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2023 Downtown Denville Hot Chocolate Contest

Can you feel the festive spirit beginning to take shape in every nook and cranny of Downtown Denville? That’s right, the holiday season is officially upon us! As we prep for this season of jollity, we’re excited to announce a brand-new tradition kicking off this year – the First Annual Downtown Denville Hot Chocolate Contest.

Part of the thrill? You get to play judge!

Yes, we’re relying on your discerning taste buds to crown the Hot Chocolate Champion. All businesses enter this tasty competition in good festive spirit, striving to claim the bragging rights to the Best Hot Chocolate in Downtown Denville for the upcoming year.

All participating businesses are listed below in alphabetical order for your convenience. Make sure you try them all before you cast your vote as you can only vote for ONE business. Your votes will shape the hot chocolate landscape of our vibrant district! Voting opens during the Holiday Open House on November, 24th and will run through December, ending on Thursday, December 21st.

The winner will be announced on Friday, December 22nd, just in time to add an extra sprinkle of holiday cheer.

With stunning decorations, irresistible shopping options, exciting events, and now the hot chocolate contest, there’s no doubt that Downtown Denville is your holiday destination!

VOTE HERE

A TACO AFFAIR

Molé Mexican Hot Chocolate

Indulge in the exotic blend of our Molé Mexican Hot Chocolate. Inspired by traditional mole sauce, this luxurious drink features a complex array of 12 ingredients, leading with a rich chocolate taste and finishing with a hint of earthy sweetness and a warm, spicy kick. Topped with spiced whipped cream and served with a crispy churro, it’s a unique twist on a classic. (Note: Mug not included)

BEIGNETS

Signature Hot Chocolate & Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Signature Hot Chocolate: Experience the comfort of our Signature Hot Chocolate, elevated with a dollop of toasted marshmallow cream for a delightful, cozy treat.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate: Refresh your senses with our Peppermint Hot Chocolate, a festive blend crowned with peppermint whipped cream, perfect for holiday cheer.

BUBBLES IN PARADISE

Warm Chocolate Peppermint Tea

Explore the unconventional with our Warm Chocolate Peppermint Milk Tea. This unique “hot chocolate” is served warm to perfect the texture of the tapioca bubbles. Enhance your experience with optional whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and crushed candy cane. (Served in a paper hot cup, showcasing our special tapioca inclusion)

CHOCOLATINE

Oh La La Chocolat Chaud

Savor the essence of Paris with our Oh La La Chocolat Chaud. Made with 61% dark chocolate, this rich and creamy hot chocolate is a decadent treat, adorned with mini marshmallows and chocolate bits to create a luxurious experience.

DOOWOP EATS

Greek Hot Chocolate

Savor the richness of Greece with our Greek Hot Chocolate. Melted imported Greek chocolate, flawlessly blended with steamed cream, fills a Nutella-rimmed glass adorned with chocolate sprinkles. Each cup is crowned with freshly made, thick whipped cream, offering a luxurious chocolate experience.

DUJOUR CAFE

DuJour Hot Chocolate

Savor the citrus-infused wonder of our DuJour Hot Chocolate. Infused with aromatic orange syrup and adorned with a cloud of whipped cream and marshmallows, it’s finished with a charming Terry’s Chocolate Orange garnish for a playful and elegant twist.

EL COQUI CREPES

Gabby’s Holiday

Gabby’s Holiday presents a Nutella Hot Chocolate that’s a dream come true for chocolate lovers. This rich, velvety drink is infused with cinnamon and topped with fluffy marshmallows, offering a delightful holiday indulgence.

EL MEJICANO TEX-MEX GRILL

Mexican Hot Chocolate

Savor the rich heritage of Mexico with our Mexican Hot Chocolate. Crafted with authentic spices and deep, luxurious chocolate, this drink warms you up from the inside out, embodying the spirit of traditional Mexican warmth and hospitality.

MO’PWEEZE

Mocha Hot Chocolate and Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Mocha Hot Chocolate: Dive into the indulgent fusion of coffee and chocolate with our Mocha Hot Chocolate, topped with homemade plant-based whipped cream and a caramel drizzle. Perfect for those who enjoy a caffeine kick.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate: Refresh your palate with our Peppermint Hot Chocolate, adorned with homemade plant-based whipped cream and peppermint candy sprinkles.

Both drinks are top 10 allergen-free, vegan, and kosher, catering to all

MUTTS ON MAIN

Peanut Butter Cup Hot “Carob” & Reeces Hot Chocolate

A treat for you and your pup!

Peanut Butter Cup Hot “Carob” for Dogs: A special treat for your furry friend, our Peanut Butter Cup Hot “Carob” is a safe, delicious, and dog-friendly beverage.

Reeces Hot Chocolate for Humans: Indulge in the decadent blend of peanut butter and chocolate with our Reeces Hot Chocolate, a delightful treat for the taste buds

SMARTWORLD

Polar Express Duo

Elf Magic (Kids Size): A magical concoction of vanilla and hot chocolate, topped with whipped cream, marshmallows, and enchanting sprinkles.

Snow Drift (12 oz): Immerse yourself in the wintry blend of toasted marshmallow and white chocolate, accented with cinnamon and nutmeg, and crowned with whipped cream and marshmallows.

Available exclusively as a set for the contest.

SWEET VINYL

The Snowball

A winter wonderland in a cup, our Snowball hot chocolate combines white chocolate sauce with coconut and vanilla syrups, topped with whipped cream and a dusting of powdered sugar for a snowy delight.

THATCHER MCGHEES

McGillicuddy Cocoa

For those over 21, indulge in our hot cocoa with a twist – spiked with Dr. McGillicuddy Peppermint Schnaps for a minty, spirited lift to your holiday celebrations.

Happy Birthday, Denville!

IT’S OUR BIRTHDAY! On April 14th, Denville turns 108 birthday, and we’re kicking off a Spirit Week of sorts to celebrate! Join us as we highlight different types of businesses each day with the themes noted above and come along to ReDiscover Denville and celebrate our community.

With many restaurants, retail, and service-related businesses right downtown, you can easily find what you need without ever leaving the area. Be sure to follow along on our social media channels (Instagram and Facebook) as we highlight different themes each day and make our way around town.

Joining in the fun? Tag #DowntownDenville – we want to see everyone enjoying our downtown area and would love to share your photos and stories with our audience as well.

See you around town!

Celebrating Small Business Saturday

We can think of no better way to celebrate Small Business Saturday than to share this two minute video highlighting our wonderful downtown community. You’re sure to recognize many of your favorite stores, restaurants, and sights (and maybe even a Denville resident!), and perhaps discover a new place you’ve never noticed before.

Although Small Business Saturday is a great way to celebrate small business owners everywhere, we’d like to think it’s not just relegated to one day a year. They need your continued support each and every day.

Enjoy the video, and please share it. Although this holiday season looks very different than seasons past, the festive lit wreaths are up, the clock tower is decorated, there are reindeer at the point, a snowman statue at the fountain and even little decorated trees throughout the downtown district. We hope you enjoy visiting downtown as much as we love having you.

How to Support our Downtown Community

There is no question that the holidays are uncertain as COVID numbers continue to rise, which leaves our small business owners wondering how the next few months will play out for them. This is a crucial time, as they rely heavily on holiday shopping and entertaining to continue to remain profitable, and they need our support.

There are a number of different ways that you can help small businesses now, and in the coming months, and many don’t even require you to spend money. And if you ARE spending money, the more of it that you can spend locally, the more you can help our community to not only survive, but thrive. With plenty of free parking and a unique assortment of stores, restaurants, and professional services for you to take advantage of, set a goal to do as much as you can without ever leaving town.

Plan your holiday meals and have them catered by our local restaurants (or, if you’re doing the cooking, buy as many of the ingredients as you can at our stores like Dash of Thyme, Grassroots, Sergios, Denville Seafood and more)
Recommend our small businesses on social media when you see people asking for referrals, and include links to their websites or social media channels
Set aside one day a week for takeout from your favorite restaurant, or to discover a new one
Take advantage of the personal shopping parties and private after hours appointments that stores are offering (Write On Gifts, Sisters, and Surprises in Store are a few examples)
Write online reviews for your favorite businesses on Google, Yelp, and Facebook. This helps their social media pages grow, and helps others discover them
Focusing on health? Sign up for livestream options of your favorite fitness classes, or use this opportunity to try something new (Pure Barre and Prana Yoga are some places to start)
Follow your favorite small businesses on Facebook and Instagram, and like, comment and share their posts. Follow Downtown Denville on Facebook and Instagram too, and keep up with news, events, promos and more
If you have a discount card for a local shop, consider keeping it in your wallet and skipping the extra discount for now. Let the store have every penny
Give the gift of an experience and buy online classes from the businesses that are offering them (Art Classes with Mary Shadbolt, Uptown Art, Gateway to the Arts, Let’s Create, and Sweet Expressions by Geri are a few)
Take photos of our beautiful downtown and share on your social media (tag us on Facebook and Instagram and #DowntownDenville and we’ll share them as well)
Buy gift cards for holiday gift giving (but also, if you have old gift cards, hold off on using them now, if you can. The businesses need every extra penny in their till that they can gather)
Invite your friends to like our Facebook and Instagram pages – the more people we can reach, the more people we can share our downtown businesses with
See something you need online? Check our downtown businesses and see if they have it before ordering from a big online retailer. Many will do special orders if they don’t have it
Feeling uncomfortable being out and about? Call in your order to the local store or check their web site for online ordering. Many offer free local delivery and curbside pick up.

Buy Early, Buy In Denville

Our downtown businesses offer something unique that malls, big box stores, and online retailers don’t. And you might not even realize it.

The business owners are actually on premises every single day, and these are some of their faces.

These businesses aren’t just investments to them. They are the heart, sweat, blood, and tears of how they support their family, and the fulfillment of some of their big childhood dreams. They are in their stores helping you select the perfect gift, making suggestions for a new outfit you want, and sizing your feet for a pair of shoes. They are planning the menu, choosing just the right ingredients, and making your meal. They are ringing up your purchases, gift wrapping, sweeping the floor, taking out the recycling, staying early and closing late. They remember your name, ask about your kids, and when they thank you for coming in, it’s sincere.

As the holiday season is barreling towards us, the future of many of our small businesses is uncertain. Running a small business is challenging enough, but with the twists and turns that 2020 and the pandemic has thrown them, it is important that you continue to support small businesses whenever possible to ensure that your favorite stores and restaurants are still here next year. While downtown Denville has been relatively lucky that we haven’t lost businesses yet directly due to COVID-19, that doesn’t mean they don’t need your attention. They do. This holiday season matters in a very big way to them, and to our community, and we can’t stress the importance of shopping and eating local enough.

Many of our businesses offer online ordering, free delivery, and some have even been known to facetime you from the store to help you select the perfect gift if you can’t come in. When considering the lure of free shipping from online retailers, just remember the names of the businesses that are on the backs of shirts that Little League kids are wearing at the baseball games and who is putting together and donating Tricky Tray baskets for your local fundraising event.

Beyond supporting these businesses with your dollars, you can also support them by liking their Facebook and Instagram pages, and commenting on and sharing their posts. That engagement helps their pages get seen by more and grow their audience. Have you had a wonderful experience with one of our downtown businesses? Leave them a review on their Facebook, Google or Yelp pages.

Although the holiday season seems far away, it starts now. And with you. Thank you, as always, for your continued support of our community. It’s what will keep us the number one downtown in Morris County. Now let’s finish 2020 strong.

eat local

2023 Downtown Denville Hot Chocolate Contest

VOTE HERE