Go Here, Not There! Now Ain't That Sweet?

Go Here, Not There! is a tool. Use it to get the best deals on goods while supporting local, independently-owned businesses. As American consumers, we were born to believe the better deal equates to less dollars, but other factors matter just as much: the quality of the product, the fit between the product and the consumer, and an expert staff trained to understand the importance of both. Go Here, Not There! and get your money’s worth while protecting the fabric of our neighborhoods and local businesses.

According to a Smithsonian article on its heritage, modern historians estimate that it’s been around for about 2,000 years. The Aztecs made bitter drinks from it, the Mayans believed it had magical or divine properties, and in pre-modern Latin America it was used as currency. The Latin name for the tree from which it is derived means “food of the gods.”

Food of the gods, indeed. Chocolate is cherished by our culture. We use it to express love, to mark births, to celebrate holidays, and we count on it to increase our serotonin levels when we’re feeling blue. We find it everywhere, from the shelves of our discount drugstores to shops which specialize in creating delicious concoctions from the humble cacao bean. Of those specialty shops, some are Big Box and some are mom and pop productions, like Sweet Ashley’s at 343 Main Street in Royersford. Which one offers the best all-around product? The little guy – now ain’t that sweet!

As with most edible goods, freshness is important to maintaining excellent quality. In this case, Sweet Ashley’s, a family run business which opened its doors in 2005, doesn’t adhere to industry standards, whose sheer volume of sales dictate they make their chocolate a holiday ahead. Owner Connie Lawson states, “We make our chocolate as the season approaches. At Christmas we’re making Christmas chocolate. The other guys are making Valentine’s chocolate at Christmas.”

Family-owned shops like Sweet Ashley’s are also able to create their treats in smaller batches. Says Lawson, “We see and touch every piece of chocolate, so no cracked pieces end up in your boxes, which can cause hardened centers.” Additionally, their boxed chocolates have clear tops, so consumers can see what they’re buying and don’t get stuck with bloom, an industry term for whitening which occurs when the chocolate isn’t stored properly.

 Chocolate connoisseurs come in all shapes and sizes, and so do the delicacies they desire. The variety offered at Sweet Ashley’s far surpasses that available at Gertrude Hawk, a chocolate store found in many area malls. Sweet Ashley’s offers 26 kinds of truffles. They have butter creams in chocolate, vanilla, orange and raspberry; caramel in six ways; coconut in three; peanut butter in three styles of cups; peanut butter with caramel; peanut butter with potato chips; and hard-to-find jellies in orange and raspberry. Gertrude Hawk simply doesn’t compare. 

Chocolate is one product for which some folks are willing to spend an extra buck – if that cash results in a better tasting truffle, or caramel, or cream. But you don’t have to, since Sweet Ashley’s prices beat the competition case-to-case. Select your own assortment and pay $17.00 per pound, $9.00 per half pound, or $5 per quarter pound. Gertrude Hawk charges 99 cents more at each weight.

Box-to-box comparisons yield similar results. At first blush, it seems like Gertrude Hawk offers the better deal, since their assorted boxed chocolate runs $17.99 per pound and Sweet Ashley’s sells for $19. However the latter is gift ready; Gertrude Hawk charges an additional $2.00 for gift wrap, resulting in a 99 cent savings if you keep your dollars local. And Lawson is devoted to local commerce: “Our store is in Royersford, our factory right across the bridge in Spring City. The dollars you spend here stay here.”

The local nature of their shop also means they can cater to community and individual needs. Mascots for Spring-Ford, OJR, Boyertown and Pottstown adorn sticks, chocolate wildcats and rams getting along uncannily well together. Customers can place specials orders, like boxes with a “Thank You” embossed bar surrounded by hand-picked chocolates in the smallest of quantities: one. Personalized and custom filled wedding, retirement and shower favors are available. Perhaps the most important service Sweet Ashley’s offers is summarized by customer Ken Conrad: “There’s not many places I shop where they know my name.”

Go Here, Not There! – get a great deal more than a great deal!