Amy’s Decadent Chocolates prepares for the Valentine’s Day rush

BREMERTON — Amy Jablonski and her team of experienced employees are working as hard as they can to prepare for what will be the busiest day of the year.

Jablonski said that at Amy’s Decadent Chocolates, “We’re getting all of our products, truffles, caramels, salted caramels, boxed chocolates, heart-shaped boxes (prepared). We’re prepping, we’re gearing up.”

Valentine’s Day is not the only holiday that the chocolaterie gets slammed with customers, but it easily tops the others.

“It’s the busiest day of the year,” said Jablonski, owner of Amy’s Decadent Chocolates. “Christmas is a busier holiday, but it’s more like a three-week, four-week extended holiday. Valentine’s Day, and the three or four days around the holiday, is the busiest (few days) of the year.”

Jablonski said that her shop has been around for 11 years, “and our staff is very experienced.” They’re old hats at handling the Valentine’s Day rush, and they have the routine of preparing as much as possible in advance down pat.

For the holiday, there are a few items that are most popular.

“We do a lot of dipped strawberries,” Jablonski said. “We dip them in milk chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate. We do nuts, pecans, coconut. We do the tuxedo. We do a lot of dipped strawberries.”

They also sell a large number of caramel apples. And many people build their own custom boxes of chocolates, Jablonski said, where they can pick their favorites — or their loved ones’ favorites — to include in the boxes, including truffles, caramels, turtles and more.

“They make their own basket in what they like or their own heart-shaped box,” Jablonski said. “They really get a kick out of that.”

Though Amy’s Decadent Chocolate does offer online ordering services, Jablonski said the majority of their business is walk-in. She said they receive “a handful” of online orders, but those are “certainly not the bread and butter.”

And to her, that’s the best part.

“I like meeting the person who’s buying my chocolates,” Jablonski said. “I really treasure the one-on-one personal service.”

Even on Valentine’s Day, Jablonski said the biggest challenge will probably be getting the cash register to work. But she’s more than happy to see so many customers come into her store.

“A lot of regulars come in,” she said, “who I’ve known for 11 years. They’ll come in and get their sweethearts chocolates. It’s a good feeling to know that they can count on me to be here.”

Amy’s Decadent Chocolates is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Their street address is 2801 Sixth St. in Bremerton. Learn more or order online at www.amysdecadentchocolates.com.

Michelle Beahm is a reporter with the Central Kitsap Reporter and Bremerton Patriot. She can be reached at mbeahm@soundpublishing.com.

Amy’s Decadent Chocolates, located at 2801 Sixth St., Bremerton, features myriad Valentine’s Day-themed desserts to choose from. Michelle Beahm / Kitsap News Group