He's got a golden ticket, and he plans to hold on to it.
Charlie Sigvardsen has owned Charlie's Chocolate Factory in Burnaby for 40 years and says he has no plans to retire.
"So long as I'm able to contribute, use my expertise, and come in and have fun, I'll continue to do it," Sigvardsen says.
The local chocolatier is celebrating the company's 40th anniversary with his full staff on Saturday, Oct. 22. The shop at 3746 Canada Way will have various deals on and will demonstrate candy making, with Sigvardsen on hand to answer questions about the business.
Customers will also get a chance to see the store's famous chocolate river, which was recently replaced with a new one by son Blair while Sigvardsen was on vacation.
The company is still very much a family business, Sigvardsen says. His son Colin does much of the business management while Blair makes chocolate moulds at the Port Coquitlam location. His granddaughter Ellen also works for the company, helping in the office.
Sigvardsen combines his oldfashioned sensibilities - he won't put a location in at a mall because he doesn't want his stores open on Sundays - with a love for the business and the understanding that innovation moves it forward.
"If the business hadn't changed, I wouldn't still be here," he says of his industry.
Ten years ago, Sigvardsen bought his moulds from the J. S. Chocolate Mold Company. When the owner was away on vacation, Sigvardsen bought a mould from another company but was dissatisfied with the quality.
So when Jim Smith decided to retire, Sigvardsen bought his company, to ensure he could continue making quality chocolate.
For the past 30 years, Sigvardsen has bought Callebaut chocolate out of Belgium, and he buys it in very large quantities.
He estimates the company buys three to four containers of chocolate per year, with each container holding 30,000 to 40,000 pounds of chocolate. Quality, service and price are the most important elements of a successful business, he says.
Charlie conducts educational tours for everyone from Grade 1 students to seniors' groups, Sigvardsen says, to teach people about the business.
"Sometimes the kids say, 'Charlie's here, but he's gotten really old,'" he says, laughing, explaining that students confuse him with the character in Roald Dahl's book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Sigvardsen chose the name when he opened a store in Gastown, and wanted to go with The Chocolate Factory, as The Spaghetti Factory was nearby.
But the business registry said it was too vague, so Sigvardsen went with Charlie's Chocolate Factory after a co-worker suggested it. The co-worker's child was reading the book at school.
Sigvardsen's family and staff threw him a surprise party on Wednesday, Oct. 19, to celebrate his 40 years in business. There was a variety of people in attendance, from fellow chocolatiers to politicians. He had just returned from a two-week vacation in Kenya with his wife, Joan, he says, and was completely surprised.
Sigvardsen travels about twice a year, enjoying the time away primarily because it allows him to come back to his life's passion - his chocolate factory.
"I enjoy getting away, but I enjoy coming back and having fun, too," Sigvardsen says.
