By the time Gosanko Chocolate opened its new retail operation on East Main Street at noon Tuesday, seven customers we’re already there, mouths a-water, chomping at the chocolate bit.
“We’re doing a soft opening right now, and we’ll probably be doing a grand opening, but we’re open, and we’re rockin’ and rollin’. And we’ll be open in time for the Veterans Day Parade,” said owner Ronnie Roberts just after the big moment in Suite 170 on the ground floor of the 1 Main building, just across North Division Street and east of Auburn City Hall.
Hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
The crew will continue to make the confections at 116 A St. SE, and sell sweets there until after Easter.
Established in 1987 as a family-owned-and-operated company, Gosanko Chocolate is today a premier leader of unique, highly detailed, solid-molded chocolate, and a maker of gourmet confections.
Success has allowed Gosanko to add retail stores in the Kitsap Mall, Seattle’s Pike Place Market and The Outlet Collection | Seattle.
At 810 square feet, the new sweet spot is more compact than the A Street Southeast locale, but it offers everything Gosanko makes and carries, including a full espresso bar and blended drinks, and when the cooler is ready, eight different flavors of ice cream,
Something the new store has that none of Gosanko’s other retail outlets do — a walk-up window on Main Street, where customers may order an ice cream, a latte, a coffee or, of course, get their chocolate fix.
“I believe we’re probably the first ones to have a walk-up window on Main Street, so you’ll be able to walk right up and order,” Roberts said.
Out in the lobby customers may relax at high boy and low boy tables, while under umbrellas out on the sidewalk they can park themselves at tables and chairs.
“We’ll be doing sandwiches, soups and stuff like that, too. So it will be kind of a chocolate-deli-espresso-fudge sort of place,” Roberts said. “It’ll be cool.”
Roberts expects to add about 10 jobs.
“We’re trying hard. We’re a small, family-owned company. To us, it’s all about customer service and working with our community,” Roberts said.
