Fran's Chocolates' Commitment to Downtown Bellevue

Ride2Downtown Spotlight:
Fran's Chocolates' Commitment to Downtown Bellevue

Fran’s Chocolates has been a local staple since 1982 when founder Fran Bigelow opened her first humble location in Seattle with the hopes of sparking an “artisan chocolate renaissance”. Since then, Fran’s has revolutionized the chocolate world with mouthwatering flavors and a strong commitment to sustainable practices, winning numerous awards for its approach to making chocolate. 

When Fran’s first came to Bellevue in 1996, it was met with a community of chocolate-lovers eager to support a new small business. This comes as no surprise – the chocolate shop features bold flavors, elegantly smooth ganache, and uniquely unexpected pairings. They have received national praise for their trendsetting gray and smoked salted caramels. Each piece of chocolate offered at Fran’s is Organic and Fairtrade certified, meaning it is produced under high standards of quality control and equitability regulations. This ties deeply into downtown Bellevue’s goals of conscious consumerism.

Samantha Durst, store manager of Fran’s Chocolates in Bellevue, believes that downtown’s status as an Eastside hub for all things business and pleasure is the key to the location’s success.

“Downtown Bellevue brings together a wonderful mix of people from all around our region, creating a rich urban retail experience for individuals, families, tourists, and locals,” she said. “We love being part of that experience and getting to share the joy of pure chocolate with a diverse range of guests.”

Part of Bellevue’s charm is its opportunities for storefronts to develop relationships with other local businesses. Durst said that “seasonal Bellevue community events such as Wine Walk, Bellevue Trick or Treat, and the Bunny Hop have been calendar highlights for years,” and that the Fran’s team “look[s] forward to more opportunities to connect and collaborate in the years to come.”

The opening of the new 2 Line is another welcoming addition to the area and Durst is excited to meet the many new customers it may bring.

Fran’s dedication to community partnerships extends even outside of its immediate neighbors. They are also proudly collaborating with the Pacific Northwest Ballet and local, women-owned businesses GLDN, Mocel Mexcal Artesanal, and Joyus Non-Alcoholic Wines. Be on the lookout for the delicious pairings that these projects will surely bring!

For those on the hunt for fun refreshments in the upcoming hot summer days, Fran’s is excited to announce a new lineup of delicious, iced beverages catered for the sweet tooth in all of us. Their Iced Drinking Chocolate, Iced Caramel Matcha, and Raspberry Soda are all perfect companions for a stroll around downtown in the sun.

We've also partnered with Fran's for our Ride2Downtown deals! From 6/24/24 - 6/30/24, enjoy 10% off a pure chocolate experience (excluding wine and port) at their Bellevue location.