Kesha Dozier
Owner, The Chocolate Boutique
Morrisville Location | 3308 Village Market Place | 919-465-0770
North Raleigh Location | 8480 Honeycutt Road Ste 100 | 919-322-0960
My husband Maurice and I own The Chocolate Boutique. We have two locations in the Raleigh area and have been nominated for Small Business of the Year. Our goal is to bring all of the best in European chocolate-making back to the Triangle for chocolate lovers to enjoy. Our chocolates are made from the highest quality ingredients and include fair-trade Belgian and Swiss chocolate. Customers may enjoy their purchases on site, carry them out, or purchase online. We are the only chocolatier in North Carolina to host chocolate-making parties for birthdays, girls’ nights out, anniversaries, corporate events, and holiday gatherings.
I love how progressive the Triangle is and the sense of community it provides. It’s a great environment for networking – word of mouth is huge for small business owners! We have a product that everybody loves and many people to offer it to. We also love giving back to our community by donating to various non-profits and schools throughout the Triangle.
My advice for starting a small business is to create an online presence right away. You should also expect to put in twenty times the amount of effort you initially allotted. In short, be prepared to wear many hats – you will do it all! In my downtime, my favorite activity is hot yoga at Bikram Yoga Raleigh. Hot yoga makes me feel better physically and mentally. I’m able to decompress from work and it provides balance. It’s also 90 minutes all to myself! Maurice and I enjoy dining out. Two of our favorite restaurants are Amedeos Italian Restaurant and The Wakefield Wine Cellar – they have great tapas!
