Holl’s Swiss Chocolates has a unique and fun background that will leave you craving and wanting to try their product. The Holl’s chocolate business is a family-owned business that specializes in wonderful swiss chocolates. Their founder Fritz Holl, grew up working in his uncle’s conditorei which is a conmbination of a pastry shop and a café. He learned many things there, such as learning to make many types of pastries and chocolates.
Holl emigrated from Switzerland to the United States and came to Marietta, Ohio to live. There he landed a job as a swiss-trained chocolatier by the company Broughton’s dairy company. The owner Carl Broughton wanted to bring fine chocolates and pastries to his ice cream shops. He thought this would be very successful and bring new business. Little did Broughton know the chocolate idea wouldn’t be a success. Holl continued to work at Broughton’s for the next 25 years and continued to make chocolates. After 25 years of working at Broughtons, Holl retired and took up his real passion of making traditional chocolates. He opened up Holl’s Chocolates in his kitchen in 1986. After only 8 months the business took off and Fritz opened up his own chocolate factory. Holl decided to make something of his chocolate success and open a shop with it’s own location.
Fritz moved the factory about 10 miles away in Parkersburg, West Virginia. The small building had both the factory and the store in it but Holl was thrilled to have the shop. People came from all over to try some of this fabulous chocolate. Holl’s wife Elizabeth brought her own touch to the shop. She expected all the employees to know all the customers by name and know their favorite chocolates and have a sample of them ready when they came in. This great service brought up a lot of talk among the community and people traveled far to try Holl’s chocolates.
The business became a huge success and Holl needed to find a bigger space for his business. He moved the business to its current location in Vienna, West Virginia in 1990. Holl’s son Dominique joined the family business and helped his father make the company successful. He learned the business his father had 50 year earlier and has continued to make his father proud. Dominique has kept up with the business and continued to make it a success. He has incorporated the new trends with his dads old ones to keep up with the competition. Holl fritz and Elizabeth no longer are active in the business but Dominique and his wife Michelle do a wonderful job at keeping the name proud. Holl’s will continue to be a privately owned and unique family business that strives for excellence, friendliness, and fabulous traditional swiss chocolates of the finest quality.
This touching story intrigued me in wanting to experience Holl’s chocolates for myself. After reading the history of the family business I had a high expectation of the store and after visiting the store all my expectations were met. The Holl’s chocolate shop in South Hills was an elegant and sheik environment. The staff was very friendly and helpful just like Elizabeth Fritz would want them to be. The chocolates were displayed in lovely cases with labels on each different twenty-seven types of eclectic chocolates from Milk Chocolate Caramel Cashew Roll, coconut truffle, Classic White Chocolate Truffle and Dark Chocolate Almond Rocher. Holl’s has dedicated his life to making the finest chocolates and they definitely were wonderful and not like any chocolate I had tasted before. While visiting the shop I was told a little about the chocolates I was told how they are made in small batches to guarantee quality and maximum freshness. Holl’s strives for searching for the freshest and best ingredients from all over the world. I was told they import all their raw chocolate from Switzerland. The shop also offers all natural fresh coffees, puree fruits, and roasted nuts which all have a rich fantastic taste along with the chocolates. Another great addition to the store are the chocolate covered strawberries sold every Tuesday and Friday. These bring a lot of business and are one of the customer’s favorites.
My experience at Holl’s Chocolate store was spectacular and worth every second. The chocolates were pronominal and with a great taste which melted in your mouth. Holl Fritz has accomplished his fantasy of having a successful and fine chocolate shop and I would say it’s better than he even imagined it could be. Although Holl’s chocolate factory and main store is in Vienna, West Virginia there are two great locations in the Charleston area. There is a small shop in the Capital Market in downtown Charleston and a bigger one in South Hills on Bridge Road. Come and experience to Holl’s experience and taste some of the finest chocolates you will ever taste.
Stephanie Monday
Just one quick comment before we start editing in proper: This needs to be a bit longer. This is just over 800 words; the required minimum is 2200. Do you have more information you did not include that could be plugged in somewhere? Perhaps a few interview quotes?
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