Gorant Chocolatier to Open New Flagship Location Friday

BOARDMAN, Ohio – Gorant Chocolatier will open its new location on Boardman-Poland Road at 10 a.m. Friday.

Bergen Giordani and Nino Rubino purchased the chocolate maker and retail store in September. They announced at that time that the flagship store at 8301 Market St. would be moved to a more prominent site at 400 Boardman-Poland Road.

Giordani is founder and co-owner of One Hot Cookie and OH Donut, which have multiple locations in the Mahoning Valley. Rubino is a medical doctor and partner at Poland Medical Center and a co-owner of OH Donut.

The new location is next to the Plato’s Closet store and across from the Shops at Boardman Park. It will continue to feature the longtime chocolate maker’s most popular products and will offer promotions and giveaways all weekend.

The new location will have a fresh look but will also pay homage to Gorant’s 75-year history of chocolate making in the Mahoning Valley.

The retail portion of the store will open Friday, but a new chocolate café at the site will not be ready until sometime early next year, according to a press release from the company.

The chocolate café will provide a space for customers to enjoy chocolate beverages and delicacies, such as gourmet hot chocolate and coffee. It will also offer chocolate dipping flights that guests can create according to their tastes.

“My partner, Dr. Nino Rubino, and I recognize the strength of the Gorant brand,” Giordani said in the release. “The plan has always been to take it to the next level. This storefront and chocolate café does that and demonstrates our commitment to keeping Gorant in the Valley for another 75 years.”

The new location, which includes updated chocolate making equipment, represents an investment of more than $300,000, according to Giordani.

The company currently employs 25 and plans to add 10 to 15 more employees.

Gorant Chocolatier also has two licensee locations – one in Austintown and the other in Howland.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.