets and specialty shops and has branched out flavor-wise, offering market-inspired truffles and caramels and, in smaller doses, toffee.

Duncan says her plan is to share the new space with Nice Cream, whose owner Kris Swanberg is working on getting its business license. Swanberg, who turned to ice cream in 2008 after being laid off from her teaching job at Orr High School on the West Side, is using Duncan's toffee in one of her current fall ice cream flavors -- Burnt Caramel with Crunchy Toffee.

Call it synergy or good karma, the little guys have it in spades.