The Xocolate Bar

06/28/2026

Join us for a free community ritual in honor of the 20-year life of

The Xocolate Bar

Saturday, July 4, 2026 is The Xocolate Bar's last day in business. We will open at 11am for your final purchases at 1709 Solano Ave, Berkeley.

At 2pm, we will pause for a 3-part closing ceremony.

Please wear brown.

First, there will be a Burning of the Grievances.

The chocolate business is bittersweet. I made a burn box inviting my employees to get it off their chest and into the fire. The messages are confidential; nobody but the writer and the ether will see them.

As the literal trash fire burns, we will watch all of our hardships dissipate. Their smoke will intermingle with cocoa nibs to capture bitterness and cedar to transmute anger. White sage, copal, and palo santo will cleanse, bless and protect.

May all the most bitter parts of this business remain in the past and never be re-lived.

Next will be a Reading of the Love Letters.

There has been a box outside the shop for a little over a week, collecting love notes from anyone who feels moved by the loss of us. The box will be there right until it's time to open it and pass the notes around. We will read a few aloud before returning them to the archive.

Last will be the Edible Milagro blessing.

These chocolate shapes will symbolize everything beautiful and wonderful about The Xocolate Bar that we will carry forward in our hearts and minds. I will use them to make sipping chocolate for all of us to share.

Please RSVP (https://form.typeform.com/to/LwSWSoqR) so I know how much sipping chocolate to make.

We will reopen for one last round of shopping from 4-5pm.

If you can't attend in person, I completely understand. Please consider leaving us an audio message at speakpipe.com/thexocolatebar. It’s as simple as hitting record and send.

If you prefer to write and/or send photos, email [email protected]. Paper mail is welcome at:
The Xocolate Bar
1709 Solano Ave
Berkeley, CA 94707

LONG LIVE THE XOCOLATE BAR!

Sincerely,
Malena Lopez-Maggi
Owner/ Head Witch in Charge / Magical Dork since 1981

Follow my writing here: https://poetryinthemess.substack.com/
And my art here: https://www.malenas.art/

Click here for an update from The Xocolate Bar!

06/08/2026

With a heavy heart I announce The Xocolate Bar's last day in business will be July 4, 2026. We have loved delighting you these past 20 years.

Please pour your love and grief into our memorial project. Go to www.speakpipe.com/thexocolatebar and leave us a voice recording. It's as simple as pressing record and send. We will cherish your words as receipts of our success.

All the details of why and what's next are in this document https://tinyurl.com/xocolatebarclosure . Please read it before shopping in person out of respect for our staff. Help protect them from the emotional exhaustion of explaining the closure dozens of times a day.

Thank you for your love and support all these years. May we all keep delighting each other in different ways.

-Malena Lopez-Maggi
Owner