by kellie abrahamson kabrahamson1@aol.com
I had never been to the Peterbrooke Chocolatier production center, but I’m quite familiar with their wares. I’m in love with the local company’s chocolate-covered popcorn, quite possibly the most delectable treat on the face of this Earth. Originally, I was going to take my two kids to Peterbrooke to take the tour and sample some goodies as part of a whole day in San Marco. My plans changed when I discovered that the chocolatier would be having their second annual children’s Easter party last Saturday. We piled the whole family in the car for this very special event, and as it turned out, landmark event for the beloved company.
Founded in 1983, Phyllis Geiger opened her little chocolate shop right in San Marco Square. Named after her son and daughter, Peterbrooke quickly made a name for itself. Today, that single store has multiplied to more than a dozen locations all over town, with at least ten more on the way. The business is truly a family affair, with Peter Behringer serving as President of the company and Brooke Behringer as the real estate development manager.
On Monday through Friday, people can see how the out-of-this-world chocolatier crafts their delicious sweets through a glass window, with the history of the company given through audio-visual presentations. The tours are completely free and end with free samples. While that sounded like a lot of fun all by itself, getting a chance to actually walk through the production center sounded even better. Peterbrooke allowed children and their families to do just that last weekend at their Easter Party “Eggstravaganza.” The factory tours given were a first for the company, who has never before allowed the public such access. In addition to the tours, the weekend-long event also included an Easter parade, visits from the Easter Bunny, games, prizes, giveaways and plenty of chocolaty samples.
We arrived at the production center just after the parade had ended. Bummed, but undeterred, the kids and I made our way over to the side of the building, where the road had been blocked off and a tent set up with simple children’s games. Each kid got 10 free tickets to play the games, which included a bean bag toss, a rubber-duckie scoop and a ring toss. The little guys got a prize even if they failed at the tasks, a nice touch for younger kids like my son, who never once threw a hoop over a bunny’s ears or a bean bag in a little hole. Both kids happily collected their prizes, which included plastic rings, miniature maze games and Peterbrooke chocolate coins. After playing a few games, the kids wore themselves out dancing to upbeat music and playing basketball with a massive blow-up ball and hoop.
After enjoying the activities, we decided to go to the main event: the factory tour. After a brief wait, shortened further by a mountain of samples offered to the crowd multiple times while we waited, the family and I donned our hairnets and headed into the building, led by an employee dressed as Willy Wonka (a nice touch). In the first area we learned a little about the history of the company and about how Phyllis Geiger came up with the company’s best selling chocolate-covered popcorn (a happy accident- Phyllis needed something to give to people as samples at San Marco’s annual Holiday Magic celebration so she sprinkled some chocolate over some popcorn she got from the theatre. The rest is history). Next, we got to see some of their nifty treat-making machines. Finally, Willy Wonka handed us over to an Oompa Loompa who lead us into the assembly-line area, where an employee made some chocolate-covered pretzels while Peter himself tempered chocolate by hand nearby. Pretty cool. Our tour ended with a trip to the Easter Bunny, where the kids got to sit on his lap and get their picture taken for free.
What would have been a quick 15-minute tour any other time of the year, ended up being an afternoon filled with fun, education and plenty of chocolate. The kids had a blast at Peterbrooke and so did I. Be sure to mark your calendars and check out this event next year. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon with the family.
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