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Quick Bites | Mackenzies Chocolates prepares for permanent closure with extended pre-Easter hours

Chocolate windmills are layered into boxes at Mackenzies Chocolates in Santa Cruz. (Santa Cruz Sentinel file)
By TARA FATEMI WALKER
PUBLISHED: March 26, 2024 at 11:48 a.m. | UPDATED: March 26, 2024 at 11:49 a.m.

SANTA CRUZ
Mackenzies Chocolates prepares for closure with extended hours
Mackenzies Kandy Kitchen, also known as Mackenzies Chocolates (1492 Soquel Ave., 831-425-1492, mackenzieschocolates.com), is permanently closing on Dec. 24, 2024. For Easter, it has a large selection of rabbits, eggs and baskets, and has extended its hours through Saturday (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday). Regular hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday (closed weekends).
“After 40 years, it’s time to call it quits,” says manager Ian Mackenzie, who co-owns and runs the shop with his wife Mary Rose. Ian’s parents, Colin and Thelma Mackenzie, founded the store in 1984. Mackenzies offers more than 200 items, from truffles and caramels to English toffee to an awe-inspiring range of molded chocolates like animal shapes and heart-shaped boxes.

This place is very close to our bungalow. It's not my fav chocolatier, but I used to shop there for my mom, who adored the fun shapes, which is their specialty. They make a chocolate box for more chocolates, so when you're done, you eat the box. Lots of molds from guitars, to motorcycles, to slugs. Their chocolate is basic tho - not that high a cacao count. I don't shop there anymore because my mom is convinced chocolate gives her the runs because it happened once and now I can't give her chocolates, which she so loved.