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Waterbury chocolatier among 12 nationally recognized businesses

The award from Peter’s Chocolate comes right as we celebrate National Milk Chocolate Day Tuesday.

WATERBURY, Conn. — Here in Connecticut, we know it as a Waterbury staple, but Fascia’s Chocolates is now getting national recognition after being chosen as one of the first recipients of the Peter’s Chocolate Award of Distinction.

“We were very honored to be picked amongst twelve really excellent confectioners,” said Carmen Romeo, Fascia’s Chocolates President, and son-in-law.

The award from Peter’s Chocolate comes right as we celebrate National Milk Chocolate Day Tuesday. Fascia’s will be featured as December in a collectible calendar, highlighting how it uses Peter’s Chocolate in its creations. That’s something you learn when you go to the chocolate factory, a visit that looks a little different in the midst of a pandemic.

“Our Chocolate experience, which is now termed the Chocolate Safe Experience, because it is a socially distanced, private session, versus people signing up as public. It’s an extremely educational session. I go through the history of chocolate, science,” said Romeo.

The setup may be a little different than you’re used to, but it still teaches the story behind what is now three generations making chocolate for the family business.

With the threat of the coronavirus over the past few months, the business switched to parking lot pickup and did a lot more shipping that it normally does. Now, as the state continues its reopening, Fascia’s is following restaurant guidelines, opening up its outdoor patio for gelato, inside for its experiences and its retail store.

“Certainly in retail, we have plexiglass screens, we have markings on the floor, we have gloves and masks, we are wiping everything down after every transaction, the credit card machine, the door handles, so we did take that precaution,” said Romeo.

Fascia’s is hoping things get back to normal before the holidays, which is its busy season.

In honor of National Milk Chocolate Day Tuesday, the store will open outside its normal summer hours. It will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to offer specials to customers to celebrate the day.

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