Au Chocolat in Downtown Boston Is Closing

A chocolate shop in the heart of Boston is shutting down.

According to a Bluesky post from Adam of @conciergeboston.bsky.social, Au Chocolat is planning to close its doors today, with an email sent from Adam indicating that the owner is retiring. The High Street shop is known for its Belgian chocolates (including Neuhaus chocolates) along with a variety of candies and other sweet treats and desserts. 

The address for Au Chocolat is 35 High Street, Boston, MA, 02110. Its website can be found at https://treats.net/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

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Cacao Is Opening in Boston's Financial District

A pair of chocolate shops will soon be joined by a third location, with this one being in the heart of Boston.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Cacao is getting ready to open a location in city's Financial District, moving into a space on Broad Street near where it intersects Milk Street. Once it opens, the new shop will join others in the South End and Newton Highlands, with the former debuting a couple of months ago. (Another location of Cacao had been in Jamaica Plain until it closed at the end of 2022.)

The address for the new location of Cacao in the Financial District is 64 Broad Street, Boston, MA, 02109. The website for the business is at https://cacaonuts.com/

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Cacao Is Opening in Boston's South End

A chocolate shop in Newton Highlands will soon be joined by another outlet, with this one being in Boston.

According to an article from Universal Hub, Cacao is planning to open a location in the South End, moving into a space on Columbus Avenue just east of the Mass. Ave. intersection. The post mentions that the upcoming store plans to be open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM and will have both indoor and outdoor seating.

Another location of Cacao had been in Jamaica Plain until it closed at the end of 2022.

The address for the new location of Cacao in the South End is 570 Columbus Avenue, Boston, MA, 02118. The website for the business is at https://cacaonuts.com/

[May 29 update: According to its website, the South End location of Cacao is now open.]

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ChocAllure Opens Brick-and-Mortar Shop in Wellesley

A high-end chocolate company now has its very own store, and it is located in the western suburbs of Boston.

A message sent to us indicates that ChocAllure is now open in Wellesley, moving into a space on Central Avenue in Wellesley Square. The shop offers a variety of handmade items including chocolate hearts, chocolate jewels, chocolate bars, and gift sets, and it also offers a Chocolate-of-the-Month Club Collection as well.

The address for the brick-and-mortar location of ChocAllure is 87 Central Street, Wellesley, MA, 02482. Its website can be found at https://choc-allure.com/

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Cacao in Jamaica Plain Is Closing; Newton Highlands Location to Remain Open

A pair of chocolate, nuts, and dried fruit shops that are known in part for their hot chocolate will soon be down to just one, as the original location is closing down.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Cacao in Jamaica Plain is shutting its doors, with a Facebook post from the Centre Street shop saying the following:

We have made the very difficult decision to close our JP location at the end of this year. In the 80s, when our families immigrated from the Dominican Republic to Boston they settled in JP. We grew up in JP and went to JP schools so opening a business in JP was a dream come true. JP supported us from day one, made our frozen hot cocoa a summer treat to have and our hot chocolate was named one of Boston's best! Thank you JP for making us your "go to" shop for the holiday season and selling us out year after year!!

The Newton Highlands outlet, which can be found on Lincoln Street, will remain in operation.

The address for the JP location of Cacao is 660B Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, MA, 02130. The website for the business can be found at https://cacaonuts.com/

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Godiva to Close or Sell All of Its Shops in the United States

A big name in the world of chocolate is getting out of the brick-and-mortar business in the United States, and this will apparently include several locations in the Greater Boston area.

According to a source, Godiva is planning to close or sell all of its stores in North America, with a CNN article indicating that this could be completed by the end of March. CNN does say that stores overseas will remain open while NBC Boston states that its products will continue to be available online. The closing/selling of the Godiva shops means that the outlets at the Prudential Center in Boston, the Burlington Mall, the Natick Mall, and the South Shore Shopping Center will apparently be going away, along with a Godiva Cafe at the Wrentham Village Premium Outlets as well.

The website for Godiva can be found at https://www.godiva.com/

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Max Brenner in Boston's Back Bay Has Closed Permanently

A small chain of upscale chocolate bars and cafes has shut down its Boston location.

A message sent to us today from the company indicates that Max Brenner in the Back Bay has closed permanently, which confirms rumors we have heard of late that the Boylston Street spot had been cleared out. The combination chocolate bar/restaurant was known for its variety of chocolate-based items, including cookies, waffles, ice cream, shakes, hot chocolate and chocolate martinis, along with food options such as salads, sandwiches (including waffle sandwiches), flatbreads, and more.

Max Brenner, which is based in Israel, has locations in New York City and Philadelphia, as well as a number of others overseas; their Boston location first opened back in 2011.

The address for the now-closed location of Max Brenner in the Back Bay was 745 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02116. The website for the company can be found at https://maxbrenner.us/

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Harbor Sweets Is Opening at the Burlington Mall

A company on the North Shore that is known for its chocolate treats is opening a third retail shop, and this one will also be north of Boston.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page (Leah Klein of City Living Boston), Harbor Sweets is planning to open at the Burlington Mall, with the website for the business confirming this, saying that the new outlet is coming soon. Once it opens, the Burlington location will join others in Salem (where its factory resides) and at the Northshore Mall in Peabody, and based on the offerings at those locations, expect to see a wide variety of chocolates available.

Harbor Sweets was first established back in 1973.

The website for the company can be found at https://www.harborsweets.com/

[September 17 update: A Facebook post from the place indicates that Harbor Sweets is now open at the Burlington Mall.]

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Goodnow Farms Chocolate to Open Retail Shop at Boston Public Market

by Marc Hurwitz

An award-winning chocolate maker that is based in the western suburbs of Boston will be opening a retail shop in the heart of downtown Boston.

According to an article from Boston Magazine, Goodnow Farms Chocolate is planning to open a retail counter at Boston Public Market, moving into a space across from Inna's Kitchen. The post says that the storefront will offer a variety of chocolate bars as well as hot cocoa and cocoa nibs, and that three of the chocolate bars sold recently won Specialty Food Association's Sofi awards (the company actually won six Sofi awards in total for 2019).

If all goes as planned, the Sudbury-based Goodnow Farms Chocolate should be opening its retail counter by June 1.

The website for Goodnow Farms Chocolate can be found at https://goodnowfarms.com/

[May 17 update: An Instagram post from the place confirms that Goodnow Farms Chocolate will be having its grand opening on June 1 and it will be offering two new Special Reserve bars.]

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Chocolate-Based Items from Places in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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Tick Tock Chocolates Is Opening in Belmont

by Marc Hurwitz

A small-batch chocolate shop is getting ready to open in the western suburbs of Boston.

According to an article in the Waltham News Tribune, Tick Tock Chocolates is opening in the Cushing Square section of Belmont, with the Trapelo Road store featuring such items as chocolate truffles, chocolate bars, pate de fruit, and chocolate-covered pretzels. Up until now, the business has been selling its products at farmers markets and various events, using a commercial kitchen in Somerville to make its chocolates.

If all goes as planned, Tick Tock Chocolates could be opening around April 1.

The address for this new chocolate shop in Cushing Square is: Tick Tock Chocolates, 111 Trapelo Road, Belmont, MA, 02478. Its website can be found at https://www.ticktockchocolates.com/

[April 11 update: A Facebook post from last week indicates that Tick Tock Chocolates is now looking to open in late April or early May.]

[May 7 update: A new Facebook post from the place indicates that Tick Tock Chocolates is now open in Belmont.]

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Chocolate-Based Items from Places in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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Purefections Chocolate in Quincy Is Moving to a New Location

by Marc Hurwitz

A gourmet chocolate shop is getting ready to move to a new space.

According to a Facebook post from the place, Purefections Chocolate is moving from Franklin Street in South Quincy to Hancock Street in Quincy Center, with the note saying that the Franklin Street location will shut down as of February 24. If all goes as planned, the shop will reopen in its new space by the first week of March, though no specific date has been given as of yet.

Purefections offers a variety of items using Belgian chocolate, with a few options including almond clusters, caramel cups, dipped sandwich cookies, sea salt discs, and tartarugas.

The address for the current location of Purefections Chocolate is 102 Franklin Street while the address for the new location will be 1348 Hancock Street. Its website can be found at https://purefectionschocolate.com/

[March 7 update: Based on a Facebook comment, it appears that Purefections Chocolate could be opening in its new home in the next few days, though an official opening date has not yet been given.]

[March 10 update: A Facebook post from the place indicates that Purefections Chocolate soft-opened in its new home on Hancock Street over the weekend.]

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Taza Chocolate Bar Is Leaving Boston Public Market

by Marc Hurwitz

A shop in the heart of Boston that features hot chocolate, chocolate bars, and more is saying farewell.

According to a source (Stephanie Wong), Taza Chocolate Bar is leaving Boston Public Market, with the website for the business saying that "...with lots of exciting new plans [on] our horizon, the time has come for us to focus our activities at our main location in Somerville, which means we will be transitioning out of the Boston Public Market location on 10/13." The note goes on to say that George Howell Coffee will be taking over its stall, though George Howell already has a location across from Taza at Boston Public Market so it is not known if this will be a move or whether they will reside in both spaces (stay tuned for updates).

Taza Chocolate Bar first opened at Boston Public Market in the fall of 2015; the headquarters for the company is located on Windsor Street in Somerville.

The website for Taza can be found at https://www.tazachocolate.com/

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Chocolate-Based Items from Places in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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Kakawa Chocolate House Is Opening in Salem

by Marc Hurwitz

A popular chocolate shop and cafe in New Mexico is expanding to the Greater Boston area.

According to an article in The Boston Globe, Kakawa Chocolate House in Santa Fe, NM will be joined by a new location in Salem next to the Peabody Essex Museum on Essex Street, while also having a kiosk in the museum as well. The post says that new spot will offer chocolate drinks (also known as "elixirs") and such items as brownies with chile powder, blueberry-basil truffles, white chocolate macaroons with lemon and pistachio, rose-flavored caramels, and ice cream could also be offered. If all goes as planned, Kakawa Chocolate House may be opening later this fall.

The Salem Chamber of Commerce states that the address for this new chocolate shop and cafe will be 173 Essex Street, Salem, MA, 01970. The website for the business can be found at https://kakawachocolates.com/

Thanks to Eater Boston for initially bringing this to our attention.

[November 23 update: A Facebook post from the place indicates that Kakawa Chocolate House is now open in Salem.]

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Chocolate-Based Items from Places in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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EHChocolatier Opening Shop in Cambridge's Huron Village

by Marc Hurwitz

A chocolate company that is hidden in an industrial building in Somerville is moving to a storefront in Cambridge.

According to an article from Eater Boston, EHChocolatier is planning to move from its current location on Windsor Street near the Cambridge border to a space on Huron Avenue in the Huron Village/Observatory Hill neighborhood of the city. As Eater says, this will be its first permanent public-facing brick-and-mortar location, as it has had pop-up shops while also being in its current home that, while open to the public, is inside a building in an industrial area and is very easy to miss. (Its building--which is located south of Union Square--is also home to Taza Chocolate.)

If all goes as planned, EHChocolatier will open in its new location in the late fall--and the space will also include its kitchen operations, according to EB.

The current address for EHChocolatier is 561 Windsor Street in Somerville, while the new address is at 145 Huron Avenue in Cambridge; its website can be found at https://www.ehchocolatier.com/

[January 23, 2019 update: Eater Boston states that EHChocolatier opens in Huron Village on February 1.]

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Chocolate-Based Items from Places in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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Gräem Roasted Nuts to Open in Concord

by Marc Hurwitz

A food shop featuring nuts, chocolate, and more is on its way to an historic space west of Boston.

According to a press release from Linear Retail Properties, Gräem Roasted Nuts is opening in the downtown area of Concord, moving into the Friend Block building at the corner of Main Street and Walden Street. The European-inspired store plans to offer an array of roasted nuts, dried fruits, chocolates, and other locally-sourced items, with the hope being that it will open sometime this summer.

The Friend Block building, which dates back to 1892, had been home to Friend Pharmacy, which eventually became Snow Pharmacy before closing approximately 20 years ago.

The address for this upcoming food shop in Concord is: Gräem Roasted Nuts, 49 Main Street, Concord, MA, 01742.

[September 6 update: A job post within the Craigslist site indicates that Gräem Roasted Nuts plans to open in Concord sometime this month.]

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Somerville on the Charles Pop-Up Chocolate Shop Comes to Lizzy's Space in Cambridge's Harvard Square

A pop-up chocolate shop is now open for the winter in the Harvard Square section of Cambridge, and it takes over the space where a seasonal ice cream shop resides.

Eater Boston is reporting that Gate Comme des Filles and Somerville Chocolate are partnering with Lizzy's Ice Cream on Church Street in the opening of a temporary chocolate shop called Somerville on the Charles that will operate out of the Lizzy's store in December, January, and February. The pop-up shop is open from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM seven days a week.

Lizzy's will return to its ice cream business in March.

The address for Lizzy's (and the Somerville on the Charles pop-up) is 29 Church Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138. The Instagram page for Somerville on the Charles can be found at https://www.instagram.com/somerville_on_the_charles/

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Chocolate-Based Items from Places in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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Royce' Chocolate Opening in Chatime Space in Boston's Back Bay

A Japanese chocolate manufacturing company is getting ready to come to Boston, eventually taking over the space where a bubble tea shop currently resides.

Eater Boston is reporting that Royce' Chocolate has popped up at Chatime in the Back Bay, with the Newbury Street store being turned exclusively into a Royce' shop at some point. The Sapporo-based chocolate company, which currently has three locations in New York City (its only three in the United States), offers a variety of treats, including wafers, cookies, marshmallows, popcorn, and more.

The other locations of Chatime in Chinatown and near Northeastern remain in operation.

The address for the upcoming Royce' (as well as Chatime) is 251 Newbury Street, Boston, MA, 02116. The website for Royce' can be found at http://royceconfectusa.com/

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Chocolate-Based Items from Places in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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Neuhaus Chocolate Shop Opens at Boston's Faneuil Hall Marketplace

A Belgian chocolatier that first started out more than 150 years ago has opened a shop in the heart of downtown Boston.

Eater Boston is reporting that Neuhaus now has a chocolate shop at 1 South Market Street in the Faneuil Hall Marketplace, joining three others in New York City, one in Paramus, NJ, and another in Washington, DC. The article mentions that the company first started out in Brussels in 1857 as an apothecary and is considered the inventor of the praline along with the ballotin (a decorative cardboard box used to package chocolates).

Hours for Neuhaus in Faneuil Hall are 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM Monday through Saturday and 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sundays, according to EB.

The website for Neuhaus can be found at http://www.neuhauschocolate.com/

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Chocolate-Based Items from Places in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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Candy Castle in Lexington Is Closing

A candy shop in the northwest suburbs of Boston is calling it a day after more than three decades in business.

According to an article in the Lexington Minuteman, Candy Castle on Mass. Ave. in the center of town is closing today, citing a proposed rent increase of 40 percent from the new owners of the building that makes the business "unsustainable." The article says that owner Paul Clancy and his wife will sell everything today at a discount until it is all gone. Candy Castle first opened its doors 34 years ago, offering everything from jelly beans to fudge to old-fashioned candies and much more.

The address for Candy Castle is 1853 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA, 02420.

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Godiva Chocolatier in Boston's Faneuil Hall Has Closed

It looks like a chocolate shop in the heart of downtown Boston has closed its doors.

According to an article in BostInno, the Faneuil Hall location of Godiva Chocolatier is shuttered, with the entire interior of the place being "cleaned out" and a link to a Yelp photo indicating that it closed down as of January 25. The sign also refers customers to its still-open shop on Boylston Street in the Back Bay, and other stores remain open in Braintree, Burlington, Natick, and Peabody.

As BostInno points out, a relatively new location of Ghirardelli chocolate can be found at Faneuil Hall these days.

The address for this now-closed chocolate shop in Faneuil Hall was: Godiva Chocolatier, 1 S Market Street, Boston, MA, 02109. The website for the company can be found at http://www.godiva.com/

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