Ghirardelli Chocolate, Outlandish add to Downtown business portfolio

Downtown’s business scene got sweeter and more tech-savvy this week with two business grand opening events.

On Wednesday, renowned chocolatier brand Ghirardelli Chocolate & Ice Cream Shop brought its square candies to the Santa Monica public at its 1541 Ocean Ave. location. The next morning, live shopping experience outlet Outlandish opened its flagship store at 1228 Third Street Promenade.

Offering the first 100 guests a free try of its World Famous Hot Fudge Sundae, Ghirardelli attracted that sized crowd and more, with a line arching around the block across from the iconic Santa Monica Pier. The brand first operated in San Francisco in 1852, calling California its home with 13 of its 18 locations in the state, now including Santa Monica.

“California knows our brand [and] understands that we’re famous for hot fudge sundaes, and we found success being in California communities, beach towns specifically,” Ghirardelli Vice President of Restaurant and Retail Lacey Zane said. “We think that the warm weather of Santa Monica, the hustle and bustle of the Pier and the beach are going to be a great fit for enjoying a hot fudge sundae.”

At the opening, Mayor Phil Brock noted he’s made a stop “or two” to Ghirardelli’s Chocolate Experience in San Francisco, and added that the store will become one of the Instagram hotspots of the city.

“We’re going to see people walking down the streets eating those Ghirardelli bites, those great sundaes [and] that scrumptious hot chocolate,” Brock said.

The square bites come in styles like Intense Dark and White Chocolate Caramel, available for purchase in individual pieces or 80-piece gift bags. The in-store specialty is the collection of sundaes, ranging from Caramel Almond and Mint Bliss to Strawberry Passion and Chocolate Lover’s. A limited-edition Peppermint Bark sundae is also available in time for the holiday season.

Zane added that the brand owns its chocolate making process “from bean to bar” and offers “something really different and really special.” The storefront was made with the same motivations, perfecting the design to match the Santa Monica scene.

“You’ll see some similar tonality to what you see in [San Francisco], but we wanted to bring a little bit more of a Santa Monica beach feel, since we’re right off of the water,” Zane said. “What you’ll see is white light and [a] bright kind of a space, something where somebody’s very comfortable to rest and relax and enjoy a treat.”

Outlandish, a blend of the online and offline consumer experience, gave a guided walkthrough to media and guests before opening its doors. The location hosts businesses and online content creators in livestreaming booths where they sell products to a global audience, also keeping stock in-store for customers to grab in-person.

The space is the brainchild of Outlandish CEO and Creative Director William August, who took part in the opening ceremony alongside Santa Monica officials and business partners.

“Right now, we essentially not only offer the space, but also the operational services for brands, if they’re a local brand, [to] sell to a global audience through live stream,” August told the Daily Press in October. “Or if they’re a global brand, sell in-person experiences, retail experiences in person.”

For more information on Ghirardelli Chocolate, visit ghirardelli.com. For more information on Outlandish, visit outlandishdigital.us.

thomas@smdp.com

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