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"After I closed the store for the day, I was still there for a full work day taking care of the emails," Quigley said.
She was getting more business through emails and phone calls than her brick and mortar store. So she closed it.
Making Chocolate transitioned its business to online-only in August. Quigley says business has never been better.
"I'm happy with my change," she said.
"I miss seeing my people on a regular basis but I don't miss what a brick and mortar brings with it."
Quigley said that the supply store hasn't lost any business since it primarily focuses on supplying customers with the items they need to make their own chocolate creations. That's different than people popping in for a candy craving.
The store services customers in Tenafly, Cresskill, Norwood, Northvale and Fort Lee in addition to other states across the nation. Although the store does not ship internationally, Quigley says some customers buy locally and ship items themselves to other countries.
After 30-plus years in business, she still gets most of her customers from word of mouth. But she also goes to birthday parties and library circuits where she'll show people how to get into chocolate crafting.
"We get kids when they're young," Quigley said.
The taste for chocolate came to Quigley at a young age.
She was introduced to the world at age eight when her mother took a class about the craft. She has held a passion for it throughout her life.
Quigley was eventually offered a position at Making Chocolate after she boldly requested a job.
"I took a night class and got directed to [Making Chocolate]," she recalled. "I walked in and said 'Listen, I'll work for free. Just teach me everything you know.' The owner said 'No, I'll pay you.'
"She molded me into her Frankenstein of chocolate."
The chocolate supply store has been in business since 1982. Quigley took over in 2011 when the previous owner planned to retire.
For now, Making Chocolate operates entirely out of the store's facebook page: www.facebook.com/makechoc. Quigley plans to have a functional website at www.makingchocolate.com by February, just in time for Valentine's Day.
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