The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company has opened its first Ghirardelli Chocolate & Ice Cream Shop in Santa Monica, California, US.
The new shop is located at 1541 Ocean Ave, Suite 105, near the Santa Monica Pier.
An official grand opening event takes place on 20 November 2024, featuring a ceremonial ribbon cutting led by Santa Monica Mayor Phil Brock and Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce CEO Judy Kruger.
The public is invited to attend the celebration, with the first 100 visitors receiving a complimentary Ghirardelli World Famous Hot Fudge Sundae.
The 3,900ft² Santa Monica shop provides 13 sundae varieties.
Ghirardelli Chocolate Company restaurant and retail and e-commerce vice-president Lacey Zane said: "At Ghirardelli, we are proud to be from California. As such, each shop we open in our home state is extra special.
"When considering the location for our newest shop, it only made sense to marry two Golden State staples – the beautiful Santa Monica waterfront and delicious Ghirardelli Hot Fudge Sundaes."
The menu features handmade Milk Chocolate Hot Fudge, two scoops of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, chopped and toasted almonds, a maraschino cherry and a mini-sized Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Caramel Square.
Visitors can enjoy a Pick & Mix space to customise take-home selections from 20 flavours of Ghirardelli's squares.
Options include classics such as Milk Chocolate Caramel and Dark Chocolate Raspberry, as well as seasonal favourites such as Peppermint Bark.
Other offerings include milkshakes, hot chocolate, coffee, brownies, cookies and chocolate-covered strawberries.
The shop offers indoor and outdoor seating options to allow guests to enjoy the beachfront sunshine year-round.
It also pays tribute to Ghirardelli's San Francisco roots with a replica of the classic Ghirardelli marquee sign.
Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce CEO Judy Kruger said: "As a world-renowned tourist destination and retail centre, Santa Monica has long been a fixture of the Los Angeles area's bustling tourism industry.
The Santa Monica location is the chocolatier's 13th bricks-and-mortar site in California and its 18th nationwide.
