Meet Kim Hack of Cocoa + Co. in Old Town

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Hack.

Thanks for sharing your story with us kim. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I had the idea for Cocoa + Co. in August of 2001 as I was flying back from a business trip while I was in the wine industry. Needless to say, by the time I went out to raise capital, the world had changed. Over the next fourteen years, I explored a variety of structures and funding options but nothing seemed like the right way to support the business I had envisioned. So I launched a website as a tool to keep learning about the industry and continued to work in marketing and strategic consulting.

Much as I tried to move on, I couldn’t shake the idea. After hearing me whine for so long, my husband finally told me to take our savings and “open the damn store”.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been a wild, exhilarating, frustrating, never-a-dull-moment, all-consuming, crazy ride. From the first night (when we were broken into), it became clear that there would be no shortage of problems to solve: learning how to repair appliances, cabinets, the menu board, plumbing; troubleshooting the POS system, troubleshooting the iPad, troubleshooting the router; recruiting and training the right people (again and again); learning how to do my own accounting, social media, cash management. When you own your own business, it’s hard to think about growing the business when you’re constantly being pulled down into the weeds. That is what I struggle with every day.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Cocoa + Co. – what should we know?
Cocoa + Co. is a chocolate shop and cafe with a curated collection of bars, bonbons and confections crafted by more than 35 artisan chocolatiers from all over the world, as well as fresh pastries, drinking chocolates, culinary coffee, and teas. I think people are most often surprised by the depth, breadth and exceptional quality of our offerings, but they return for the service and ambiance.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
pathological optimism and bull-headed persistence

Contact Info:

• Address: Cocoa + Co.
  1651 N. Wells St. Chicago, IL 606114
• Website: www.cocoaandco.com
• Phone: 312.624.8540
• Email: info@cocoaandco.com
• Instagram: CocoaAndCoChi
• Facebook: CocoaAndCoChicago
• Twitter: CocoaAndCoChi

Image Credit:
Jennifer Marx

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