The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company has announced it will open its first Ghirardelli Chocolate & Ice Cream Shop in Santa Monica, California on Wednesday, November 20, with an official grand opening taking place at 1:00 pm PST that day. There will be a ceremonial ribbon cutting led by Santa Monica mayor Phil Brock and Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer Judy Kruger, and the first 100 people to enter the shop will receive a free Ghirardelli World Famous Hot Fudge Sundae.
“At Ghirardelli, we are proud to be from California. As such, each shop we open in our home state is extra special,” says Lacey Zane, vice president, restaurant & retail and ecommerce, at Ghirardelli Chocolate Company. “When considering the location for our newest shop, it only made sense to marry two Golden State staples – the beautiful Santa Monica waterfront and delicious Ghirardelli Hot Fudge Sundaes. We are always dedicated to Making Life a Bite Better and we’re happy that Santa Monica now gets a taste.”
The 3,900-square-foot Santa Monica shop promises an immersive experience tailormade for chocolate lovers, including:
- Over 13 different sundae varieties on the menu, such as Ghirardelli’s World-Famous Hot Fudge Sundae, made with handmade Milk Chocolate Hot Fudge, two scoops of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, chopped and toasted almonds, a maraschino cherry, and a Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Caramel SQUARE– now available in a new mini size
- A Pick & Mix space, where guests can customize a take-home selection of 20 flavors of Ghirardelli’s chocolate SQUARES - including classics like Milk Chocolate Caramel and Dark Chocolate Raspberry SQUARES, or rotating seasonal favorites like beloved Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark SQUARES
- Additional fountain and bakery favorites like milkshakes, hot chocolate, coffee, brownies, cookies and chocolate covered strawberries
- Indoor and outdoor seating options to enjoy the year-round beachfront sunshine
- The shop also pays homage to the brand’s foundational San Francisco history through a replica of the classic Ghirardelli marquee sign
“As a world-renowned tourist destination and retail center, Santa Monica has long been a fixture of the Los Angeles area’s bustling tourism industry,” says Judy Kruger. “We’re thrilled to be welcoming such an iconic California business to our community. Ghirardelli is making life in our waterfront city even sweeter!”
The new Santa Monica shop marks the chocolatier’s thirteenth California brick and mortar location—with other Southern California locations in Hollywood, San Diego and Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim—and eighteenth location nationwide. This summer, Ghirardelli opened a shop in the Empire State Building, the brand’s first in New York City. The Original Chocolate & Ice Cream shop opened in 1966 and is located at San Francisco’s Ghirardelli Square.
