“If you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it,” sings Willy Wonka, the title character in the 1971 classic about an improbable tour through a magical chocolate factory. For a young Chris Edwards, paradise was closer than for most. His family actually owned a chocolate factory, just like in his favorite movie. Only instead of Oompa Loompas, it was operated by his tight-knit Greek family.
All grown up, Chris Edwards now serves as vice president for marketing and business development for a new iteration of the family business. He splits his time between Pittsburgh and Washington D.C., with a steady stream of travel thrown into the mix. The family’s nearly 100-year-old Pittsburghbased chocolate dynasty has had a few names over the years: Geoffrey Boehm Chocolates, Sherm Edwards Candies, Chocolate Celebrations. It’s been rebranded
as Edward Marc Chocolatier, a higher end, affordable luxury version, specializing in distinctive blue boxes of handcrafted truffles and chocolates. There are a couple of stores in Pittsburgh, one at the Pentagon, and their confections are on offer at forty two Saks Fifth Avenue stores and at Dean and Deluca. But beyond a few items which are made on-site at stores, almost all of the treats are still handmade in Trafford, Pennsylvania, on Edward’s grandfather’s equipment.
Chris Edwards knew he’d take over the business one day, and in 2007, he and siblings Dana Manatos and Mark Edwards began to do just that. “The No. 1 thing our family taught us is that family is the most important thing in life,” says Edwards. He says working with his brother and sister, and their close, respectful relationship, is one of the things that makes him most proud.
It seems their only problem these days is keeping up with the rapid growth and success that their partnership has created.
At the heart of their new enterprise is The Milkshake Factory. Its South Side location, where Edward Marc chocolates are also sold, was once run as a candy store by his mother, Dona. Edwards lived upstairs while he attended Duquesne University. Now its fire engine red tin ceiling and ice cream parlor counters are a nod to the past, and their new offerings can make even the most serious adult feel like a kid in a candy store. —Like the custom milkshake he and his
partner, Albert Fonticiella, created last year: Pumpkin Spice Mocha made with coffee, pumpkin, cinnamon and chocolate sauce.
The family’s nearly 100-year-old Pittsburgh-based chocolate dynasty has had a few names over the years: Geoffrey Boehm Chocolates, Sherm Edwards Candies, Chocolate Celebrations.
Lines have been out the door for their Wednesday night Milkshake Happy Hours. “It really makes people happy. It’s a fun place to be,” Edwards says. Soon, they’ll be making even more people happy with a Milk Shake Factory location in Washington D.C, and Milk Shake Factory brand products finding their way into grocery stores around the country.
While he doesn’t sport the wild hair and dramatic top hat of Willie Wonka, Edwards does share the character’s enthusiasm for possibilities and innovation. And, like the movie, Chris Edwards’ life has a more serious side. Though chocolate is in his blood, as a kid, Edwards was attracted to
politics. He watched Ann Compton report from in front of the White House for ABC News, and said, “I want to work there some day.” It was a moment his grandmother reminded him of years later as he was giving her a tour of Air Force One. His dream came true, and he travelled to more than 70 countries on the plane in his role as special assistant to the President and director of
press advance in the George W. Bush administration. Later, he served as deputy chief of staff to Governor Sarah Palin during the campaign for John McCain’s bid for the White House. (Check out the portrayal of him in the film Game Change).
When asked about the link between chocolates and politics, Edwards says his time at the White House gave him the best training for running the family store. He specialized in marketing an individual — the President — through images and media. “I understood how important it was to humanize our brand, and to relate to people,” Edwards says.
Humanizing the story comes into play in another important area of Edwards’ life: the fight for marriage equality. In 2004, he was one of the first people to come out as a gay man in the Bush administration. “Everybody rallied around me. There wasn’t any discrimination at all,” he says. In fact, he received letters, and was told by others in the administration that he’d helped them feel accepted in that traditionally conservative environment. “It really inspired me and gave me hope that change would occur.”
His interest in marriage equality was a natural progression. Family values and his Greek Orthodox upbringing are central to him. “These principles still pertain to my life. That’s important for me to talk about.” Now he and his partner are very involved in the LGBT community in Washington D.C., and in other charitable causes, like breast cancer prevention. Edwards was
part of the host committee for a bipartisan American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) fundraiser in New York, which raised $2 million dollars. And Edward Marc Chocolatier has donated many pounds of chocolate to marriage equality events and fundraisers. They’ll even be debuting their own rainbow non-pareil candy in support of the cause. He’s committed to spreading the word that marriage equality is a civil rights issue, not a political one. And he says firmly, “It’s important, as a Republican, to be on the right side of history.”
His once apolitical family is also more engaged. Edwards’ brother and sister worked in Washington, and though the family comes to the table from both political parties, they revel in the conversation that results. “We enjoy the dynamics,” he says, of mixing chocolate and politics. “It’s a way for me to give back to the community. I think it’s one of the greatest honors to be able to serve in that capacity.”
Though their business is expanding to a national market, Pittsburgh is still home. “The foundation we’ve got here and the people who helped us along the way are things we really hold on to,” he says. And, of course, family. Edwards’ parents are supportive and still hands on: He admits Mom is the boss. While Edwards and his fourth-generation partners are making their own future, they are constantly reminded of their rich past. “I know how hard the generations before us worked.
I think it would be incredible to have seen our grandparents see our chocolates in Saks Fifth Avenue,” he says.
Christmas is Edward Marc Chocolatier’s biggest season. Some favorites include Eggnog and Gingerbread Truffles and Caramel Apples. For stocking stuffers, Edwards recommends dark or
milk chocolate Pretzel Bites. He says Salted Caramels and Terrapins (their take on gooey caramel and nut confections) are always popular. While Nancy Pelosi and the D.C. set prefer
Washington-themed chocolates and chocolate dipped strawberries, Pittsburghers get a sweet tooth for chocolates made into fun shapes, like footballs. James Harrison is a fan. He’s just one of the local and national celebrities who have tweeted about it the South Side store and the Edwards family wares.
