There are abundant mouth-watering and eye-candy reasons to pay a visit to the prominent pink building on the southwest corner of Old Dixie Highway and 17th Street that houses How Sweet It Is Chocolate Factory.
Among them: A mounted deer that mouths a recording of a Willie Nelson song, life-size Raggedy Ann, Marilyn Monroe, Miss Piggy and butler figures, hundreds of miniature trolls and other treasures of times past. A statue of Ronald McDonald greets you on the front lawn.
Best and sweetest of all, however, are the hand-dipped chocolates and homemade fudge and the owners, Judy and Richard Pinkman.
The sparkly-eyed Judy, and quick-witted Richard are part of the ever so charming experience when one steps foot into their 2,500-sq.ft. sweet-smelling shop full of chocolates and antiques. It is a place that attracts the visual experience-goer – to be amused and interested in unique collectibles and antiques – and for the person with a discerning sweet tooth who will find a wide variety of bite-size chocolates in every imaginable form, even sugar-free ones.
“We love blowing their minds,” Richard remarked from behind one of the counters, carefully placing chocolates on large trays, one at a time.
“There is something for everyone,” adds Judy, carefully holding her hand covered with a latex glove full of gooey chocolate away from her.
The How Sweet It Is experience starts the moment you step onto the property with the tantalizing smell of chocolate wafting from the kitchen to greet you.
Within a few strides, the task of shopping for chocolates becomes redefined. Never did you intend on the errand turning into more than just a quick fix for the nagging sweet tooth. One feels as if one has stepped into Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, a circus or a wildly extravagant antiques shop to suit eccentric tastes.
Indeed, looking at the thousands of items scattered throughout the property and shop hanging on walls and doors and propped all around and throughout, it is possible to be distracted from the original purpose of the visit: to purchase chocolates.
But there’s that oh-so intoxicating smell of chocolate to remind you.
The mounted deer head with a talent for singing and occasional unsuspecting remark – there is microphone tapped to it and connected to a device Richard has access to. No knowing what he may say on your way in or out of the shop, but it will likely amuse you. Before coming to Vero Beach several years ago, Richard owned a steakhouse in Lake Winnipesaki, NH, that was chock full of antiques.
Inside, one can hardly overlook the many portraits and figures of Marilyn Monroe, mannequins of a policeman, butler and more; intricately carved mahogany chairs once purportedly owned by Clark Gable, a crystal chandelier that Richard says Tiger Woods once owned, an antique Santa sleigh, an original copy of the Boston Daily Globe newspaper article on the sinking of the RMS Titanic, hundreds of tiny trolls, and more.
Episodes of “The Little Rascals,” “The Honeymooners” and “I Love Lucy,” including the episode when Lucy is baking in an industrial kitchen are played on a suspended TV screen. Judy, in the spirit of it all, wears a hat like the one Lucy wore. Judy’s hair is auburn.
Her sparkly eyes match her personality, and her sense of humor and kindness are scripted in calligraphy on signs such as: “M is for ‘Mom’ not for ‘Maid.’”
While Judy is the expert chocolatier having managed a chocolate shop in Fort Pierce for many years, Richard has a special affinity for the antiques.
“Anything we can’t replace is not for sale,” Richard chimes in, when asked about the price of Tiger Woods’ chandelier. “Worth $49,000,” he says, “but ‘NFS’ – Not for Sale!”
As for fulfilling the taste buds, well, that’s an adventure in and of itself. There are thousands of chocolates made of milk, dark and white chocolate. Ginger, nuts, dark espresso beans, orange peel, potato chips and other things are dipped in chocolate. These have no wax, no preservatives and have a shelf life of six months (not two years like other store-bought brands that use preservatives and wax).
The building that houses the chocolates and antiques business has served many purposes. It was built as a church in 1952 and later became a pool store, carpet store and video store.
How Sweet It Is offers 200 varieties of hand-dipped chocolates and homemade fudge. Butter toffee crunch and truffles made with crème and chocolate centers are among the selection. Other varieties include Kahlua, strawberry daiquiri, double chocolate rum, mint and peach brandy.
There’s also an old-fashioned ice cream parlor where customers can order root beer floats and 16 flavors of home-made ice cream and Italian ice, and there are sugar-free ice cream flavors available as well.
“It’s a lot of work, but it’s a labor of love,” Judy beamed.
She has a break-up triangle of chocolate with her coffee each morning, and then nibbles on chocolates throughout the day.
Chocolates aren’t just an indulgence, Richard is quick to point out. The benefits of it are well documented: It’s good for the heart, for fighting cancer and acts as a mood booster.
“Everything is better with chocolate!” he said.
