SFoodie has official word on the sudden closure of local confectioner Charles Chocolates as mentioned in this morning's Buzz Machine. Chuck Siegel confirmed to us that the company was unable to raise the necessary funds to move forward with expansion into a larger retail space and kitchen in San Francisco's Westfield Centre, and that he was forced to close both the existing retail store and the company.
We're particularly saddened about this terrible development. Diligent researchers of the Bay Area sugar scene, we got a special kind of high from the inventiveness of the products and flavors at Charles Chocolates, whether it was the company's pushing the envelope of form through edible chocolate boxes, or knowing that Siegel obsessed over details like creating the perfect peanut praliné for peanut butterflies. Of course, it wasn't just Siegel's ideas that made us soar; Charles Chocolates were always unfailingly delicious.
We expect Siegel will emerge with some new venture, though it's far too soon to say what that will be.
"I don't know exactly when or in what form," Siegel said, "but, given a choice, I'll always be involved in the world of artisan chocolate."
