Is there anything better than chocolate? We don’t think so.
But we’re not talking about the chocolate you find in the stores that’s mass produced and made mostly of sugar, corn syrup and preservatives.
We’re talking REAL chocolate from Legacy Chocolates – made in small batches with simple, local ingredients. Butter, cream and spice and everything nice, all mixed by hand and crafted into fresh, silky smooth chocolate treats and truffles.
But it’s not just chocolate that the St. Paul business is doing right.
“We do from scratch baking so, you know, muffins, cakes, cookies, brownies, scones, bars, all that kind of thing,” Owner of Legacy Chocolates, Chris Huset, said of their lineup of handmade goodies, “then we also do gourmet beverages.”
That’s right, they brew an exceptional cup of coffee too, using fresh-roasted beans.
“We brew it by the cup,” Chris explains, “they order the type of coffee bean, we grind it up on the spot, do a hand pour over per cup and the milk is fresh from the farm.”
Not only can you get fresh-roasted, hand-poured gourmet coffee drinks and made-from-scratch baked goods (check out Legacy Chocolates’ Facebook page to see their delicious treats), but the pièce de résistance is of course the chocolate.
Small Batch Chocolate Makes All the Difference
So what’s the difference between store-bought chocolate and Legacy’s handmade chocolates?
“Our truffles, for instance, have just a handful of ingredients, whereas if you went to the grocery store and picked up a truffle, there’d be over 20 ingredients in it with a lot of preservatives,” Chris explains. “We’re making small batches every week and individually packaging them up and getting them to customers immediately.”
Nutritious Meets Delicious
You don’t have to feel guilty about Legacy Chocolates’ sweet treats. Real chocolate has health benefits, as Chris explained, “the nutrition profile of it [real chocolate] as far as vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, all that good stuff – it’s really one of the most underrated super foods.”
Chris has always been interested in health and wellness. Many people probably don’t see chocolate consumption as fitting into that picture, but chocolate has been a healthy part of Chris’s lifestyle for a long time.
“I’ve been eating dark chocolate after every meal for at least 12 years now,” Chris said about his love of chocolate, “and not only is it pleasurable, it’s nutrient dense as well.”
Hard Work, Big Rewards
Since he was young, Chris knew he wanted to own his own business. After working as a traveling IT consultant, he realized that there was something missing. Chris longed for a bigger sense of community and purpose.
Chris’s travels then took him to London where he met a chocolatier and his interest in chocolate began to grow.
When he moved back to the states, he relocated to Lowertown St. Paul and it just so happened that there was a chocolate shop not far from where he lived. Legacy Chocolates. He started visiting every week and there he finally felt that sense of community he’d been looking for.
Years went by as Chris kept visiting and grew to know the former owners. As luck would have it, an opportunity arose. Originally from Canada, then owners Mark and Lorraine Dixon were looking to sell Legacy Chocolates and move back home.
“They asked me if I wanted to carry it [Legacy Chocolates] forward and I couldn’t turn them down,” Chris explains, “So as of March of this year [2021], I became the owner.”
Chris spent months training and learned everything there is to know about crafting the delicious chocolate that Legacy Chocolates is known for. “You know when they say you give up your 50-hour-a-week job for 80, 90 hours – that’s no joke,” Chris remarked with laughter. But for Chris, it’s a labor of love.
“All those long nights and weekends, you know you get exhausted, but then you just talk to a customer and they tell you how much they enjoy what you do,” Chris said, “and it just makes it all worthwhile.”
A Supportive Partner and Growing Family
For Chris, having a supportive partner is what makes his dream possible.
“I’m blessed to have a partner that stepped up,” Chris said, “she knew I was wanting to be a small business owner for so long.”
Chris and his partner have two children, a 2-year-old girl and a 3-month-old baby boy, and they’re already being trained in the ways of chocolate. “I bring my little ones into the chocolate shop,” Chris said, “and their eyes light up.”
At the end of a long day when he gets home, Chris told us that his daughter is always waiting for him and the chocolate she knows he’s bringing home for her.
Learn More
To find out more visit LegacyChocolates.com or follow on Facebook.
The Legacy Chocolate Box of 6 Truffles was part of our Minnesota Holiday Box which is currently sold out. But you can still find other great gift ideas in our shop!
