Bishop Arts District stalwart CocoAndré Chocolatier is closing its storefront in Dallas’ Oak Cliff after almost 15 years. Mother-daughter owners Andrea and Cindy Pedraza have served specialty chocolates, pastries, horchata and other sweet treats out of the cozy casita since 2009, but Cindy says it’s time for her mom to retire.
“When my mom and I started this business, she was already 50,” Cindy tells The Dallas Morning News. She is ready to retire “and take life a little bit easier.” Cindy says CocoAndré was built to showcase Andrea’s love and knowledge of chocolate making.
The shop will remain open through the end of 2023 or through spring 2024, depending on when the Oak Cliff cottage is sold, Cindy says. CocoAndré will remain in Dallas after that, in a new form.
Cindy is still working on the future plans, but she says closing the labor-intensive storefront will “empower us to grow the business even more.” She has plans to grow CocoAndré nationally, becoming importers and selling chocolate and bottled horchata in grocery stores and other retail locations. Because CocoAndré has always celebrated the Pedraza family’s Mexican roots, Cindy wants to teach, too.
“What I really want to focus on for the future is education,” Cindy says, “taking people on tours, teaching them about ... where the chocolate is coming from, and actually meeting the makers and the growers. For me, that’s my next step.”
Andrea will continue to be a strong presence in the business even though she’s retiring. “Like all immigrant parents, there is no slowing down,” Cindy says. “I still see her spending half the day here.”
CocoAndré Chocolatier is located at 508 W. Seventh St., Dallas. cocoandre.com.
ArtsAccess reporter Elizabeth Myong contributed to this story.
