COLTON, New York (WWNY) – With the holidays approaching, the chocolatiers at the now-closed Apothecary Chocolates in Colton would ordinarily be hard at work. But not this season.
“I was having difficulty with paying the prices, not only for chocolate but for packaging. The percentages were going up, and I thought, ‘Well, let me at least make it until Christmas,’ because Christmas is the time when people buy,” said Shelby Connelly, the former owner of Apothecary Chocolates.
In August, the Trump administration imposed country-specific tariffs on several key cocoa-producing countries. The cost to do business at Apothecary Chocolates tripled.
The business was forced to close, leaving its three chocolatiers without jobs.
“We sat down at the meeting, and they were ready with their note-taking, and they were going to tell me their ideas for the flavors they were going to make. I said, ‘We need to be done in two weeks,’ and the looks on their faces, it was heartbreaking,” said Connelly.
Apothecary Chocolates’ closure was mentioned in a full-page ad by the North Country Neighbors for Civic Engagement group. The ad is a message to Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, telling her that “Trump’s tariffs are devastating our communities and families.”
“We put it in the form of an open letter to Stefanik, and it details the various impacts of the tariffs, including my friends’ chocolate business,” said Ginger Storey-Welch, co-founder of North Country Neighbors for Civic Engagement.
The ad has appeared in three regional newspapers and online. It shares the effects of tariffs on farmers, restaurants, hotels, and Canadian tourism.
“There are other businesses that were severely damaged, like the Malone Golf Club. They lost $400,000 in business,” said Jane Lammers, a member of North Country Neighbors for Civic Engagement.
Meanwhile, those who hoped to stuff stockings with Apothecary Chocolates this holiday season will come up empty.
“It’s been hard to hear their stories of what they’re going to miss this Christmas because it has become a tradition for them to give away Apothecary Chocolate,” said Connelly.
The ad was sent to Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and other lawmakers, asking them to address these issues. The group has yet to get a response.
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