The Chocolateria

The Chocolateria owner Tim English traded in his suit and tie for a chef’s apron back in 2010 and hasn’t looked back since. The former corporate lawyer quit his job at a downtown law firm at 45 years old and decided it was time for a career change. After spending some time travelling abroad, he returned to Toronto with the hopes of starting his own business. With a couple of pastry and confectionary courses from George Brown under his belt, he decided to put his sweet tooth to work and open an old-school chocolate shop.

“When you open a business like this, the hardest part is finding the right location,” says Tim. “Roncesvalles was an up-and-coming neighbourhood at the time and it was a great opportunity for businesses like this to come in,” says Tim. He found his perfect spot along the burgeoning retail strip and opened The Chocolateria in August 2010.

“The street was still under construction so the first year was pretty quiet,” he notes. “It gave me a chance to learn the business of chocolate.” The construction on Roncesvalles ended in 2011 and business at the neighbourhood chocolate shop been booming ever since.