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Chocolate Affair promotes small business

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Chocolate Affair promotes small business

Sherman Street is usually bustling with activity. However, when the street is not flooded with tourists in the summer, the local businesses depend on the community to keep them afloat. How do these small businesses get by during the off-season? The Chocolate Affair held on Feb. 10 provided a way to promote business for the Sherman Street retailers during the slow season.

The event supports not just the small businesses, but it also promoted business for the chocolatiers who entertained for the evening. Musicians also played during the event which was hosted by the Coeur d’Alene Downtown Assocation.

“[Coeur d’Alene] is great,” said Shannon McMahan, owner of McHuck’s Huckleberry Chocolate. “I don’t want to leave.” McMahan goes up to the mountains to pick the huckleberries for her chocolate every summer.

The Chocolate Affair is annual event, and this year, tickets completely sold out. Some of the samples the chocolatiers offered were simple and sweet, like the chocolate-coated huckleberries from McHuck’s Huckleberry Chocolate, while others were intricate and delightful, like the rich chocolates topped with caramelized bacon from Pastry and More.

Chocolatiers also had the chance to win an award for the best chocolate, which was decided by a judge panel along with votes from attendants. This year, the winner was Shelly Boyd’s chocolates, which were located at All Things Irish.

The Plaza Shops, which were the starting point for the event, completely filled with locals and tourists alike. There they socialized with friends and family while enjoying the selection of chocolate. In the main center of the Plaza Shops, a chocolate fountain awaited those entering the event, as well as wine for those who needed to cleanse their palate.

As people finished testing the chocolates in the Plaza Shops, they began to wander down the streets of downtown Coeur d’Alene, stopping by shops along the way. The event promoted visiting every business by raffling a gift for those who were able to visit every single shop. As a result, many business, including art galleries and clothing stores, gained attention during the evening as people passed through collecting chocolate samples.

To encourage students to help support local business, NIC recently began a program that partners with local businesses to provide discounts for students, faculty and staff. From local ski resorts to coffee shops, these businesses will post a Students Shop Local sticker to let shoppers know that they offer the discount.

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