Chocolate connoisseurs who’ve frequented the downtown core in recent weeks are no doubt getting a little anxious.
For those whom this applies, the wait is nearly over.
Starting Monday (Oct. 7), Chocolate Sensations officially expands into Milton – taking over the old Peggy’s storefront at 184 Main St., with a wide variety of creations to explore.
“Milton downtown just has great restaurants and the locals really seem to use the downtown,” said John Chalmers, who runs the business – with established sites in Paris and Ancaster – alongside wife Sarah and daughter Taylor. “That’s a big plus for a shop like ours, to have that connection (to community). It makes a shop like ours fun to be in a town like this.”
Added Sarah, “It’s a really vibrant downtown.”
With Milton serving as its most spacious location, Chocolate Sensations – which started at various craft shows in the early ‘90s by John's sister Cheryl – is soon to be on the lips (literally and figuratively) of local sweet tooths.
“A lot,” quipped Taylor, when asked to estimate the number of items available, with dad more seriously ball-parking it at between 100 and 150. “We have seasonal products and small batches of new items at times. But we try to stick to our product line and make sure we have what we normally have because customers get to know their favourites, so we try not to disappoint.”
Taking over Chocolate Sensations from his sister in the early 2000s, John and Sarah kept awfully busy with a five-year craft show stretch that piqued at 43 locations.
That proved to be a little too much once they became parents. And so a move into a storefront – first Paris (2007), then Ancaster (2020) and now Milton – was made.
The transition to a brick-and-mortar operation served them well, and not just because of the reduced travel time.
“Building a brand and getting to know your customers, you can’t really do that at craft shows,” said John, whose sister began making and selling chocolate as a side hustle to help furnish her basement.
With huge wide open shelves along the store's exposed original brick, customers can explore Chocolate Sensations’ sweet lineup at their leisure – with staff at the ready to discuss varieties and offer recommendations.
“Peanut butter cups, Oreos and caramel products are some of the favourites,” said Taylor, who oversees operations at the production facility in Brantford. “And you wouldn’t think chocolate and sour candy would go together, but they’re a big seller for us.”
The Milton store is open seven days a week, and customers eager for a sneak peak at the offerings can visit chocolatesensations.ca.