Annedore’s Fine Chocolates now open in new location

Sheri Mitchell Weedman, the owner of Annedore’s Fine Chocolates in Westwood Hills, has all kinds of Halloween confections on display in her three-week-old retail shop (including solid-chocolate Frankenstein monsters, shiny pumpkin-spice truffles, and cellophane bags of pumpkin-spice malted-milk balls), but not much in the way of celebratory Royals sweets. So far, just a bowl of molded chocolate baseball caps and balls hand-wrapped in silver and blue foil — at 75 cents each.

Last month, Weedman moved Annedore’s from a smaller location just two doors south to much larger — two-and-half-times larger, to be exact  — new quarters, in the former Absolute Florist location at 5000 State Line Road. This is the third home for Annedore’s, which former owner Nancy Hatch first opened 25 years ago at 106 East 43rd Street. Weedman purchased the business in 2007.

The new quarters are impressive, with original terrazzo floors, an exhibition chocolate kitchen visible behind a glass window (and boasting its own crystal chandelier) and a spiral staircase. “So far, it only goes up to my office, but I may need it to lead to something more exciting,” Weedman says.

The new space is far more dramatic than any of the previous Annedore’s locations, with glossy blue walls, glass display cases and a refrigerated case that will be used, next spring, for house-made gelato. The case is filled now with pans of the house-made malted-milk balls in a rainbow of colors. “They still all taste like chocolate,” Weedman says.

Weedman’s staff is increasing along with her store space. A new pastry chef — Francie Watts, a graduate of the French Pastry School in Chicago — is joining the shop next week to work alongside chocolatier Rachel Freeman and pastry chef Angela Pratt. Weedman needs at least one full-time pastry chef: one of the best-selling items in the store is a colorful selection of house-made macarons.

The new shop is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.