BUSINESS
1r
r
Gayle Harte's Hand-dipped Truffles Tempt Loca Tastebuds.
LESLEY PEARL
Jewish News Intern
L._ _1
hrough pastel
walls and etched
glass doors, the
aroma of bitter-
sweet and cap-
puccino wafts down Washing-
ton Avenue, tempting gour
mets and Hershey lovers
alike.
Located between upbeat
clothing,- comic book and an-
tique shops in downtown
Royal Oak, Gayle's
Chocolates is a spot to relax,
meet friends and consume
calories — a far cry from its
humble beginnings in Gayle
Harte's Huntington Woods
home 12 years ago.
A cook with a flair for
freshness, Ms. Harte wanted
a business without giving up
time with her children.
After the Council of
Orthodox Rabbis
authorized her as a
kosher chef, Ms.
Harte started
making
pareve-kosher
chocolates in a
separate kosher
kitchen.
Armed with only a recipe for
hand-dipped truffles, work-
ing at home creating dessert
delicacies seemed the perfect
solution.
She was wrong. A Hun-
tington Woods occupancy
clause permits in-home
businesses to employ only
those living on the premises.
Through word of mouth, Ms.
Harte's business had become
popular enough to warrant
extra help.
So, in 1985, Gayle's
Chocolates moved to its cur-
rent location on Washington
in Royal Oak with a loyal
following of chocolate lovers
and big-name business ac-
counts like Silvers and the
Merchant of Vino.
With aspirations of high-
volume wholesale and cor-
porate clientele accounts,
Ms. Harte said she is still
surprised at the volume of
her retail sales.
Always looking for in-
novative concepts, she
regularly tests new recipes
and creates custom-made
designs. When she noticed
an increased need for custom
desserts, Ms. Harte jumped
on the bandwagon.
At the request of one party
goer, she designed a huge
chocolate and turtle Tiger
Stadium.
For her Jewish clientele,
Ms. Harte wondered if a
kosher kitchen would fill a
need.
"I researched different
kinds of chocolate and found
a premium brand that was
approved by the rabbis," she
said.
After the Council of Or-
thodox Rabbis authorized
her as a kosher chef, Ms.
Harte started making
pareve-kosher chocolates in
a separate, kosher kitchen.
Although difficult, truffles
can be made without butter
and whipping cream, Ms.
Harte said.
"Kosher candy doesn't
have to be tasteless," she
added.
Other area residents
agreed because again word-
of-mouth advertising
brought Ms. Harte a new
clientele — those looking for
pareve goodies for their par-
ties.
In April of 1990, Ms. Harte
expanded her investments
again —this time moving up
Woodward Avenue to Birm-
ingham. All the chocolates
are made in Royal Oak.
Just as Ms. Harte's busi-
ness appeared unstoppable,
she discovered history often
does repeat itself — she
found herself at the mercy of
legal clauses again.
Early in the summer of
1990, Ms. Harte was ap-
proached by some local
musicians who asked to play
music outside of the shop
where she had set up a
seating area. Never one to
.
I-.
0
0
0
0_
Gayle Harte leans back on her
accomplishments and relaxes
with a cup of coffee.
shun new ideas, Ms. Harte
agreed. It worked.
Customers liked hearing
live music without goihg to a
bar, and the musicians liked
playing for a sober crowd.
However, someone didn't
like it when the band
emerged from the archway
of the shop to the sidewalk.
Ms. Harte now limits talent
to the confines of her shop's
archway four nights a week.
A success story for any
sweet tooth, Ms. Harte ad-
mits to a constant battle
waging between her crea-
tions and her waistline. A
self-proclaimed chocolate
and sugar addict, Ms. Harte
used to skip classes in col-
lege to stay home and cook.
Culinary school had never
crossed her mind.
"I do have an eating
background though," Ms.
Harte said. ❑
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
67