Gettysburg’s Newest Sweet Spot
By Karen Hendricks | Photography by Casey Martin
While there are many divisive and controversial subjects today, there’s one sweet topic everyone loves: chocolate.
“A love of chocolate is universal,” says Roger Lund. During the past 20 years, as owner of The Christmas Haus with locations in Gettysburg and New Oxford, his travels took him across Europe in search of unique and authentic Christmas décor. Those travels intersected with European chocolate markets, and he realized Adams County was missing out.
That’s why he founded Gettysburg Chocolate Market, which opened its doors right next door to The Christmas Haus earlier this year.
“As soon as I say the name of the shop, I see people’s eyes light up,” Lund says.
Located in the first block of Baltimore Street, it’s a sweet addition to downtown Gettysburg, just in time for the holiday season.
In the Market
Stepping into Gettysburg Chocolate Market feels like a step back in time, or a step across the pond to Europe—or a little of both.
“We really wanted to go for a vintage Victorian soda shop and candy bar,” says Maeve Leannan, 24, shop manager.
Anchoring the shop along the back wall is a huge, antique soda bar—an auction treasure hailing from a Chicago department store that dates back to the 1880s. Its pillars of onyx gleam under its newly-converted LED lights.
The market’s decor, from colorful Tiffany-style lamps and the original tin ceiling to the classic black and white checkered marble floor, sets a decadent tone, matching the treats within.
Cases of baked goods are only the beginning. Name your guilty pleasure, and Gettysburg Chocolate Market will surely help you indulge. It’s like a coffee shop with a candy store, chocolatier, and ice cream shop all rolled into one.
“We offer one-stop shopping for the best quality products,” says Leannan.
While some treats are made in-house, the market carries many tasty treasures from all corners of the globe. Local products include an entire case of Mr. Ed’s Fudge.
Rows and rows of Asher’s Chocolate products—including chocolate-dipped potato chips—can be found from the Philadelphia area aside little tins of British candy drops, while Swiss Dream chocolate bars and truffles are imported from Switzerland.
Beverages are another way to indulge. The organic, fair trade teas and coffee from Washington state speak to the shop’s commitment to ethically-sourced products. Lattes in creamy, dreamy flavors can be made hot or “frozen.” We sampled the White Chocolate Lavender Frozen Latte, which had just the right hint of lavender, blended with delicious, rich South Mountain Creamery Ice Cream, made across the state line in Middletown, Md.
Not into lattes? No worries—there’s plenty on the menu: Italian sodas, milkshakes, ice cream sodas, cappuccinos, and espressos.
The coolest spot in the shop—the ice cream counter—is in the back.
“There’s one flavor we always keep in stock because it’s so popular, and that’s Snallygaster,” says Leannan.
“Everybody loves Snallygaster—it’s peanut butter ice cream with chocolate peanut butter cups, pretzels and caramel. South Mountain [Creamery] also makes an apple pie flavor that’s amazing.”
Ice cream sundaes are served in old-fashioned, tall sundae glasses. And here’s the scoop on cones: Chocolate and vanilla waffle cones are baked in-house.
Sweet Talk, Sweet Treats
If it sounds challenging to choose just one or two treats, you’re not alone.
“It’s hard because you see something good—then you look over and see something else,” says Gail Collins of Gettysburg. She eventually settled on the frozen mocha latte, with a big cookie boxed up for later.
Collins visited the shop with three friends and co-workers from the Adams County Courthouse—Betty Steinberger,
Deb Hoffman, and Candi Clark, all of Gettysburg. It was the first time all four visited the shop for a Friday lunch hour treat. Their excited chatter had them finishing each others’ sentences. They described the shop as fun and inviting, with a great selection of sweet treats and unique flavor combinations. They all agree that it was difficult to choose, so they’ll have to come back to sample more of the market’s offerings.
The shop opens up to its next-door neighbor, The Christmas Haus, for “a symbiotic relationship,” Leannan describes, since both shops are under Lund’s ownership. Customers from each shop wander and discover treasures in the other.
“People come in and the first thing they say is, ‘Wow, it’s so pretty in here,’” she says. “I feel like we managed to drop a little attraction right in the middle of Gettysburg.”
Feedback to Gettysburg Chocolate Market has been overwhelmingly positive.
“Everyone has memories of chocolate that they hold onto,” says Lund. “Chocolate makes people smile.”
Please Note:
From the time we visited and photographed Gettysburg Chocolate Market, the shop has since suspended their in-house baked goods—many of which are depicted in our photos. Lund says baked items might return to the menu in the future. In the meantime, the shop had added many types of chocolate-covered fruit, candy apples, and gourmet marshmallows. There’s still plenty to enjoy!
Gettysburg Chocolate Market
9 Baltimore St., Gettysburg
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