From early days following their parents to farmer’s markets to having a location of their own to manage, Austin and Grant Gappelberg are growing each day as they learn to take over the family business, the Hampton Chocolate Factory.
The family recently opened their flagship location at Sparkman Wharf Tampa. What is special about this location, however is that the eldest son, Austin, is the manager and has his younger brother, Grant, as the official taste-tester. Both were raised with the spirit of entrepreneurship and have been exposed to the chocolate industry since they entered their teen years back in 2014 when the shop first started.
“We were there since day one going to farmers markets, you know, testing out which products really worked, sampling. And that’s kind of how you figure out what people like. It’s all about the feedback,” said Austin.
Taking over a huge part of the family business can be daunting for two college students new to Tampa, only having lived here a year and a half.
“My motivation is really, you know I hear about kids going to college, graduating, and knowing nothing about what they want to do with their life. I saw this as an opportunity to get a head-start,” said Grant.
The other locations in Westhampton Beach and Greenport, Long Island, in New York are only open seasonally, during the summer. In this Tampa location, they serve new products, like the molten chocolate lava shots.
“We’re excited to be a part of the Tampa community. As Tampa keeps evolving, we’re here to help Tampa evolve and be a part of it,” said Austin.
The artisan desserts and chocolate shop has a variety of flavors to choose from. More information can be found on its website. You can visit the new Tampa location at 615 Channelside Dr.
Credits
Reporter: Kiana Chestnut
Anchor: Haley Zarcone
Show Editor: Lauren Siegal
Producer: Lauren Siegal
Web Editor: Jelena Milosavljevic
