After 10 months of delays and construction, Cocoa40 has opened its doors on Main Street in Newmarket.
Owner Stefania Pede has been working out of a commercial kitchen and selling her specialty chocolates online and in other locations like The Maker's Mark, but now has her own storefront at 184 Main St.
"I’m so excited to finally have these doors open," she said.
She moved into the space early in 2022 and originally hoped to open in late spring. However, a number of delays pushed the project back and Pede celebrated the grand opening on Nov. 2, in time for holiday shopping.
Part of the setbacks, she said, was because almost all her equipment, like her chocolate and gelato machines, were shipped from Italy.
On top of chocolate bars, pre-packaged boxes, and build your own boxes of chocolate, the store also sells a selection of hot beverages, and homemade gelato. Everything is made in house, with a full kitchen in the back of the shop.
It's a dream come true for the young entrepreneur, who studied pastry in school and began working in restaurants in Toronto. There she developed a passion for chocolate work and started her own business in 2019.
Now, less than five years later, she is in her own store, hosting a busy grand opening.
Council members, Newmarket Chamber of Commerce representatives, neighbouring Main Street business owners, friends and family, and shoppers coming in off the street packed into the small shop on Nov. 2 for the ribbon cutting and to try some of Cocoa40's signature products.
“I’m overwhelmed by the turnout today, I was really not expecting as many people to come,” Pede said.
The shop will be open from noon to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Shoppers will still be able to place orders online and Pede said she is hoping to do in store pick-up and possibly expand to online delivery through UberEats or a similar platform in the future.
