Among those items listed was the Madame Delluc box of chocolates, “Ballotin 18 Pralines” ($39.50).
> Read: Dayton chocolatiers recommend wine and chocolate pairings
Madame Delluc at 2510 Far Hills Ave. is the first venture of Francoise Imports, operated by Francoise Walusis and her husband John Walusis of Washington Twp., and her brother-in-law Brian Walusis of Miami Twp. Francoise Walusis is a native of Belgium whose father was a diplomat for the Belgian government, and she came to Ohio 20 years ago to attend Wittenberg University.
The Madame Delluc shop is the first in the U.S. for the Belgium-based Mary Chocolatier, founded in Brussels in 1919. The company operates nine shops in Belgium, and only two outside of the country: in Russia and South Africa.
“My husband and I stumbled on Mary chocolate in Belgium and have been obsessed ever since,” goop writer Wolfson wrote. “There’s one tiny shop in Ohio that sells them in the U.S., and that’s it.”
Madame Delluc only recently added online ordering capability for its selection of chocolates and other candies.
The company produces its chocolates using original recipes developed by founder Marie Delluc in the 1920s, Francoise Walusis said. The new Oakwood shop offers a variety of Belgian pralines that consist of a dark, milk or light chocolate shell with a softer, creamy filling; a half-dozen truffle-style confections; candied orange peel, lemon peel and ginger; and solid chocolate wafers in various flavors, among other items.
John Walusis said in December that he and the shop’s co-founders intend to develop the North American market, with the Oakwood shop as the flagship store. “We feel there is no better place to launch this than Dayton, Ohio,” he said.
Earlier coverage: New chocolate shop opens in Oakwood
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