Stephany’s Chocolates abruptly closed its five metro Denver stores Wednesday, leaving customers and property managers in the dark about the company’s future.
The Arvada-based chocolate maker, founded in 1963, gave no indication whether the closures are permanent.
Hal Strottman, listed as the company’s owner in documents filed with the Colorado secretary of state’s office, died April 4 at age 45. He bought the company in 2004.
At least two of the company’s retail stores – in Arvada and the Cherry Creek Shopping Center – were stocked with chocolate, but the stores were dark Wednesday.
“It’s closed for now, but we don’t know what’s going to happen in the future,” said Lisa Herz lich, Cherry Creek marketing manager.
The other stores are at Park Meadows, Twin Peaks Mall in Longmont and the main terminal at Denver International Airport.
“The manager told us that they would not be opening (Wednesday) or possibly for several days,” said Chuck Cannon, a DIA spokesman.
Stephany’s formerly had a store at the Denver Pavilions on the 16th Street Mall.
Bill Coleman, Stephany’s director of retail sales, declined to comment Wednesday afternoon as he left the company’s headquarters in Arvada. That’s where Stephany’s has a 22,000-square-foot candy kitchen that produced treats such as the Denver Mint chocolate.
Stephany’s has operated retail stores in Colorado since 1963 and began as one of the first two concessionaires at the old Stapleton Airport, according to the company’s website. The company says its chocolates have been recognized nationally by Martha Stewart and the late chef Julia Childs.
“I can’t believe it,” said customer Annette Vettraino, locked out of the Stephany’s store in Arvada. “It’s kind of like Russell Stover, but it’s a nicer kind of candy.”
Not everyone was surprised.
Monica Janson, Stephany’s former director of corporate sales, said she knew the company was in financial trouble when its vendors called her asking for payments while she worked for the company from November 2004 to June 2005.
She said the company employed as many as 200 people during the 2004 year-end holidays.
Staff writer Andy Vuong can be reached at 303-820-1209 or avuong@denverpost.com.
