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La Maison Du Chocolat Opens Pop-Up Next to Flagship During Renovation

By Shaye Weaver | July 28, 2015 3:29pm
 La Maison Du Chocolat wil reopen its flagship store in October after a three-month-long renovation.
La Maison du Chocolat Renovates Flagship Store
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UPPER EAST SIDE — La Maison du Chocolat closed its storefront this summer for renovation and is dishing out its French chocolates and ice cream from the art gallery next door in the meantime, the company said.

While the company's flagship store, which opened 25 years ago at 1018 Madison Ave., undergoes a three-month renovation, it is operating a pop-up shop next door at the Arader Gallery, which will sell a portion of La Maison's usual offerings.

La Maison's ice cream and boxed chocolates — including ganaches, pralinés and almond pastes — will be available at the temporary location, but its typical array of truffles, chocolate squares, pastries and tea will not, according to company spokeswoman Camila Sarmiento.

The renovation, which will include modernizing the shop's decor and adding tables and banquettes to its tea room, comes at a meaningful time, she added.

"It is a great thing having the renovation this year at this time because it is actually the 25th anniversary of the brand in U.S. and particularly in New York," Sarmiento said. "It was good synergy having the renovations, which were becoming necessary, and to have this opportunity to celebrate 25 years of becoming a chocolate staple in France and New York."

Chocolatier Robert Linxe originally opened La Maison du Chocolat in Paris in 1977. The Madison Avenue shop was the first of six stores in the U.S., Sarmiento said.

The shop's renovation will take three months because the interior will be completely upgraded, she said.

"The whole concept is being redesigned to be very bright, airy and luxurious," Sarmiento said. "The store will have the tea salon it had before, but it will be a more inviting atmosphere with copper fixtures."

La Maison also has outposts on Wall Street, at Rockefeller Plaza, The Plaza Food Hall and The Shops at Columbus Circle.

The Madison Avenue store will reopen by early October, Sarmiento said.