By Charlotte Smith

There is quite literally nothing I love more than candy. My favorite food is candy. My days both start and end with candy. The first thing I do when I wake up is eat candy, something I consider to be parallel to that of other people’s morning coffee. The last thing that I do before bed is enjoy more candy, because after working hard all day, I deserve it. I keep a steady supply of candy in my car, backpack, and in a candy basket in my room, so that I am never without a sweet treat. My candy addiction is much to the dismay of my parents, especially considering that the last time I went to the dentist they found not one, not two, but four cavities. I already dislike going to the dentist, so going three times in one month to get my cavities filled was dreadful. 

Elizabeth Vranas, owner of For the Love of Chocolate. Photo courtesy of the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Despite the repercussions of my candy addiction, no matter what I do, I can’t stop eating it. While I will eat almost any candy you give me, there is nothing quite like grabbing a scooper and filling up a treat bag with all of your favorites. This used to only be an experience I would find in an airport or someplace out of town, until I discovered my version of nirvana in Richmond. 

At around nine years old, I just so happened to stumble across For the Love of Chocolate, a candy store located in Cary Court, the center of Carytown. Once I found this store, it became a constant in my life, and I always made an effort to convince my mom to take me. Now that I can drive, I can go whenever I want (hence the cavities). But, unbeknownst to me, my candy-filled paradise almost closed. 

The wall of candy jars filled with gummies.

It was just a normal day for Elizabeth Vranas, a mom of four, until her daughter came home to tell her some interesting news. Vranas’ daughter, an employee at For the Love of Chocolate, told Vranas that the owner, James Kinard, would officially be closing the store to move on to something new. Just like her friend Kinard, Vranas was also looking for a new adventure after being a stay-at-home mom for 26 years. She wanted to re-enter the workforce but didn’t want to work for somebody and wanted something that she would enjoy but that still provided flexibility and ownership. Upon hearing her daughter’s news, Vranas knew that this was the perfect opportunity. After coming from a long line of female business owners, Vranas joined the pack, and in August 2020, For the Love of Chocolate was officially hers.

Upon walking into the store, customers are faced with a seemingly endless amount of options. With a wall of jellybeans and M&M’s, a case of handmade chocolate truffles, walls filled with jars of gummy candies and chocolates, a licorice section, taffy jars, old-fashioned candy bars, and homemade cookies and brownies, there is truly something for everyone. Katherine Goff (‘22), a recent visitor to the shop, said, “Going to the store made me feel like a little kid again. I wanted to buy everything in sight. One of the best parts of the store was the fact that they have rare candies from around the world that you can’t get at 7/11.”

Vranas estimates that she has over 10,000 different products in her shop. To keep track of all of the products, every single item’s “Best By Date” is written down in a book to ensure that customers are always getting the freshest candy. With this much inventory, Vranas is constantly eyeing and refilling the candy jars to make sure that they are never running low.

The display of fudge, brownies, cookies, and other treats.

Vranas admits that when she first started working, she was nervous and felt that the shelves were always empty. To prevent running low on fan favorites, Vranas places orders for more candy every single day. When I interviewed her, she had a pile of around 20 orders that she had placed that day alone. While customers can purchase traditional candies, there are also items for more adventurous candy eaters to try. Perhaps one could try the chocolate-covered insects, or maybe the Asiago Amore Truffle, a unique flavor that essentially resembles a chocolate-covered Cheez-It. These uncommon flavors are noted by customers. My sister, Emily Smith (‘19) said, “I love looking at all of the aisles carefully to find flavor combinations I never would have thought existed.”

The wall of jelly beans.

But what is a real-life Willy Wonka’s favorite treat? Well, the answer may surprise you, because Vranas prefers savory foods. She said, “I have never had a huge sweet tooth. I will eat a chocolate bar if you give it to me, but I always steer more towards caramels and toffees.” And even though she has a whole store of chocolate and gummy candies readily available to her, she usually opts for the popcorn and mac & cheese kept in her office.

Despite this, Vranas was quick to express her love for the Celtic Sea Salt Caramels by Béquet, which is her favorite product in the store. Béquet’s products are loved by many, as customer Izzy Bartels (‘22) said, “I frequently go to For the Love of Chocolate to buy Béquet caramels. My favorite flavors are the salted butterscotch and espresso. I have gone so often that two of the workers now recognize me when I come in.” 

While the candy would most definitely be my favorite part of owning a candy store, for Vranas, it is her staff. As a mom of four, she enjoys working with young people and finds it exciting to hire someone for their first job, because she wants to teach people how to be exceptional employees. She said, “I love being a boss because I love being a mom.”

The case of chocolate truffles.

I love going to the shop at all times of the year, but the holiday seasons are my favorite. The windows of the store are decorated accordingly, and the front display is dedicated to themed candies for the upcoming holiday. The most popular candy buying seasons are Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Easter, but Vranas notes some major differences between the seasons.

Around Valentine’s Day, she feels as though people are running around at the last minute, with pressure to get something for someone. Leading up to Valentine’s Day, the store is slammed, and they must restock their case of handmade chocolates every single day to keep up with the demand. Christmas, however, Vranas’ favorite holiday season in the store, is very different: “People tend to buy more candy in bulk at Christmas. There is just a nice feeling in the store. People don’t feel as rushed, and people are just delighted at all of the inventory.” Vranas just put out their Halloween-themed candy display and is looking forward to the upcoming holiday. 

So whether you are looking for a new job, have a sweet tooth like me, or just want to support a small, locally-owned business, look no further and head to For the Love of Chocolate.

The wall of colorful M&M’s.

Unless otherwise noted, all photos by Charlotte Smith.