Truffles from Chocolates by Kelly (Photo courtesy Kelly Walker)
Chocolates by Kelly is celebrating 10 years of business with big changes — moving westward and relocating to Short Pump Town Center, a longtime dream of owner Kelly Walker.
“I always felt like the target market is Short Pump, and I couldn’t afford it,” Kelly says. “It was a really special lineup of events that allowed this to happen. We were offered a spot in Short Pump [Town Center], and we thought it’d be a great place for us.”
CBK has set up shop in a few areas of Richmond, but it’s been a series of trials and errors — Forest Hill: not enough traffic; Church Hill: not enough space; Broad Street: too much congestion (CBK is one of many businesses affected by the GRTC Pulse construction).
“The environment down here is worrisome, and the construction has hurt us businesses quite a bit,” Walker says. “What I have heard is customers don’t feel comfortable coming to the area because they can’t park, and traffic is horrendous — broken sidewalks, holes and loiterers. I’m afraid that, as a tiny business, I can’t afford another summer like that. I needed to do something that’s good for us.”
The location at Short Pump is 2,400 square feet, much larger than CBK's current 1,500-square-foot space. Among the changes in store are more staff, expanded (daily) hours, lots of chocolate-making classes, a larger selection and, yes, more chocolate.
CBK recently partnered with Taylor Made Chocolate in Chester and uses their chocolate exclusively. The chocolate is bean-to-bar Fair Trade Organic, along with being completely soy-free (a rarity for most chocolates).
Walker also plans to kick-start a menu of drinking chocolates, something she had experimented with in the past but never quite had the space to accommodate. Drinking chocolates are decadent European-style chocolate beverages that can be served hot or cold.
The drinks are made to order for the customer and create a unique interactive experience. Customers choose a dark-, white- or milk-chocolate base; pick spices and exotic ingredients (cayenne, cinnamon, orange, honey, etc.); and then the ingredients are combined on marble and mixed with steamed liquid. Past recipes that Walker hints will be returning are white chocolate and salted caramel, lavender honey and vanilla, and strawberry-basil.
“We want to be around people that love fine food and have time to come hang out and enjoy the experience,” Walker says. “[Relocating is] a monster change, and I’ve thought about the direction I wanted to take my business,” says Walker. “It is just one of those go-big-or-go-home moments — take the shot or not.”
Chocolates by Kelly is set to open at Short Pump Town Center, across from Williams-Sonoma, by May 1. Watch their Instagram for updates.
