Dancing Bear Chocolate to open in north Minneapolis amid pandemic

article

A new chocolate shop is preparing to open this weekend in north Minneapolis.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The pandemic can bring chaos and fear, but on a little corner in the Victory neighborhood of north Minneapolis there is hope and excitement building. A brand new chocolate shop called Dancing Bear Chocolate is about to open for the first time this weekend.  

“We love to see their faces light up when they see exactly what we’re doing and how unique some of our things are,” said Joe Skifter of Dancing Bear Chocolate.

Skifter says he and his husband, the chocolatier, love the neighborhood and the building, which isn’t not far from their home, seemed perfect for the bear biz. 

“We want to be a part of the continual renaissance of this neighborhood,” said Skifter.

The little store started out as a market, flipped to a dentist office and after a major renovation, it is now a chocolate and pastry shop.  

Opening up when so many things are closed seems risky, for sure. They are understandably nervous, knowing chocolate isn’t really an essential.  

“It’s a treat, it’s not something you need to have - for a lot of people yeah, they do need to have it,” said Skifter with a laugh.

The store will abide by COVID-19 guidelines. Since the store can’t be packed with customers, a walk-up window will be the store’s real sweet spot.

“It will be everything to the business,” said Skifter. “Everything that we sell will go out that window or on a table out the front door in a social distancing process.”

Joe can’t wait to get things moving and be able to see and meet the people he’s anxious to serve.

“I don’t know what opening day is going to be like,” said Skifter. “I’ll probably cry. It’s pretty amazing.”