The Xocolate Bar

03/23/2026

Moveable walls, penny tile tables, bookcases, POS systems...

It's the final push to clear everything out of my Rockridge store (5854 College Ave, Oakland). Everything is deeply discounted.

Apex Estate Sale company is running the sale. Here is a link with pictures and showtimes (https://estatesales.org/estate-sales/ca/oakland-/94618/apex-presents-rockridge-retail-liquidation-2431247) .
Any questions, please call Apex directly at
(925) 783-4814

Please tell your friends, family, and favorite mom & pop shops. It's such great stuff and almost new. I'd love for it to go to a good home.
-Malena

Click here for an update from The Xocolate Bar!

03/19/2026

Our Getting-Out-of-Rockridge Sale Continues This Weekend

Saturday 3/21, 9am-3pm
Sunday 3/22, 10am-3pm
5854 College Ave, Oakland

The kind folks at Apex Estate Sales (https://estatesales.org/estate-sales/ca/piedmont/94618/apex-presents-the-sweetest-liquidation-2429801) are helping me move along the mind-boggling number of non-chocolate objects from my Rockridge store. Everything is priced to sell.

We've got vintage glass (free hard candy included!), handmade jewelry, party supplies, chocolate molds, stage props, vintage prints, printers, POS systems, stickers, cards, cute pink chairs, gorgeous light fixtures, chandelier crystals, giant flowers, baskets, fake bananas, antique furniture, books, a skeleton, cleaning supplies, and SO. MUCH. MORE. Everything but the chocolate (all of that went to 1709 Solano Ave, Berkeley, open 11-5 daily).

I underestimated the emotional and physical toll of running your own going-out-of-business sale. Rehashing recent traumas while negotiating prices is especially draining. So is standing on sore feet with a thrown-out back and inflated knee. I could barely peel myself off the floor for a week afterwards, and I barely put a dent in the inventory. Boo. Do not recommend. Except to taste the bitter so you can know the sweet.

And how sweet it is to have Jenn, Nick, and their friendly team take over! Part of the liquidation contract is that I'm not allowed to be there for the sale. What a relief! Enjoy the treasure hunt :-).

Tell your friends!

In gratitude,
Malena

Click here for an update from The Xocolate Bar!

03/14/2026

Spring has sprung at The Xocolate Bar

Just a little bit of good news as the season of light comes back: Easter chocolates have hit the shelves at 1709 Solano Ave, Berkeley.

This year's lineup is:

Bad Bunnies: dark chocolate filled with coconut rum ganache, like the Puerto Rican cocktail, Coquito.

Eggstravaganza: 3 egg variety pack with Dubai, Passionfruit vanilla, and Coconut delight.

Pb&j Bunnies: milk chocolate filled with peanut butter and jelly. Back by popular demand.

This season we're keeping production small. Come to 1709 Solano Ave if you'd like to pick some of these up. They are a bit too fragile to ship.

Happy Spring,
Malena

Click here for an update from The Xocolate Bar!

03/01/2026

Vintage glassware, furniture, fine art & art prints, craft supplies, surprise balls, earrings, stage props, scarves, baby blankets, clocks, stationery, ornaments, collectibles, greeting cards, tee shirts, plants, party supplies, etc. etc. etc.

Hello Xocolate lover,

In case you missed it, our Rockridge store closed.** It was a gift store as well as a chocolate shop, and there are many, many non-edible treasures than need new homes.

Everything is Buy One Get One Free (mix & match, equal or lesser value).

Come hunt for treasures and bring your friends!

Sunday 3/1/26, 12-5ish
at 5854 College Ave, Oakland
FYI there is no chocolate at this store -- it all went to Solano.

There will be more popup sales coming soon (we have to vacate by March 31!).

I can't promise a set schedule since I'm juggling childcare, eldercare, and consolidating to one location. To see when the next sale will happen, follow our instagram .

Thank you so much! Please take home loads of stuff! Make me an offer I can't refuse!

Malena

**If you're wondering why Rockridge closed, here is the nutshell version of the story (https://docs.google.com/document/d/147tJGJxzFOFQmhQASJlYWiuuusTOGhl2uxPOlVtna1o/edit?usp=sharing) .

For the long story, visit my Substack (https://open.substack.com/pub/poetryinthemess/p/the-rise-and-fall-of-xocolate-and?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web) (and please subscribe!)

Click here for an update from The Xocolate Bar!

02/15/2026

Thank you for the last minute invitation !
And thank you Sal for the thoughtful interview, and for shining a light on the Latino community. Interview is linked in the comments.

01/30/2026

01/30/2026

Dear Xocolate lover,

It feels strange to promote bonbons at a time of collective grief. But then again, chocolate is good for the soul. A bittersweet reminder of the pleasure and beauty life has to offer even through dark times. Especially through dark times.

Valentine's Day hits people in all kinds of ways but at the end of the day, it's about love. Chocolate is its own love language.* Don't we need more expressions of love in this world?

This is our special Valentine offering this year:

Valentine Sweetheart Bundle (https://www.thexocolatebar.com/product/valentine-sweetheart-bundle-cube-box-by-the-xocolate-bar-with-pure-heart-truffles-passionfruit-truffles-love-bites-a-surprise-shape/AVRPXKM7GHFIRINGUK3J2CE5?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=5)
Inside you'll find
-Pure hearts (pure dark truffles in a heart shape)
-Passionfruit truffles (one of our most popular flavors of all time)
-Love Bites (honey vanilla truffle, strawberry truffle, pure dark truffle, & cherry truffle)
-A surprise Valentine shape (nothing x-***ed...just a beautifully hand painted dark chocolate heart)

The Love Bites (https://www.thexocolatebar.com/product/love-bites-4pc-box-of-dark-milk-bonbons-by-the-xocolate-bar/1057?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_id=5) are available on their own as well.

As always, these are handmade with love in a tiny kitchen using organic fair trade chocolate and natural ingredients. Please opt for pickup or local delivery if you can...the weather is already warm enough to delay shipping.

If you've made it all the way down here, I'm going to assume you're a fan. Read on for a special opportunity.

As you probably know, our Rockridge store is closing on February 15. Here's the story (https://docs.google.com/document/d/147tJGJxzFOFQmhQASJlYWiuuusTOGhl2uxPOlVtna1o/edit?tab=t.0) , in case you missed it.

Please stop by 11-6 daily at 5854 College Ave, Oakland. We have a full selection of chocolates as well as special treasures that the crew is starting to liquidate. I'm talking about tons of vintage glass candy dishes, a handmade human sized nutcracker, a bookcase sized box of giant faux chocolates...Frankie the GM handcrafts seasonal window displays, which we are now selling since there is no space at Solano for things like that. Come hunt for treasures before February 15!

Also, if you have always dreamed of having your own store in Rockridge (and you have strong financials), taking over the space is an option. Please email me directly if you'd like more info on that. [email protected]

This brings me to the inevitable question of what will happen to Solano after the dust settles at Rockridge. Honestly, I don't know right now. But if you are a long time fan, care about the continuity of that store, and have access to deep wells of capital, there could be an ownership opportunity for you there too. Again, email [email protected] if that is of interest.

If you've made it this far down I'm going to assume you care about me personally lol. Please read on...

Real talk: Times have been hard for this business and for me personally. I'm sure you have empathy if not compassion fatigue given all the hard times people are having all over the world. I appreciate all the kind messages received so far. But here is a way you can help me in a concrete way. I am actively searching for paid side work to supplement my personal income during this transition period. Here is the shape I need it to take:

-Remote
-Asynchronous
-Project based (though ongoing commitments may be possible, depending on the scope of the work)
-Paid (not looking for more entrepreneurship work)

If you've known me through the years you probably have a sense of my skill set. If not, here are some highlights:

-Written communication (personal essay sample here (https://docs.google.com/document/d/12sCvqJfNBMt6j-WRDyh-uV1BBVG0xDtfkUyWJSnmrT4/edit?usp=sharing) )
-Certified Women's Guidance Facilitator
-MFA in Studio Art (concentration in sculpture, painting, and graphic design). Art samples and CV here (https://www.malenas.art/) .
-Curriculum development (arts & crafts emphasis)
-End-of-life Doula certification in progress (creative autobiography and legacy projects are my strengths)
-Bilingual (English/Spanish)
-Obviously, 20 years experience founding, leading, creating, and executing all aspects of this small chocolate business. For a sense of the totality of that, see our latest catalogue (https://www.thexocolatebar.com/client-gifts) . Not only did I develop the recipes, but I also designed the packaging, did the graphic layout of the catalogue, wrote the copy, and interfaced with all of the corporate clients listed. I also had the grit and grace to carry the business through difficult economic times while prioritizing a work culture of love and respect.

-Note: I'm not able to take on positions requiring management or coordination of other people at this time.

Give me something creative to do!

Thanks for considering me :-)
For personal job opportunities, please email me at [email protected]

With love,
Malena Lopez-Maggi

Whew! You made it to the bottom! Congratulations! Here's that asterisk you were looking for...

*Neurodivergent people have their own love languages.

Like for example:

- info-dumping (like I did here)
- pebbling (giving small thoughtful gifts like funny memes or pieces of chocolate)
- parallel play (working quietly on different things side by side)

It will break your heart open when you start noticing all the little 'I love you's' you may have been missing. One of the most powerful things we can do in this life is to learn each others languages and be faithful translators.

xoxo
Malena

Click here for an update from The Xocolate Bar!

01/29/2026

Now in store and online: Valentine Sweetheart Bundle. A beautiful cube box with pure heart dark truffles, passion fruit truffles, love bites, and a solid dark Valentine shape (nothing x-***ed!). Get yours at www.xocobar.com

01/14/2026

Our last day open at our Rockridge location is February 14. Full explanation linked below

https://docs.google.com/document/d/147tJGJxzFOFQmhQASJlYWiuuusTOGhl2uxPOlVtna1o/edit?usp=drivesdkw

1/12/2026 The Brief, Wondrous Life of Xocolate & Confections The dream was a bright, airy, light-filled candy store that would rival Wonkaland in its sense of wonder and Miette Confiserie in its sense of taste. Frankie took it on as her magnum opus of interior design, drawing from a lifetime of f...

01/13/2026

Dear Xocolate lover,

I'm going to rip this bandaid off quickly. Our Rockridge store is closing. Our last day in business at our College Ave location is Valentines Day, February 14, 2026. If you'd like to know why, here is the story. (https://docs.google.com/document/d/147tJGJxzFOFQmhQASJlYWiuuusTOGhl2uxPOlVtna1o/edit?usp=sharing)

Our Solano Ave location will remain open for the time being. The future there is uncertain. You can help by shopping in January instead of leaving it to February when everyone descends on us at the same time. Our capacity is limited.

If you never made it to our Rockridge store, now's your last chance. Frankie is pouring her heart into one last Valentine window display. Leave the staff a love letter in the mailbox if you're inspired.

Thank you for your patience and support through this difficult time.

Sincerely,
Malena Lopez-Maggi

Click here for an update from The Xocolate Bar!

12/12/2025

Dear Xocolate lover,

Thank you for going hard on chocolate gifts this season. We have received an avalanche of orders. Over 250 shipments will be sent out next week, all from a 100 square foot shipping shed.

Each bonbon will be handmade and hand packed by a ferocious team of seasoned pros at 1709 Solano Ave, Berkeley.

First, Brian will blend and temper the chocolate. He will pour the shells, making sure each one is thick enough to block the light, yet thin enough to give way delicately as your teeth sink in. Kim and Cristina will make ganaches, following our bible of original recipes with a baker's precision. They will pipe each cavity, leaving just enough space for the cap to adhere. Brian will then seal the bonbons with beautifully printed transfer sheets and let them set.

Clive will pull a night shift, making marshmallows, handpainted figurines, and Dubai bars. He will come back in the morning to demold bonbons and place each one in a glassine paper cup. If we're lucky, our seasonal angels will come help too.

At opening time, Pilar will put bonbons into boxes with incredible speed--4pc, 6pc, 12pc, 18pc, 24pc. She will label each box and put it on display while putting on a smile for frantic customers.

From there, Cristina will hop off the ganache station to put on her shipping hat. She will bag and freeze each order, look up the weather at each address, and assess the right level of protection for these delicate jewels. Bubble wrap, ice pack, mylar, starch foam, cardboard, labels, tape.

Then Cristina will call David, our valiant mailman, who will pick up armload after armload of boxes like they're no heavier than feathers. All in a day's work.

Can you hear the bells jingling?

Every December, a switch turns on and the whole world craves our chocolate. But alas, our capacity has a limit. Our whole shop, kitchen included, is 800 square feet. We make chocolates on a human scale.

Earth shattering decisions by the health department barred our Rockridge store from any form of production. So the weight of it all falls on tiny Solano. If you see the shelves bare, that's why. But Frankie, Sandee, Constance and Camilo keep working their magic anyway. Rockridge never ceases to feel abundant, beautiful and welcoming.

You might be wondering, where is Malena?

I'm behind the scenes, in front of the computer, making the numbers work and writing to you. I'm fielding orders, writing invoices, and designing the little notes people ask us to put in their boxes. I'm usually working from my car in the parking lot behind Solano, popping in wherever I'm needed most.

But this year, I'm up at my mom's house, being her primary caregiver as she navigates catastrophic illness. Again, we operate on a human scale.

If you're a long time Xocolate Bar fan, you may remember my mom, Peggy. She was our volunteer front-of-house girl for the first 5 years. She always brought her larger-than-life energy, booming laugher, and radiant beauty. Now her light is dim. If you or anyone you know would consider donating a kidney to save her life, she is registered here: https://nkr.org/EDM533

All this to say, please have patience and grace with us this season.

Buy gift cards (https://app.squareup.com/gift/D53MZDAP17D8V/order) for the people on your list, and come visit us in the off season. That's when we'll have breathing room to come up with delightful new recipes, classes and even retreats. You will help us capture the demand that comes just once a year, that we rely on to get us through the lean times.

Online ordering is now closed. Thank you for understanding. You can still buy gift cards here (https://app.squareup.com/gift/D53MZDAP17D8V/order) .

Wishing you health, happiness and love this season and always,

Malena Lopez-Maggi
Xocolate Bar owner

P.S. Do yourself a favor and let your heart break open. Watch the movie Come See Me in the Good Light (https://youtu.be/t0B8sjxR7Mo?si=2fs24tdMI617MmNH) . It's about happiness being easier to find when you don't have forever to find it.

Online ordering is closed for the season. Please buy gift cards instead. (https://app.squareup.com/gift/D53MZDAP17D8V/order)

Click here for an update from The Xocolate Bar!