by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
The San Marco building that houses Peterbrooke Chocolatier Manufacturing Company and the accompanying retail store has been sold. As a result, the manufacturing company will relocate this summer, possibly to the Landing, but there are other sites in San Marco, Downtown and Riverside under consideration.
“We are weighing our options,” said Peterbrooke President and CEO Peter Behringer, whose mother founded the company in Jacksonville in 1983.
Today, the manufacturing company still exists, but there are also seven retail stores around town that are part of the Peterbrooke franchise agreements. While those stores make some of the products on the shelves, the San Marco manufacturing company still provides many of the signatures items such as the chocolate-covered popcorn.
“The Landing is not a done deal,” said Behringer. “The only thing that is certain in that we are moving. There are other possibilities. We will be out (of the current San Marco building) by summer. That is the one thing that is definite.”
Landing officials would love to have Peterbrooke move in and anchor one end of the 22-year-old riverfront mall that’s doing well from the restaurant and nightclub perspective, but is struggling on the retail end.
“Having Peterbrooke at the Landing would be perfect,” said Landing spokesperson Rachel Nudge. “The Landing has been an icon in Jacksonville for 22 years and I can’t think of a better location. The Peterbrooke name would add more benefits than we can imagine. It would add to all of Downtown and its residents. It would further increase our traffic and marketability.”
Regardless where Peterbrooke ends up, the architectural plans require 13,500 square feet of space, of which 1,500 would be a retail store. The rest, according to Peterbrooke Manufacturing Company partner Ken Paulk, would consist of a chocolate museum, chocolate/wine bar and a banquet room. Paulk said the whole facility will be encased in glass and could become an entertainment/tourist attraction.
“It’s not a secret,” said Paulk of the plans to relocate. “But, it will not happen until we get our financing.”
Paulk is also a partner in Times Grill, of which there are three locations in Jacksonville.
According to Paulk, the only facility similar to the one he and Behringer are looking to create is Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco.
“It would be a first of its kind for Peterbrooke,” said Paulk.
Behringer said while the new facility would certainly be a spectacle and the kind of place the curious could enjoy, he wants to include an educational element.
“We want to showcase that and educate the public on what makes good chocolate,” he said. “We want to show why our production is different, educate the public on good chocolate and what we do. The public will find it fascinating and want to get involved.”
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