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The candy store who stole Halloween

Jason reports that yesterday, the South Shore Plaza held a trick-or-treat thing for little kids and that everybody seemed to be participating except for the Godiva chocolate store - which he discovered when he was in there and some kids came in and went "trick or treat!" and the clerk told them they weren't participating:

... At first, I found it funny and ironic, but then I realized how idiotic and stupid the folks from Godiva were. Instead of being the store that handed out the best trick-or-treating candy in the mall - a great PR move with nominal costs - they instead became the fancy candy store that refused to give away candy to kids on Halloween.

When they had the opportunity to give candy to both the kids AND their parents - the ones with the wallets and pocketbooks who will soon be searching for holidays gifts - they created an entirely memorable yet unfavorable experience. ...

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Comments

Trick-or-treaters in malls seems to me like an interesting dilemma for a Godiva store, with crude dumping of their wares into the same pails as Hershey's kisses, to be appreciated about the same by the kids, risking tarnishing the upscale mystique of their wares. Yet they cannot give away non-Godiva product. Their best move might be to get the mall to direct stores not to do trick-or-treating (which might be what they did, but the other stores did it anyway).

A citizen-journalist could get more info on possible Machiavellian Mall Maneuverings. Nothing wrong with blogging a consumer experience and impression without following up, though.

Anyway, I can't resist trying to naively solve the dilemma... Godiva corporate could've distributed special chocolates that are of the same quality as their normal product, but are bite-size teasers with fancy Halloween wrapping a step above Hershey's but a little garish to be found in their stores. Be clear that this is a special festive freebie gift thing done for kids, and with the idea that parents have to go to the store if they want a real fix for themselves or to give as impressive gifts this holiday season.

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with crude dumping of their wares into the same pails as Hershey's kisses, to be appreciated about the same by the kids,

Ha! You don't know my son. Then again, it probably is a rare kid that hands you an armload of reeses cups in exchange for half a bar of 65% cocoa chocolate.

It is a pretty dumb move to not participate. Parents will offer trades to the kids to get the better stuff from their bags, and will go back and buy things they have tried and liked. Foolish of them to not take the opportunity to hand out samples - if the store in Longwood can hand out treats at Christmas to lure in shoppers, they could do it a Halloween.

My Belgian co-worker doesn't think much of Godiva chocolate anyway ... she doesn't consider it to be real or worthy.

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A Dutch friend newly works in Harvard Square, within walking distance of L.A. Burdick, but she isn't a huge fan of the chocolate she's had there so far.

http://www.burdickchocolate.com/stores-and-cafes-c...

I suspect that some of the objection many Europeans have to many chocolates found in the US is due to preferences of type rather than of quality. Though, there *are* numerous examples of Madison Ave. dressing up substandard products in 'sophisticated European' veneer.

I couldn't say, myself. Despite my name, I'm from Oregon, and the only thing I was brought up to believe about chocolate is that it's good. (Unless it comes from Seattle or California, of course.)

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Where in Oregon? I've lived in all but one corner of the state.

Let's just say that I've messed up things quite a bit now that I live in Mefuh, having been born in Medford.

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Portland proper.

Obligatory Boston relevance: anecdotally, there seems to be more people moving from Boston to Portland, than in the other direction.

I think people go to Portland for the warm-fuzzies, culture, and lower cost-of-living. People go to Boston for the schools and high-tech jobs. Or either direction to be near family (or to move back in out of necessity).

I've been in Boston for a decade now, and I'd say the two places are very different, but evenly matched for my preferences.

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Seriously- it's not flavorful. It tastes like most crap "dark" "chocolate" - bitter and tannic. Idiots think that means it's "good" "dark" "chocolate".

Their hot chocolate was the most disgusting I've ever had; overwhelmingly heavy, bitter, tannic. I had to wait 15 minutes, and then practically fight, for a table because half of Cambridge felt "we bought a cup of hot chocolate an hour ago" was license to hang around forever.

Did I mention that the staff were rude (and slow), the place was filthy, and the product grossly overpriced?

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I haven't been there in a couple of years, but I always liked that place, including their hot chocolate... also the little choco-mice with the tails are great little gifts.

Anyway, if you don't like overly bitter, heavy dark chocolate, may I suggest ScharffenBerger's Semisweet (62% cocoa) bar. More subtle, with some actually detectable honey and vanilla tones in it. Good stuff.

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How close is your son to retirement, he seems to have some pretty refined and old fashioned tastes.

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Thats true, this cant be the first time this came anywhere in the country

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