Updates to the Future of Queer Chocolatier
The phrase "it's been a rollercoaster" has been something I've said almost hourly since Monday's newsletter went out. Between this moment and less than 48 hours ago, I have been uplifted in a way that emboldens me and deepens my belief in our community.
Standing in solidarity also means allowing for your community to support you. I am learning, in very real-time, this lesson and I am unspeakably grateful for this education!
After I let y'all know I am in danger of not being able to sustain my overhead costs at the worst possible time of my business operations in the midst of a pandemic, one of our customers reached out to me and was compassionate and kind in starting a GoFundMe page to help me bridge the gap between the end of May (when I can last safely ship chocolate without melting) and September (when I hope to resume shipping as it begins to cool off). He set the goal of $6,000 so that I can meet my three months' worth of overhead costs.
Within 18 hours (!!!!), the goal was met and exceeded! Not only that, I now have over 100 orders from Monday until this moment. Approximately $4,500 of gross sales (and over 1,600 truffles to shuffle) comes from these orders and, to place this in proper perspective, our average monthly gross IN-PERSON at the Chocolate House was around $5,000. Our biggest sales day was Indy Pride in 2019 when we sold $4,000 of product, including t-shirts and such. Valentine's Day and Christmas are my biggest online sales days and combining these holiday orders fails to meet what you all provided me with in the last TWO DAYS!
I don't really know what to say. "Thank you" doesn't seem enough. "I appreciate you" falls short.
Instead, I'll leave the words elsewhere and simply stand by your side and continue to scratch and fight and hold this space for you as you've done for me.
Chocolate and community. That's our special recipe, y'all.