[CREDIT: Rob Borkowski] The Chocolate Delicacy chocolate shop is preparing for a pandemic altered holiday season.

WARWICK, RI — In a normal December, hundreds of customers visit the Chocolate Delicacy every day, but this is no normal December and this season things are looking a whole lot different.

Marie Schaller, who owns the business with her husband, Dave, says they are doing their best to be ready for the holiday season. However, the growth in COVID-19 cases and Rhode Island’s two-week pause of pandemic precautions has business as usual looking anything but. The Schallers are taking their business online and offering curbside pickup for at least the next couple of weeks for the safety of their customers and staff.

“This is during our busiest time of the year and this will certainly negatively affect our business, but it’s the right thing to do,” she said.

“This is during our busiest time of the year and this will certainly negatively affect our business, but it’s the right thing to do.”

Like a lot of businesses right now, Chocolate Delicacy is struggling with staffing issues. But that’s not keeping them from ensuring orders are filled. Schaller wants customers to know they’ll get the same great service they’ve come to expect, but is asking them to be patient, as orders will take a little longer to fill.

In December, Chocolate Delicacy usually sees five times its usual monthly business and they’re already getting a lot of online orders. Schaller says they’ve even started getting orders from all over the country.

“If you are a regular customer, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We ask you if you possibly can, to order online,” she said, adding that right now there’s a limit of four customers in the store and that could change if things get worse. “Ordering online is the best way and we are going to keep making stuff as long as we can and we’ll keep doing it.” She added that orders will be filled in the order they’re received.

She says the best way to order this holiday season is online with curbside pickup. Additionally, she suggests ordering earlier rather than later. Customers will be notified when their orders are ready for pickup.

“We sincerely hope that our Rhode Island hospitals can withstand the surge in cases,” she said. “We’ll do our very best to handle this business challenge and come out stronger on the other side.”

From left, Dave and Marie Schaller, owners of Chocolate Delicacy, and their customer, Jeff Herman, in the chocolate shop’s new location in Apponaug.

Author: Liz Taurasi

Liz Taurasi is an award-winning digital media editor with more than two decades of experience in newspaper, magazine and online media industries. Liz is a proven digital media strategist who has produced content and offered editorial support for a variety of web publications, including: Fast Company, NBC Boston, Street Fight, AOL/Patch Media, IoT World Today and Design News.

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