When thinking about how to surprise your very special Valentine’s Day partner, how do you go about it? As stores across the world start stocking up on all sorts of items, laced in the many shades of red and pink that exist, there’s always something we’d like to imagine that wonderful someone might enjoy.
A good start is a card with a few special words included, tied to the way you both connect, dedicated in a way that’s both personal and private. And what might you pair that with?
The choices can be vexing, but if you and your partner include gift-giving as a love language, there could always be something the two of you can share as you glance into each other and get on to the night’s activities (or day, we don’t judge here). Candy is one of the most casual types of gifts, in essence because sampling goods is not only an easy way to spend time, it can be fun discussing each morsel that comes out of the box. Whether you and your beloved are gourmands, want to try and add a little something to the bedroom, or take twisted pleasure in guessing flavors within the Jelly Belly variety grab-bag, you can’t go wrong with sweet treats.
If we’ve sufficiently made a well-meaning argument for you in your hunt for the best Valentine’s Day treats, good news! We’re not just here to pitch in with the candy industry. To give the best gift possible, often the best options are right down the road at a local confectionery storefront. Whether you’re reading this story online or picking up a print issue of Qnotes in the city proper or the surrounding metro area, check out our list below where we’re sure where you’ll find a few inviting spots to tempt your tastebuds, and those of your special someone.
Chocolat Boutique
Chocolat Boutique – 1012 Market Street, Suite 104, Fort Mill, S.C.
803-802-9580 – https://chocolatboutique.square.site/
Newly opening up shop in 2007, Chocolat Boutique set a goal of producing premium, fresh chocolate products that anyone could afford. Using an on-site kitchen within the storefront, the store’s chocolatier and small team create handmade truffles and confections in the same place they are sold. Curious customers will be able to take in not only the displays, but the scents of the actual work having taken place there. The products up front are the result of the independent gourmet brand’s daily productions, maintaining each treat’s freshness. Each item is made by traditional methods, individually hand-dripped and hand-decorated, and utilizes the finest European ingredients available.
Cotton Candy Factory
Cotton Candy Factory – 21 N Main St, Belmont
(704) 825-0416 – https://www.holyangelsnc.org/cotton-candy-factory
On Feb. 14, hearts will be on display in multiple fashions, especially when it comes to gifts. Heart-shaped boxes, bouquets of red balloons, even a plethora of cards will hold the shape. During a time when one might think there aren’t many other ways to mix that theme into something new and fantastic, Belmont’s Candy Cotton Factory might disagree.
Using the art of cotton candy creation, this storefront just outside Charlotte offers a multitude of designs to fit their customer’s imaginations, from bunnies and ducklings for the Easter holiday, to blown up versions of candy hearts, complete with edible messaging. Scrolling through the store’s Instagram secures the notion that invention is a core key to the establishment’s success. If you’re looking to add a different type of candy-coated surprise to your holiday’s offerings, check out CCF and see what they can make for you.
James’ Sweet Spot
James’ Sweet Spot – 100 S Main St, Kannapolis
(704) 933-9321 – https://www.jamessweetspot.com/
On this list, we have more than a few highlights on family-owned businesses in candy shops, and James’ Sweet Spot is no exception. Both as a tribute to James Rector, the father to the owners of the establishment, and as a vision he and co-owner Haven Rector had, the store caters to their idea of bringing excitement to their customers through hard-to-find nostalgic treats and games to share.
Searching around the storefront, curious customers will find much of what James and Haven’s idea was built from. If there is a specific treat that you might recall from distant movie theater visits, or certain selections from a neighborhood stop that you could swear existed, the Sweet Spot has found them and incorporated them into their wares. From Fun Dip to Pop Rocks, Root Beer Caps that fizz in water to Candy Buttons, Giant Gummy Worms to every Charm’s Blow-Pop known to humanity, there is something fun for everyone to enjoy and bask in the memories of at this establishment.
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory – 8111 Concord Mills Boulevard #424, Concord, N.C. 28027
(704) 979-1044 – https://www.rmcf.com/
One of the longest tenured chocolate confectioneries in the United States, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory has been going strong since the early 80s with its massive selection of different treats. Opening its doors in Durango, Co., Frank Crail, the visionary behind the brand, built his dream thinking about what he could add to the lives of his neighbors in the then small town. Starting from scratch, he and his partner at the time brought their own ideas to the trade, not only resulting in chocolate-covered treats like truffles, peanut butter cups and candied bark, but different varieties of coated fruit as well.
The Secret Chocolatier
The Secret Chocolatier – 2935 Providence Rd #104, Charlotte
(704) 323-8178 – https://thesecretchocolatier.com/
Put together by a lineage of chocolate artisans comprised of the Dietz and Ciordia families, the company came together in the midst of a crisis. When Chef Bill Dietz was looking to start a new career journey, two generations came together to form the Secret Chocolatier company, with Bill joined by his wife, along with their daughter and her husband, Robin and Andy Ciordia.
Chef Dietz relies on a lifetime of experience as a pastry chef in South Carolina and each other member of the combined families contribute their strengths to make for a smooth operation, including connecting with local farmers markets to source their supplies. What customers get as a result is a true chocolate artisan experience fueled by a host of independent businesses. The price of products ranges from under $10 to $100, depending on the confection and the variety in the packages, but there is something for everyone at one of Charlotte’s best kept secrets.
Trap Fruit Candy Company
Trap Fruit Candy Co. – 8838 Arbor Creek Dr, Charlotte
(704 992-8005 – https://www.trapfruit.com/
Have you ever tried a candied apple during a visit to a state fair? Hold that image in mind, because the family behind the Trap Fruit Candy Company would like to expand on that concept a bit. Taking selections of fresh fruit, be it grapes, peaches or pineapple, each are dipped in a special combination of sugar, corn syrup and water, creating a hard-candy coating on the outside, all before being rolled in other crushed hard candies like Nerds or Brach Valentine hearts. The end result is a product dubbed “crack fruit,” named for obsessive quality tied to the sweetness of the mega candies, a recipe that Atlanta-transplant Que Edwards attributes to another Georgia native, Deyanna Reed.
Since Edwards and his family moved to Charlotte in 2016, they have spread the legacy and love of the treats in various ways. Expanding on the treats that the storefront still curates daily, Trap Fruit offers a plethora of homemade goods to old-time snacks that are hard to find, and even international sweets, catering to the metropolitan cities they’ve called home. Stop by their store for a fresh take on confectionery goodness.