John Kelly Chocolates has opened its third – and now flagship – chocolate boutique in Beverly Hills, California.

The location had a soft opening in May 2021 inside the historic Writers & Artists Building on Rodeo Drive, and is now fully open, ready to greet locals and tourists.

Co-founders John Kelson and Kelly Green, who opened the boutique despite the pandemic, believe tourism will come back strong in the third and fourth quarters of 2021. Furthermore, John Kelly Chocolates had its all-time best year for sales in 2020. 

“We’ve been very fortunate to continue operations during the pandemic and even show growth,” said Kelly Green, who was an advertising veteran before founding the luxury chocolate company. “Chocolate – and in particular our chocolate – is an easy way for people to celebrate, enjoy life a bit more, and indulge in an affordable luxury.”

It doesn’t hurt that Kelson and Green are known to Hollywood insiders, counting A-list actors such as Keanu Reeves, Viola Davis, Neil Patrick Harris and Renee Zellweger, as well as creators like Quentin Tarantino and Mindy Kaling, as their loyal patrons.

“I worked in Beverly Hills for many years before becoming a chocolatier,” said former luxury retail executive and co-founder John Kelson. “Opening a flagship store in the Golden Triangle, to me, feels like coming home.”

Since opening its artisanal chocolate factory on a quaint Hollywood street in 2010, John Kelly Chocolates has grown to encompass national distribution in specialty shops, high-end grocery (Whole Foods, Central Market and Bristol Farms), department stores (Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman), premium hotels and wineries, along with significant ecommerce and corporate gifting business. 

The original boutique opened within the John Kelly factory and remains a destination for locals and tourists who can view the artisanal process through glass doors. The second boutique brought John Kelly to the west side of Los Angeles, with a presence on Tony Montana Avenue in Santa Monica. With its Beverly Hills boutique, John Kelly Chocolates will make its mark in an area known for glamour, celebrity, and international, high-end tourism.

John Kelly Chocolates has won two Sofi Awards, the top award given by the Specialty Food Association, and has also been named “Best Chocolate Shop in California” by USA Today. The company holds the No. 12 spot on 24/7 Wall St.’s list of “America’s 30 Best Chocolate Shops,” and most recently Los Angeles Magazine featured John Kelly Chocolates in its "Best of LA" 2021 edition as Best Handcrafted Chocolates.