Suzin L. Chocolatier reaps benefits of relocation

Something sweet is stirring at Suzin L. Chocolatier’s new location, 2273 Cooper Foster Park Road in Amherst.

Laury Grimes, co-owner and fourth-generation chocolate maker, said the business has had a steep increase in business since the chocolate store moved from 1561 Cooper Foster Park Road, previously Herron’s Christmas World.

“Our foot traffic has easily doubled, if not tripled or quadrupled,” Grimes said.

Suzin L. Chocolatier originally opened in Elyria in 1981 and began business in Amherst by providing Herron’s Christmas World with chocolates. In 2011, the Christmas store’s owner, Herron Milks, approached Grimes about renting out the property for her business when he retired, Grimes said.

Grimes, who purchased the business from her mother Suzin Stefanelli in 2007, agreed to the offer.

Given the Milks Power Equipment expansion, Grimes pinned down Suzin L. Chocolatier’s new location in June and opened Sept. 7.

Grimes said the new location has found success so early in part because of the other food establishments in the area, like Jillianos pizzeria, 2275 Cooper Foster Park Road, and Kiedrowski’s Bakery, 2267 Cooper Foster Park Road, both in the same building complex.

“I feel very fortunate that we moved to a location where we have other food establishments because all of our demographics are similar,” she said. “I feel like it’s been positive for us for sure.

“I would do it again in a heartbeat, as overwhelming as the transition felt initially.”

Grimes said an important part of establishing the new location was to make the space “more bright and more uplifting.”

Her husband, Garth Grimes, also co-owner of the business, made a dripping chocolate display for one of the store’s walls.

Floors also were epoxied to look like chocolate swirls.

“I wanted something fun, something kind of cool for my customers, and so we came up with the concept of chocolate running down the walls,” Grimes said.

Having grown up in the business, she said homemade chocolate and baked goods bring something a bit tastier made with a little more love than you can’t quite find at department stores.

“Candy-making is a labor of love; we’re a dying breed,” Grimes said. “There’s not a lot of us left, and over the years, we’ve seen a lot of candy companies (close).

“It’s sad to see candy companies come and go, but I understand because there’s so much involved in doing it.”

JORDANA JOY — THE MORNING JOURNAL Susan L. Chocolatier owner Laury Grimes said business has been booming since the business’s Amherst location moved to 2273 Cooper Foster Park Rd. in September.