No better way to celebrate 50 years of doing business than to close the deal on a new 12,500-sq.-ft. building, which will house a retail shop and manufacturing facility.

The Waterbury, Conn.-based, family-owned business, which was started by John and Helen Fascia, both of who remain involved in the business, finalized the purchase of a new building on July 12. Plans call for the new factory and retail shop to open in mid-September, with an official Grand Opening Celebration Day Weekend planned for Oct. 12-14.

According to a Waterbury Observer article, Fascia’s Chocolates will be conducting “behind-the-scenes” factory tours at the new site. Visitors will also be able to make their own chocolate bars. Tours of the new facility will begin in September, tickets costing $5 per person. Visitors interested in making their own chocolate bar will be charged $10.

Since the Fascias began making candy in their Waterbury home 50 years ago, the company has grown, whereby it has five retail locations in the Waterbury area. The new facility will allow the company to expand partnerships with retail outlets. Per the Waterbury Observer article, the company has more than 30 retail partners in Waterbury and throughout Connecticut.

Carmen Romeo, the company’s vice president and general manager as well as son-in-law to the Fascia’s, indicated that he hopes the tourism aspect of the new site will help the company expand its reach to other retail sites.

“Our key will be that we are just 2 minutes north of I-84, a major interstate cutting through Connecticut and halfway between New York City and Boston,” he says. ”So we hope to put this little 50-year-old family business ‘on the map.’  

“We really pride ourselves on making everything in house,” Romeo adds.   When assessing ways to grow, I decided that keeping all the marble slabs and showing off the really old-fashioned way we do Cordial Cherries, hand-rolling truffles, making Boardwalk / Mackinac style fudge and all the rest was the best way.  So, we're never going to be going nationwide with our product, but we know we have plenty of room to grow.”  

The new location will also house Lynee’s Chocolate Cakery, a fresh cakes and cupcakes business started by one of the Fascia’s daughters, Lynne Mouanes.