Chocolate Soup, located at 5009 Highway 140 (next to Mariposa Arts Park) has been chosen as February’s Business of the Month.

Owner, Elaine Seymour and her husband Tom, have lived in Mariposa for the past twenty-four years. Living in the mountains to raise their children in a wonderful community, has been the best dream come true. 

Elaine was involved with the community and found herself surrounded and blessed by her wonderful family and many friends.  Miriam Costello, owner of Miriam’s Place and previous owner of Jailhouse Square, mentored Elaine which resulted in opening her own store.  Little did Elaine know how she would be impacted by her new business venture.

The support Elaine was given by this community during the tragic loss of her daughter, helped her focus her energy on something positive and constructive.  She wanted, more than anything, to repay the people of Mariposa for their immense love and support offered to her and her family through such a devastating time.  Elaine’s love for decorating and the need she saw for adding to the selection of merchandise offered in this area, made her decision to work with Miriam at Jail House Square an easy one.

Everyone encouraged and supported her.  Chocolate Soup opened for business ten years ago and has been going strong ever since.  Elaine has an incredible group of women who support her and keep her busy store together.  Keri Lind, Darlene Arebalo, Denise Kedzior, Shirley Anderson and Susan Johnson are more like family than staff.  During the Christmas season, Elaine is blessed with two more helpers, Kip Winters and Nancy Shaffer.  Tom Mullison is responsible for the beautiful landscape that surrounds the outside of Chocolate Soup.  Some folks come out just to have lunch in the garden or relax with a good book.

If you haven’t been by Chocolate Soup during the holidays, or any other time, you are definitely missing out.  Every room has a different style, a different aura which surprises you at every turn.  They offer so many different ideas for home décor including gift baskets for any occasion.  The warmth that fills the air in Chocolate Soup is absolutely incredible.

Elaine loves her customers and the people she works with.  She plans to stay with Chocolate Soup for years to come.  Her plans for the future are simple…keep giving Mariposa and the customers what they want in a gift shop, home decorating and antique store.