Physician-Chocolatier Excited to Return to Main Street

Dr. Sue Williams has been part of the Historic District since her hobby turned into a full-time business in 2013. An internist who still practices medicine at a hospital in Dallas, “Dr. Sue” picked up artisan chocolate making as a hobby in the early years of her empty-nest phase. She draws no salary from her Grapevine store, focusing instead on providing the best possible environment for guests and employees.

Over the years, she and her team have cultivated a loyal following, and longtime customers were understandably disappointed when they heard Dr. Sue’s Chocolates would not be renewing a lease in the 400 block of S Main. But they didn’t have to wait long for good news, either. The physician-chocolatier is preparing for a holiday homecoming, returning to a new suite in the same building as her very first Grapevine lease.

“I loved the place we were before,” said Williams. “This one, I'm going to love just as much or more. I hope other people will, too, because it just has a really good feel for it... I’ve had such an incredible response from people on social media – and, literally, from people on the street – people reach out to me every way they can to find out where I’m going and what’s happening. They’re thrilled to know we’re still going to be right here in the Historic District, just a block from where we were, and they’re eager to come back. It’s going to be a good reunion.”

Wandering Into Chocolate, Stumbling Into Grapevine

For Dr. Williams, making chocolate was never a business decision. She spent vacation time traveling to attend classes out of curiosity more than anything, taking up the art as a way to fill time and feel connected to her mother. The creation of a self-branded business was a happy accident.

“When my daughter went to college, I wanted something else to do,” she said. “I’ve always loved to cook; my mother was a great cook and she entertained a lot. I’ve always felt the same way, so I decided I was going to go to Chicago and take some classes to become a chocolatier. So I took some time off, went to Chicago, and learned so much! I loved everything about chocolate. It has a lot of science to it, so it really appealed to my nature.”

“I went back home and started practicing what I learned... so I would take chocolate to the hospital to give it away, because you can’t eat it all even if you try. They called it ‘Dr. Sue’s Chocolate,’ it wasn’t intentional at all. I just wanted to be better at entertaining and play with chocolate! Things just fell into my lap like it was meant to be.”

It wasn’t long before those break room treats were finding their way into corporate gift bags and strangers’ candy bowls. A lawyer friend offered to help Dr. Williams incorporate in exchange for an order; another made the same deal for promotional photography. Eventually, Williams found herself churning out batches of chocolate in a rented commercial kitchen and fielding unexpected press attention from the Dallas Morning News and Good Morning Texas. The latter offered her an appearance that changed her life forever; a last-minute fill in segment that generated an almost problematic amount of buzz.

“By the time I got off the set, my voicemail was full. My email was full. There were all these stores that wanted us, and instead of going on vacation I spent five days, day and night, making chocolate in that commercial kitchen,” she said. “I had all my friends come help me get it packaged and delivered and complete the orders. I was so exhausted that I would pretty much just make chocolate all day and cry at night. Which I guess falls into the category of ‘Be Careful What You Wish For.’ But it took off, and after that we needed a real place to make chocolate. I couldn’t just rent this kitchen when it wasn’t being used by other people.”

“We stumbled on Grapevine, and from the very first moment it felt like home to me... I can’t imagine a better place. Everyone has been so helpful! People come because – well, because they like chocolate – but also because they enjoy the space and they want to support small businesses. They want their dollars to stay local. They feel all of that, and it’s important to them.”

Science, Health, and the Psychology of Treating Yourself

Suddenly established in a booming tourist destination, Dr. Williams found herself navigating the space between personal fascination, customer service, and dietary fads. For her, chocolate was a scientific endeavor: she loved learning the chemical process behind its formation, studying the crystalline structure that marks a perfectly tempered confection, and experimenting with ingredients while protecting the hydrophobic substance from inclusions that could threaten its sheen. Building a business and crafting a brand weren’t necessarily in her wheelhouse, but she found a niche in the collision of established history and emerging nutrition.

“Dark chocolate, literally for centuries, has been valued for everything from religious ceremonies to monetary value to its nutritional and health benefits in various cultures around the globe. It shouldn’t be criminalized. I won’t try to promote it as a health food, but I think everybody wants to be kind to themselves and have a little bit of luxury and indulgence. There are smart ways to do that, so you can make better choices,” said Williams.

“You get some natural phytonutrients, some tannins, some properties that actually may have some benefit. And, certainly, aren’t nearly as bad for you as maybe some other choices you could have. If you can opt for something where you have some dark chocolate with fruit or nuts and enjoy that in moderation instead of something that has a much higher sugar content, a much higher fat content, is much more processed; in the end, you’re going to have something that’s luxurious and decadent that still tastes good but is a better option for you.”

She won’t be prescribing a daily dose of dark chocolate any time soon, but the physician-turned-confectioner sees another way to serve patients and customers by providing a little extra incentive to make small improvements every day. Her products have a small role to play in consumer diets, but a potentially larger one in overall health.

“Rewarding yourself for trying to make healthy or better choices definitely helps with long-term success; longevity of the practice,” Williams said. “But there are also researchers across the globe studying the psychological benefits of chocolate. There are people who study it in the setting of depression and all sorts of different areas; everything from blood pressure or cardiovascular health to mental health. There does seem to be something about chocolate that makes people happy!”

The joy is the point, it turns out.

Back in the Market, Just in Time for the Holidays

Few people will be surprised by the idea that chocolate improves your mood. But Dr. Sue’s business strategy is less about selling a sugar high and more about creating connection. Her new store will feature an open window that allows guests to watch the team at work, in part because she’s seen shoppers pause and stare at her secret weapon: an Italian tempering machine. For her, a perfect temper is a scientific necessity. For guests, a swirling vat of shiny chocolate is a delight.

“[Our tempering machine] was imported from Italy. In my mind, it’s like a Ferrari. Boy, it’s been a workhorse. It helps us get the chocolate in a perfect temper,” she said. “When chocolate is tempered correctly, it has a shine to it. It has a snap you can hear when you break it, and it has an unctuous mouthfeel that just melts in your mouth, coats your mouth, and feels decadent.”

Whether guests come back for that carefully calibrated experience or simply drop in for a chat, Dr. Sue is happy to have them. Like many small businesses, she has a reliable batch of regulars – including some from out of state who order by mail or call ahead before any visit to DFW – for whom the service is as important as the goods themselves. And they aren’t alone; the store is also a psychological boon for Williams.

“Because I work in a hospital, we take care of the very ill. It’s a privilege to share those moments with patients and their loved ones, but, frankly, it can be weighty. I spend a lot of time talking to people about chronic illnesses and how they can live with them, and also with terminal illnesses and what we can do to help them with that part of their life. The chocolate shop here in Grapevine is my happy place. It’s not that I don’t love what I do; I am very grateful for what I do. It truly is a privilege. But the chocolate shop recharges my batteries,” she said.

“People come in and they’re always happy. They’re always excited to see what we have. We’ve become part of people’s family traditions. Their Christmas traditions. Sometimes, their weekly traditions! They stop by to say hello, and we’ve seen their kids grow up. They chat with us and there’s a lot of positive energy... I feel like we’re giving back to a place that deserves it so much. It’s such an extraordinary place, and I love the idea that we’re employing people locally, paying a living wage, and trying to make sure they can access some benefits. We’re trying to be active and contribute to the local community and economy so we can hopefully give back a little bit of what Grapevine gives to us.”

That's a time-tested strategy that hasn’t let her down yet, and she’ll be looking to keep it going when her new location opens just in time for Holiday shopping.

For more on local businesses like Dr. Sue’s Chocolate, be sure to subscribe to the ‘Growing Grapevine’ podcast and eNewsletter or find us on LinkedIn and Facebook. If you’d like to follow in her footsteps and launch a business here in Grapevine, please contact our staff to learn more.