A candy maker with roots dating to 1668 in Paris and nearly a century in the United States recently opened its first Sarasota County shop.
Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier will celebrate its grand opening at University Town Center (UTC) on July 23 and 24. The store is located at 40 University Town Center Drive on the main level outside Saks Fifth Avenue and across from the Apple Store.
The UTC location marks the company’s fourth Florida store. The shop offers a full collection of handcrafted chocolates, including signature truffles, caramels, chocolate-covered fruits and nuts, seasonal specialties and gift assortments.
“We’re excited to bring Bissinger’s to Sarasota and become part of the community,” Dan Abel Jr., Bissinger’s chief chocolate officer, said in a press release.
While celebrating the grand opening, shoppers can enjoy two complimentary signature Bissinger’s truffles with a purchase. One lucky shopper can also discover a Golden Ticket inside a shopping bag, which they can then redeem for a $200 Bissinger’s gift card.
Bissinger’s is also giving back to the community, donating 20% of all sales during the grand opening to All Faiths Food Bank. The food bank provides millions of meals to the Sarasota and DeSoto counties every year in collaboration with more than 300 agencies and programs in the area.
“Wherever we open a new boutique, we look for ways to give back and support the people who make that community special. That’s why we’re proud to partner with All Faiths Food Bank during our grand opening celebration,” Abel said.
What is Bissinger’s?
The chocolatier was founded in Paris in 1668 and has spent more than 350 years making chocolate using time-honored techniques and high-quality ingredients, according to the press release.
After years of the chocolate being enjoyed by nobility across Europe, the company moved to the United States in 1845, with the first stateside kitchen opening in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1927.
The original recipes from the Bissinger Family Cookbook are still used in Bissinger’s chocolate-making today.
What else is new at UTC?
The shopping and dining center has been adding quite a few restaurants recently, with more set to open soon.
Blu Kouzina and Kitchen Social opened in the West District, and many more will be coming to the center soon.
Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza, Just Salad, Pure Green, Playa Bowls, Zen Dumplings and ScandyCandy will be opening throughout the center.
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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: National chocolatier with deep Paris roots opens first Sarasota shop
Reporting by Michaela Galligan, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Michaela Galligan, Sarasota Herald-Tribune | USA TODAY Network
