In Northeast Ohio few things are as synonymous with holidays as Malley’s Chocolates. Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter and Mother’s Day delight the sweet tooth with decadence from Malley’s. Headquartered in Brook Park, the third-generation Cleveland-area staple has delighted customers since 1935.
“I think what we do is, we sell chocolate, but I think our brand stands for fond memories, good times, happiness, and chocolate is, sort of, the medium that makes that happen,” says Mike Malley, president of Malley’s Chocolates.
RELATED: Four Chocolate Shops to Visit
Everyone has a Malley’s favorite. Whether it’s the chocolate-covered pretzels, Bordeaux or another indulgent confection, it’s all made here. And, no area Easter basket is complete without a legendary chocolate bunny.
We caught up with Malley as Easter and Mother's Day are on the horizon.
Cleveland Magazine: What is the busiest time of the year for Malley’s?
Mike Malley: It’s definitely the Christmas season. If you had to look at the main seasonal holidays, Christmas is by far the biggest. But Valentine’s Day, and the day before — the 13th and 14th. Those two days alone are the biggest single-day revenue days for the company. But the Christmas season is by far the biggest one, then followed by Easter.
CM: How popular are the chocolate-covered strawberries?
MM: It’s huge. We do chocolate-covered strawberries only a few times a year. We do them around Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and then Sweetest Day, so we kind of limited-time offer four times a year. You can’t make those in advance. With Valentine’s Day, we’ll start production on those around midnight on Feb. 12. Because they have about a 48-hour shelf life for optimum taste.
CM: What’s your favorite thing Malley’s does?
MM: We hear a lot of times people telling us about the memories they have growing up selling Malley bars for their school fundraisers, and now their kids are selling Malley bars. Or the stories about how their grandfather just has to absolutely have BillyBobs. So it’s just a part of the fabric of the community. I think it’s really about building memories and being a part of the fabric of the community.
For more updates about Cleveland, sign up for our Cleveland Magazine Daily newsletter, delivered to your inbox six times a week.
Cleveland Magazine is also available in print, publishing 12 times a year with immersive features, helpful guides and beautiful photography and design.
