Godiva to Close ALL 128 U.S. Stores

[TLSnell1981]

NATIONAL
Godiva to close all North American stores

By the end of March, chocolate lovers in the U.S. will have three choices to buy Godiva: order it online, through another retailer that stock it in their stores, or by traveling overseas. (Source: CNN Newsource)
By CNN Staff | January 23, 2021 at 1:22 PM CST - Updated January 23 at 1:22 PM
(CNN) - The luxury chocolatier Godiva announced it is closing all 128 stores in North America.
The move comes less than two years after the company laid out plans to open 2,000 cafes around the world in six years.
By the end of March, chocolate lovers in the U.S. will have three choices to buy Godiva: order it online, through another retailer that stock it in their stores, or by traveling overseas.
Godiva said it is keeping its stores in Europe, the Middle East and China.

 

[fab1976]

128 in North America, we do have some of those locations here in Canada, and I’m sad to see more places closing . I do admit I haven’t actually bought any from a store before though, just at other retailers usually.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Even Target and Walmart are selling Godiva now. There is just no real need for their own retail stores any more. Maybe they'll just have Christmas Kiosks in the malls now like several other candy makers.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I love chocolate. It's my main vice. But, having had Godiva chocolates before I found them overpriced. It's good chocolate, but you can get comparable quality for far less.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Even Target and Walmart are selling Godiva now. There is just no real need for their own retail stores any more. Maybe they'll just have Christmas Kiosks in the malls now like several other candy makers.

Godiva isn’t candy. It’s chocolate. And some of us still enjoy the experience of choosing a custom box of our favorites. The kids love going for fresh dipped fruit ESPECIALLY strawberries. I will miss the store and experience.

Tout ca, c'est ne pas du chocolat. C'est de la confiserie.

 

[princesscinderella]

That’s so sad we loved getting our free chocolate every month at the store and the awesome shakes they would make.

 

[TLSnell1981]

128 in North America, we do have some of those locations here in Canada, and I’m sad to see more places closing . I do admit I haven’t actually bought any from a store before though, just at other retailers usually.

I changed the thread. I was so disappointed I just skimmed the article.

 

[Earstou]

I didn't even know they had stores.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I didn't even know they had stores.

Agreed.

An uncle would gift me a box every Christmas. It was a treasured gift, yum!

 

[Southernmiss]

The chocolates are available in our drug and dollar stores

We have a couple of mom and pop candy places.

I've been gifted boxes of Whitman's or Russell Stovers on occasion

But I still prefer a Hershey's or Snickers or 3 Musketeers bar.

 

[georgina]

DH likes the Godiva dark chocolate ganache hearts they sell at Costco. Just saw they are going on sale in Feb, will pick up a few bags.

I wasn't aware where a Godiva store is near me, just looked it up and there is one at a mall 25 minutes away. I avoid shopping malls so didn't know.

 

[loves to dive]

Well this just makes me sad. It's my favorite chocolate and there were a couple of stores in Atlanta. I love walking in the store and smelling all the goodness then picking out what is going in my box. My mama used to give me a small box every year in my stocking. Yes, you can buy it at other places but it's not the same as actually going into one of their stores. I used to work with a guy who used to bring us broken pieces when he would go home. His mama worked in a factory, I want to say in SC but that might be wrong. Anyway, I wasn't crazy about him but loved when he went home to visit his parents because I knew we would get a big ole tupperware bowl full of Godiva. White choc. with ras. filling.

 

[Christine]

All of our malls had Godiva stores although they never, ever seemed very busy with the exception of Valentine's Day and Christmas.

There are some types of things Godiva sold that could only be bought in those stores, so that kind of stinks. Every year, my boss used to go get me a full, custom box of Godiva chocolate covered cherries. They were my favorite and you'd only ever get one or two in an assorted box. I wanted a whole box and that's what I got! Getting the fresh dipped strawberries was nice also.

Wonder how you'll ever be able to get some of the more unusual stuff. I noticed last year that Godiva had set up small shops within Macy's and they often had a very small glass case of single chocolates. Maybe those are staying.

 

[TLSnell1981]

All of our malls had Godiva stores although they never, ever seemed very busy with the exception of Valentine's Day and Christmas.

There are some types of things Godiva sold that could only be bought in those stores, so that kind of stinks. Every year, my boss used to go get me a full, custom box of Godiva chocolate covered cherries. They were my favorite and you'd only ever get one or two in an assorted box. I wanted a whole box and that's what I got! Getting the fresh dipped strawberries was nice also.

Wonder how you'll ever be able to get some of the more unusual stuff. I noticed last year that Godiva had set up small shops within Macy's and they often had a very small glass case of single chocolates. Maybe those are staying.

The get the normal fare I will need to take a road trip to Europe.

 

[bcla]

Even Target and Walmart are selling Godiva now. There is just no real need for their own retail stores any more. Maybe they'll just have Christmas Kiosks in the malls now like several other candy makers.

That's mostly bars and maybe some simple stuff. I've even seen some Godiva stuff sold at dollar stores. What they tended to have at their company owned stores were boxes selling for a lot, similar to what they might have at department stores. I saw chocolate covered strawberries at one location.

I never really thought that Godiva was really all that great. I got spoiled because we had some really good local chocolatiers like Joseph Schmidt.

 

[bcla]

The get the normal fare U will need to take a road trip to Europe.

There might be difference between most of what's available in the United States (made in a US factory) and available in Europe (made in Belgium).

 

[Meriweather]

I've only been in a store a couple of times.
Not really fond of their chocolate.....and I am a chocoholic.
I prefer Ghirardelli and Sees

 

[_19disnA]

I never really thought that Godiva was really all that great. I got spoiled because we had some really good local chocolatiers like Joseph Schmidt.

I agree. Have seen Godiva stores at a few malls over the years. I think they depended on random foot traffic to do business, but as someone else mentioned above, those stores never seemed busy. Malls are on the decline due to more convenient on-line shopping, covid and far too many are gathering places for rowdy teens with too much time on their hands. I always thought their chocolate was very average, over priced and part of the price was driven by their fancy packaging.

They tried to brand themselves as a premium chocolate, but was just never that impressed by their candy.

 

[kirstenb1]

This makes me so sad! I loved going in there and picking out special gifts. We're in central Virginia, and I don't think we have any other chocolate stores in the area.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Godiva isn’t candy. It’s chocolate. And some of us still enjoy the experience of choosing a custom box of our favorites. The kids love going for fresh dipped fruit ESPECIALLY strawberries. I will miss the store and experience.

Tout ca, c'est ne pas du chocolat. C'est de la confiserie.

Chocolate may take the form of candy or take the form of something other than candy.

The custom box of your favorites from Godiva are in fact candies. It is sweetened like candy. And it is consumed as a snack like candy. It is thus a subset of candy.

Chocolate may take a form that is not candy also such as baking chocolate which is unsweetened.

Further, you can order your dipped strawberries from Godiva if you want. Or for a much cheaper price, order their chocolate for melting you can use to make them yourself. You'll have to buy your own strawberries if you go that route, however.