The holidays are here, which means it’s time of splurge. For many, splurging suggests chocolate, and locally-made Telluride Truffle has quite a reputation for its creative and delectable products, each crafted from fresh, Belgium chocolate.

Now, chocolate lovers can go directly to the source with the official opening of the Telluride Truffle Chocolate Factory in Lawson Hill. The space isn’t new for Telluride Truffle owner Patty Denny, who’s been working there for more than a year. However, during that time, so many chocolate seekers stopped by, she was prompted to establish a retail space for customers and goods.

“People kept finding us and coming by, and it was just a factory,” she said of the frequent visitors. “It became apparent that I needed to put in a retail area that looked nice, and now I can invite people to come out and see us.”

The shop  — marked by a logo and pinstripe awning at the location in the back of the Lawson Hill Conoco, right behind the car wash and detail shop — is now open to the public 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with extended hours from Dec. 15 through Jan. 1.

The selection isn’t limited to truffles. It’s more about all things chocolate — fresh Belgium chocolate akin to Godiva chocolate’s premium line. This is no ordinary chocolate, it’s high-quality, short-shelf chocolate paired with fine ingredients, organic cream and natural flavors.

“What I always say: the fresher the better,” Denny said of her product. “It’s definitely a place to come in and see more than truffles.”

Savories like chocolate bark, chocolate sauces, hot cocoa, chocolate-dipped fruit and other confections are created on a day-to-day basis. As for the truffles, there are 14 varieties, each with a fun name — ‘First Tracks,’ ‘Mud Season,’ ‘Valley Cow’ — and ingredients — often liquors like Bailey’s Irish Cream, tequila with salt and bourbon. A trip to the shop allows customers to make custom assortment of favorites or favorite — say, all ‘Alpenglow’ for the diehard bittersweet chocolate and Cabernet Sauvignon lover.

“There are two big advantages to the store. One is that you can get a custom box and the other is that we are selling things only available at the store,” said Denny.
Chocolate’s not cheap, especially the short shelf-life kind that Denny prices at $38 per pound. However, compared to Godiva and many other short shelf-life confections, Denny’s truffles are a deal.

“Short shelf-life chocolate raises the bar, but don’t think your paying a premium because you’re in Telluride,” she said of her product that is actually priced low compared to its competitors.

Local shoppers don’t see Denny’s competition, but many non-local shoppers choose Telluride Truffle for their chocolate cravings. The majority of Denny’s sales are on the Internet — 80 percent of sales are outside of Telluride — as well as wholesale distribution to places like Clark’s Market and beyond.

“As good as the people are in this town, a company like this cannot survive without out sourcing,” Denny said of the business, which will make thousands of truffles this holiday season. “You need both — the good will of the town and outside business.”

With her outside business, Denny has to ensure that her product is kept fresh since short shelf-life chocolate only lasts a month. However, outsourcing has enabled Denny to grow her business, which started out ten years ago, but got serious five years ago when she quit her day job to become a full-time confectioner.

The high demand for truffles — like the 55,000 this Christmas — was the reason for Denny’s original move to the Lawson space last May, which served solely as a factory. In its new role as factory and retail store, Telluride Truffle is ready for customers.
“We highly encourage people to come visit,” she said. “If a group’s interested, like 10 people, they can call and I’ll give them a tour.”

In the meantime, Denny’s busy with holiday orders — ones she gets from her company’s Web site, www.telluridetruffle.com, other sites like Amazon, grocery stores and word of mouth.

For more information, visit the new location, now open to the public, or call 728-9565.