Ballantyne Scoop Business Profile: Kilwin’s Chocolate, Fudge & Ice Cream

This morning I met the mother of all bunnies, who weighs in at a whopping 22 pounds. A very lucky winner in the drawing this week will take the bunny home on April 3rd. After I met and registered for the bunny, I chatted with George Click who, with his wife Pam, operates this fantastic chocolate and ice cream shop located in Ballantyne Village.

KIlwin’s Chocolates, Fudge and Ice Cream is headquartered in Michigan and is Charlotte’s only full line confectionery. Kilwin’s won Creative Loafing’s Best Ice Cream in Charlotte in 2008 and Best of Citysearch’s 2009 award for their ice cream. Their super-premium ice cream, with its perfect texture thanks to 14% butterfat, is definitely deserving of that award. Kilwin’s has a variety of flavors for everyone’s tastebuds. My personal favorite is the peanut butter chocolate, but George told me the toasted coconut was his bestseller, so he showed off his skill of making custom milkshakes and I believe I might have a new favorite. Their Blue Moon ice cream has such a following, that people drive from all over, even as far as Columbia, SC to eat it. And if the ice cream alone isn’t scrumptious enough, KIlwin’s offers fudge and caramel toppings, both made at the store. They also have ice creams made with Splenda and several options for those on gluten-free diets, as well as sorbettos for those who are allergic to dairy.

Also made at the store are the variety of caramel and chocolate coated popcorns, brittles, fudges, chocolate and caramel covered apples, and barks. There are also Krispies, pretzels, and cookies covered in chocolate. (I can vouch for their peanut butter cups because the dark chocolate one is delicious!) For diabetics, they offer a line of sugar-free items. If you need a gift for a baby shower or wedding or any other occasion, Kilwin’s has something for everyone. George says they have the ability to make over 1,200 items as well as custom items and he has a nutrition book that you can see in case you are wondering just how sinfully good the offerings are. Kilwin’s has a catalog of molds, so with a little planning, they can make almost anything you need. George even recounted the time they made a chocolate dog’s head for a groomscake. They have chocolate coins, which can be customized with a stamp for almost anything, from business logos to messages.

In addition to making custom chocolates, they also make shakes and floats to suit whatever you might be craving. George also told me he’s been experimenting with ice cream and coffee combination’s. The staff is very knowledgeable and helpful and you can tell they love their work, but who wouldn’t love working with chocolate all day?

This is the second year that Kilwin’s has given away a 22 pound bunny, but they have given away three Santas as well as several other holiday gifts. George is very community-oriented and is on twitter @kilwinsCLT and Facebook. He says he tries to respond to every message sent to him, even if it takes him a day to catch up.

Truth be told, it wasn’t the mother of all bunnies that inspired me to write this story, but it was George’s ability to have great conversations via twitter. That friendly interaction was just a teaser to just how nice George Click is (and I’m not just saying that because he made me a milkshake) and I believe his personality is infectious, because his employees are equally friendly and helpful. And the hospitality must spread to the customers because as I sipped my shake, I met a new friend who was also having ice cream before lunch on a sunny Charlotte Saturday morning. I’ll keep coming back for the chocolate, the ice cream, and the hospitality. I hope to see you there sometime!

tina.roggenkamp@gmail.com
@bovinesituation
Check out my blog.