On the one year anniversary of her mother’s death, Barbara Crowley (pictured above) thought she was popping into The Chocolate Shell for, what else but chocolate? Despite this, she left the store with more than chocolate on her mind. She already knew in her mind that she would be The Chocolate Shell’s new owner.
The day she officially took ownership of the store — June 1, 2011 — she had no prior experience of owning her own business, and though her lack of experience gave her pause for thought, it did not hold her back from attaining her dream. “The hardest part was taking the leap,” Crowley said. Once she took the plunge however, there was no looking back.
The first thing she did was make everything have to do with chocolate. Under the previous management,The Chocolate Shell once sold non-chocolate gifts, but all of that went, though there is a small selection of greeting cards for those who want to send chocolate with personal messages.
Crowley reorganized the store and repainted the interior pink with white trim. The new color scheme, along with her much-loved mini chandeliers, allows for a fresher, more vibrant atmosphere. The outside is different too—there is a new bistro-style set-up of tables and chairs on the lawn in front of her store.
But most important to her were the chocolate changes. She searched for new, up-and-coming lines of chocolate to feature, several of which are not featured anywhere else. These new chocolatiers are found at the twice a year chocolate shows Crowley attends.
Apothecary jars full of candy that changes with the seasons add old fashioned flair.
Artisan chocolates (this means they are handmade, hand-painted, and hand-filled) with names like Hauser, Xocolati, and FIKA are in the glass case to the left of the register.
Behind the register, everything is currently red ready for Valentine’s Day and on the counter are beautiful red-wrapped stem chocolate roses in a vase. If one had entered the shop in December, there would have been a one and a half pound hand-painted chocloate Santa to greet you and in November, a three pound (chocolate, of course) Thanksgiving turkey stood proudl
There are chocolates for every palette here—Crowley even features a line of Belgian dark chocolate that is gluten-free, dairy-free, free-trade, organic, and vegan.
She has future plans to grow the business, without making it oversized. Crowley plans to host more events—her first, a Cooking With Chocolate, workshop, drew a crowd of 24 keen cooks with a sweet tooth! She would love to grow the wedding favors side of the business more, along with showers and birthday favors.
Weddings, parties and events apart, The Chocolate Shell is just a wonderful place to stop by if you are floundering for a perfect present for that special someone — anyone. Crowley is guaranteed to find you something that will delight you and, not only does the store now accept credit cards, but it also sells gift cards.
Although more familiar than most with the plethora of chocolate varieties, when asked what her all-time, favorite chocolate is, the answer takes only a second. “Debrand Raspberry cream,” Crowley replies swiftly … before adding with a chuckle that her answer is rather susceptible to change.
Editor’s Note: The Chocolate Shell is at 18 Lyme Street in Old Lyme (phone 860.434.9727) and is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Click here to find The Chocolate Shell on Facebook.