New features include chocolate production facility offering tours
SOUTH BARRINGTON, Ill. (August 12, 2009) – Anna Shea Chocolates & Lounge, which opened at The Arboretum of South Barrington last September, recently expanded by 2,300 square feet for a chocolate production facility and larger lounge that will open by the end of August. At total of 4,200 square feet, the chocolatier is now able to relocate its headquarters from New York, basing retail, wholesale, and web orders here. According to Debra Jenrette, owner of Anna Shea, the new lounge will have an open concept fireplace that customers can sit around to sip their wine or hot chocolate during the cooler months. And the production facility will offer a public view of how the hand-crafted chocolates are created. “We’ll also be able to offer chocolate making classes and school tours,” she says.
The move to South Barrington came when the privately held company decided to merge both its business and creative sides into one place. While the chocolates were being made at the New York facility, the business side of the venture was increasingly growing in the Chicago area. And, at least in Chicago’s northwest suburbs, fine chocolate and wine seem to be recession-proof. “This is a good neighborhood for this kind of business,” says Ms. Jenrette. Since opening last September, Anna Shea’s sales figures have continued to meet business plan projections.
While Finnish-born Anna Shea is renowned for creating elegant, hand painted Swiss chocolates, the shop is also known for its extensive wine collection, customized wedding/party favors, French press coffee and lattes, fanciful cupcakes, and gifts. For more information on Anna Shea, visit www.annasheachocolates.com or call (877) 702-6627.
The Arboretum of South Barrington is a 600,000 square-foot retail town center in Chicago’s affluent northwest suburbs that opened in September 2008. The open-air center is named for the lush treescapes and gardens, and for the large tree farm that formerly stood on the site. Among retailers at The Arboretum of South Barrington are three unique anchors, including LL.Bean’s first Midwest outdoor gear and apparel store; the country’s first Village Roadshow Gold Class Cinemas, a luxury cinema experience and new way to go to the movies; and Pinstripes, Chicago’s own bowling, bocce and bistro concept. An upscale mix of fashion apparel brands, home furnishings, restaurants and other retailers will occupy spaces set amidst fountains, pathways and plazas -- all less than a mile from the four-way interchange at I-90 (the region’s major transportation artery), at the highly coveted intersection of Illinois Routes 59 and 72. The center is a joint venture between The Jaffe Companies in Northbrook, Ill., and RREEF Alternative Investments, based in New York.
The Jaffe Companies, developer with RREEF of The Arboretum of South Barrington, has been developing successful shopping centers and mixed-use projects for nearly three decades across the US, primarily in the Midwest. Firm principal Michael Jaffe has been involved in several notable projects, including Huebner Oaks Center, a 400,000-square-foot lifestyle center in San Antonio, Texas; Geneva Commons, a 450,000-square-foot lifestyle center in Geneva, Ill; and The Arboretum Shopping Center in Austin, Texas.
RREEF Alternative Investments, the financial partner in developing The Arboretum of South Barrington, is the global alternative investment management business of Deutsche Bank’s Asset Management division. RREEF Alternative Investments consists of three businesses: Real Estate, Infrastructure and Private Equity. Headquartered in New York, RREEF Alternative Investments employs more than 1,400 investment professionals in 17 cities around the world to help investors meet a wide range of objectives – from diversification, to preservation of capital, to long-term performance. Named one of the world’s largest alternative investments managers in Global Investor/Watson Wyatt’s Alternative Survey, June 2008, RREEF has €55.2/$87.0 billion in assets under management worldwide as of June 30th, 2008. For more information, visit www.rreef.com.
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The Arboretum of South Barrington: www.shopthearboretumsb.com
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