Chocolate Gallery owner quintessential entrepreneur

Chocolate is something Kathy Belcher knows all too well.

Belcher owns the popular shop the Chocolate Gallery.

Belcher with daughter Kimberly.

The ribbon cutting for the shop’s newest addition, Cozy Bean Café, was held Monday, May 7. The care serves lunch items such as specialty drinks, coffee, soups and salads from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Belcher said the new addition has been a longtime in the making.

“I am very appreciative of everyone who turned out to support me,” she said. “I wouldn’t be here today without the help of the Madison city and Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce.”

The Chocolate Gallery makes creations for weddings, birthday baskets, baby showers, gift baskets, Christmas and Easter. Handmade dishes include popcorn drizzled with dark chocolate; cashew macadamia nut crunch, a hard toffee base with milk and dark chocolate topped with pecans; a caramel pretzel rod wrapped dipped in chocolate and rolled with pecans and drizzled with white chocolate; peanut flavored milk chocolate; and sugared pecans, to name a few. All chocolate excluding truffles are made in-house.

“The Madison Chamber of Commerce is proud to have the Chocolate Gallery and Cozy Bean Café’ as a partner and member,” said Felecia McInnish, events, marketing and communications coordinator. “Kathy’s love of culinary art is evident in the food she serves. She is a fine example of Americans in small business and it’s inspiring to see her growth, not only for our taste buds, but for others considering entering the world of entrepreneurship.”

Belcher purchased the Chocolate Gallery in October 2007. It has been opened since 2001.

“I have had all kind of jobs,” she said. “I bought it because it had a commercial kitchen I could cater out of.”

She put the catering business on hold for a year to learn about the chocolate and retail business.

“I had been making my own chocolate recipes before I bought the Chocolate Gallery,” she said. “I needed to make sure I was efficient in the production and bagging process, as well as getting to know my customers.”

Belcher said the catering portion of the business has been “very successful.”

She caters to groups as small as 10 and as large as 1,500.

Patrons can purchase coffee and chocolate any time of day.

The café can be rented out every day after 5 p.m. It has a seating capacity of 50 people.

The Chocolate Gallery is located at 8415-G Whitesburg Drive. Belcher can be reached by phone (256) 882- 3373, or by email at Kathy@chocolategalleryal.com