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Sweet! New chocolate store in Hampden

Posted at 5:08 PM, Feb 12, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-12 17:56:02-05

"Life is short, so it might as well be sweet."  

Truer words have never been spoken.

And those words are the motto of Todd and Michelle Zimmerman, who recently opened a chocolate and candy store in Hampden called Charm City Chocolate.  Each piece of chocolate you see in their display case is handmade.

Todd and Michelle worked in the local newspaper industry before deciding to open the store.  Many of the recipes come from Todd's parents, who owned a chocolate shop in South Carolina.  For years, Todd and Michelle would go down to help on the holidays.

"We thought it would be fun to bring some of those ideas and family recipes to Baltimore," said Todd.

They chose 36th street in Hampden for their location because they feel it is an up and coming area.

"It's a great place for food enthusiasts," said Todd.  "Just down here in our corner we have many sweet shops, so we're calling it the sweet corner."

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One of the recipes from Todd's family is the buckeyes.  Buckeye chocolates are an Ohio thing, typically made during the holidays, with peanut butter gaunche and dark chocolate.  Todd says they are all about the confections, taking traditional recipes and giving them a twist.

"This is a niche that we're filling, people are always in the mood for chocolate," he said.  "We want to combine the feel of an old, retro candy store with a new take on the chocolate."

Not all of the recipes come from Todd's family.  Some are inspired by our beautiful state, like the Chesapeake Crunch bark.  There's a subtle hint of crab seasoning, giving the chocolate a little bit of bite without being too overpowering.

So what if you don't like chocolate? First off, I'd like to meet you because I don't think I've ever met someone who didn't like chocolate.  Second, you can still check out Charm City Chocolate because they have candy there too, like gummy worms, gummy bears, and jelly beans.  Something for everyone!

Check out Charm City Chocolate on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  They're always showing off their sweet treats!  

If you know of a new food or booze business opening soon, tell us please!! We want to know, and more importantly, share with the world.  Email us at megan.knight@wmar.com or garrett@wmar.com.