Allô! Chocolat owners seek sweet deal for downtown Waukesha business

Bob Borkowski
Allo! Chocolat, Co-Owners, Roger and Carrie Igielski pose inside their chocolate ship in this 2008 file photo. The couple recently announced they intend to sell their business.
Published on: 5/27/2016

Another downtown business is up for sale.

Allo! Chocolat co-owners Roger and Carrie Igielski announced in a May 23 letter to their customers that they intend to sell their chocolate shop at 234 W. Main St. to a buyer that will 'maintain the high quality products that we offer, provide our customers with our usual high level of service and nurture our 20 staff members as they continue to enhance the business.'

'After nearly 10 years of chocolate bliss, we have made the difficult decision that the timing is right for us personally, and for Allô! Chocolat, to put the business up for sale,' the letter began.

Roger Igielski said in a May 25 interview that he and his wife are looking to sell the business as soon as possible.

Thriving store

The announcement comes as Allô! Chocolat continues to grow, the letter said.

'Each facet of the business continues to be in a growth mode,' it read. 'We have been very blessed to have experienced double-digit growth in each of our 10 years and this year is no different, as we continue to gain new customers.'

According to the letter, the shop's classroom calendar is nearly booked and its corporate accounts have seen 'large gains' since the store opened in September 2006.

'The business is doing incredibly well,' Igielski added. 'We just feel it's time to retire.'

The letter explained that the Igielskis are looking to retire so they will be able to 'help out our parents and spend more time with each other, our children and grandchildren.'

Business-as-usual goal

Igielski said he and his wife would like the new owners of Allô! Chocolat to keep their business intact.

Anyone interested in owning the business can contact them via email at roger@allochocolat.com to set up a meeting to discuss the sale.

However, the letter said no details will be provided via email because the Igielskis only want to speak with prospective buyers who are 'seriously interested' in maintaining their business.

The terms of the Allô! Chocolat sale are similar to the ones specified by Kerry and Terry Mackay, the former longtime owners of the Steaming Cup, which they sold last July to Jason and Cristina Tofte.

Last spring, the Mackays insisted that whoever take over for them keep the Steaming Cup's tradition intact.

No rush

Although the Igielskis would like to sell their business as soon as possible, Roger Igielski said the couple is in no rush to leave the store.

The couple offered in the letter to stay as long as the new owner wished to provide assistance and training.

'We're not in a position where we have to go,' Igielski said. 'If (Allô! Chocolat) doesn't sell, we're intent on running it until we do.'