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Quix Chocolate Brings Belgian Legacy to Downtown Ferndale Shop

(Elizabeth Schanz, Nov. 23, 2022)

Ferndale, MI – Originally from Belgium, David Ogloza founded Quix Chocolate in Ferndale, Michigan as a way to bring authentic artisan Belgian chocolates to the United States.

Ogloza opened Quix Chocolate about three months ago. However, the aim of the business is deeply rooted in history. His family originally had a chocolate business in Lanklaar, Belgium that was founded in 1949 under the name “Chocoladehuis Quix” which closed in the late 1980s.

He was not around the original company, but was inspired by the stories and history of the former business. The house where the original business resided still stands in the village it had served, and is now a bed and breakfast.

To give the business a new life and carry on his family’s legacy, Ogloza decided to start the business when he moved to Michigan with his husband. He wanted to bring this heritage from Belgium to Southeast Michigan and aims to bring a high quality chocolate to the community.

While getting started on looking for a location for his business, Ogolza found Ferndale to be a “vibrant and active community,” noting the foot traffic of Downtown Ferndale, and the helpfulness of the City as he moved into one of the new storefronts located on the ground level of the dot mixed use parking structure.

While the store is warm and inviting, there is also the convenience of a walk up window. Visitors to last week’s Jingle Mingle on Troy Street even got to try their delicious hot chocolate.

“Attention to detail is everything.  We have about 40 different chocolates. These chocolates get lined up straight. They need to look neat and perfect,” said Ogolza.

While connecting with the local Michigan community, the newly established business continues to try to maintain authenticity in their product using old Belgian recipes and connects back to their roots in Belgium.

“I have people from my village reaching out to buy boxes of chocolates,” said Ogloza. “Some of the original people who worked at the Chocoladehuis Quix business had it.  One man, he’s now 96, so it’s fun for him to see where he used to work, that it still continued. So I have that support.”

Ogloza said the ultimate goal of his business is to “spread the joy” through chocolate.

“People don’t just come to buy chocolates at my space, they come for the experience,” Ogloza said. “There are so many flavors to choose from, they [the customers] want to know what’s in them, what the story is.”

Additionally, he works to tailor the chocolate experience to fit the needs and wants of the customers. He offers services such as customized chocolates that he can personalize with images like logos and pictures.

There are even vegan options, made with delicious dark chocolate. Ogloza noted that customers deeply appreciate these options, even getting emotional at times.

Ogolza said, “One woman almost cried once because I pointed out like 15 different items that were vegan for her.”

Ogloza has faced challenges within his business by looking for high quality supplies to create the best and authentic product for his customers. Additionally, he noted that the ongoing operations of the business can be difficult with working to find employees to work in sales. He said he aims to hire enthusiastic and driven employees who have an outgoing personality.

Within his business Ogloza finds joy in his business everyday. He enjoys the creativity that can be expressed through chocolate and how sharing that creativity can have a positive effect on the customers noting he has “never seen someone leave a chocolate store and leave unhappy.” He hopes that Quix Chocolate will continue to not only provide chocolate, but to continue to spread happiness through their work.

Visit Quix Chocolate at 221 W Troy St #200, Ferndale, MI 48220 or check them out online at https://www.quixchocolate.com/.