Jim Robinson, owner of Robinson's Chocolate
Stop by Robinson’s Chocolate in the Montgomery Shopping Center on Saturday, September 14, from 5 to 7 pm, to help them celebrate 40 years of being part of the Montgomery community.
The shop will serve appetizers, beverages, and of course chocolate to thank customers for their support over the years. Bring friends, and enter the Robinson's raffle.
Their story began in 1928 with Robinson’s father, James K. Robinson, known in the family as “Pop-Pop,” who was making chocolate and candy for the Whitman Company in Philadelphia.
Pop-Pop thought it would be fun to show his granddaughter’s what he did for a living, so one day, while visiting his son Jim in Skillman, he brought all the makings for Irish Cinnamon Potatoes.
Jim Robinson with his daughter Pattie.
His son, daughter in-law Nancy, and his granddaughters Mary Ann, Pattie, and Maureen, broke out all the ingredients and got to work in their Skillman
kitchen. Everyone was having so much fun, at one point; Pop-Pop turned to his granddaughters and said, “Wouldn’t it be fun to have your own candy store?”
And so, Robinson’s Chocolate was born. It opened in the Montgomery Shopping Center in 1978 on the border of Skillman and Rocky Hill.
Robinson’s is celebrating its 40th anniversary this September (even though it was technically last year). The Robinsons credit Jim’s late wife, Nancy Robinson, for encouraging the family to open up Robinson’s Chocolates. Nancy’s excitement for opening the shop didn’t stop there. Her charisma created the comforting and welcoming environment that the shop is
still known for today.
“You walk in here, she’d say hello to you, give you a big smile, and make you feel at home,” Jim Robinson said. “That twinkle in her eye, people knew right away that they were welcome.”
Even today, the warmth between the family and each of their customers is apparent. Jim and Nancy’s daughter, Pattie Robinson, who now manages the shop, recalled how customers would come in to buy chocolate just to have the chance to say hello to her.
“It would be 20 [people] deep, we’d have help, and we’d say, ‘Can I help you?’ And they’d say, ‘Nope. I’m going to wait for Nancy.’”
The customers’ willingness to patiently wait also shows the kind of relaxed environment that the chocolate shop has. Today, Pattie’s favorite
chocolate is their dark sea salt caramel chocolate; Jim favors their chocolate turtles, and his late wife Nancy loved the almond crunch.
In additional to the anniversary celebration at the store, the Robinsons invite their customers and friends to join them on October 5 at Veterans Park, 2206 Kuser Road, Hamilton, to walk to end Alzheimer’s Disease. Learn more at: act.alz.org/goto/raisinwithrobinsons. ■
