Things are busy at Malley’s Chocolate this time of year, especially with Valentine’s Day tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 14 and Easter hot on its tail on March 31.

But the staff at the Brookpark Road headquarters and 19 stores throughout Northeast Ohio are ready.

“We’ve got our Valentine candy packed and ready to go, and we’re already ramping up for Easter, with it being early this year,” says Malley’s president and CEO Mike Malley, who rejoined the family business 12 years ago after 23 years in publishing and after his mother, Adele Malley, retired.

So what are people buying for their sweethearts this time of year? “The big thing for Valentine’s Day is our fresh Chocolate-Covered Strawberries and Chocolate-Covered Grapes,” Malley says. “So yeah, we’re busy.”

While Malley’s has long been known for producing luscious Chocolate-Covered Strawberries—Malley reports they produce somewhere between 25,000 and 30,000 for the holiday—he says the Chocolate-Covered Grapes, red seedless grapes in milk chocolate, have also become a favorite.

“Sometimes weird combinations strike people differently,” he says. “They’re good.”

The list of Valentine treats is nearly endless at the chocolatier that has become a household name in its 89 years.

Malley’s Gold Cup 16 oz Mixed Heart“Oh, boy, we have all kinds of the classics,” Malley says when asked what the stores offer for one of the biggest days of the year for those in the chocolate business. “We have the fun Valentine velvet gift box hearts, or a one-pound box with our gold cup assortment. Then we have another heart-shaped gift box that has what we call our hot fudge and pretzel duo—a combination of pieces that are made with our hot fudge sauce that are made into shapes that will fit inside a heart box.”

Malley doesn’t stop at the treats his team makes for the adults celebrating the day—he says they have plenty of options to give to friends and children, too.

“We have all kinds of other heart boxes that are a little smaller and have things that say, ‘B Mine,’ which are a little bit more fun, themed ones,” he says. “We have something we call Cupid's mix, which has chocolate-covered pretzels, some cranberries, pretzels, and peanuts.”

Then there’s the Valentine survival kit, which is a kid-themed Valentine-themed lunch pail filled with kid-themed goodies. “We see a lot of grandparents buying it,” he says, “but adults like it too.”

Of course, Malley is quick to point out that they always have what he calls “the old reliables” in stock—BillyBobs, NutMallow, or Malley Ohs!”

Life in the business

As the leader of the Malley’s empire, most people would assume that Malley has a sweet tooth or eats his weight in chocolate. He says, in some ways that presumption is true.

Malley’s Heart Peanut Butter 1.25 oz Milk hero“Compared to the average consumer, I guess I do eat a lot of chocolate,” he quips. “But we're constantly sampling new flavor combinations, new mashups, and just testing products. I might have a piece of candy, or a couple of pieces, during the day. But it's not like every day I'm sitting down eating a pound of chocolate.”

While February is one of the hot times in the chocolate business, Malley says traffic fluctuates throughout the year. Therefore, so do his staff numbers.

“We have a lot of peaks and valleys of demand time, [with] what we refer to as a lot of seasonal associates,” he says. “A lot of these folks love working with us because they're regulars and they'll say, ‘I love working with you for about two weeks around Christmas, a week around Valentine's, and then maybe two weeks around Easter.’

Malley says he has a loyal group of temporary seasonal workers who tend to come back every year. The factory can have between 80 to 100 people on the floor, depending on the season, and he has between 200 to 250 people on payroll.

Not like every other day

Malley emphasizes that Valentine’s Day is not like every other day when you’re in the chocolate business—even for seasoned veterans.

Malley’s Mixed Gold Cup Valentine’s Heart“I've had other people refer to it as our Super Bowl,” he says. “It is a big deal because on February 12th, 13th, 14th, those three days alone, we'll see a significant spike in customer traffic and sales volume. Christmas and Easter are still our biggest holidays, but Valentine's gives them a run for their money.”

But Malley says he looks forward to Valentine season at Malley’s Chocolates.

“You got to embrace it—you’ve got to be in your element, so you don't sour on it,” he says. “It's not like I'm tired of it or anything.”

Malley honestly believes in what he’s selling to his customers. “We're in the business of selling memories and happiness,” he explains. “People coming in to buy candy—whether it's strawberries or a candy bar—they're generally in a good mood. Whether they're buying it for themselves or they're going to give it as a gift, it's always a positive. So to me, that's a positive thing.”

He says happiness and love keeps him going. “I don't really recognize how tired I am, he says, “until like a week or two later and I'll be like, ‘God, why am I so tired?’”

Then he turns around and starts preparing for the Easter rush.

So what does Malley give to his sweetheart? “Plenty of Chocolate-covered Strawberries and fresh flowers—12 red long-stem roses.”