Chelsea Pusc was just starting her first post-college job in Rhode Island when her company cut back during the recession of 2008. She lost her job and decided to return home to Minnesota.

“My brother had worked for several outfitters in northern Minnesota,” she said, “Grand Marais seemed like a good place to go. I definitely didn’t want an office job in the Cities.”

She started working for Voyager Canoe Outfitters and got to know people up the Gunflint Trail, including Sarah Hamilton at Trail Center Lodge. From Sarah, she learned that Gunflint Mercantile in downtown Grand Marais was for sale. 

Chelsea had always wanted to be a business owner. “Sarah introduced me to the owner, and before I knew it, it was mine,” she said. 

Gunflint Mercantile stocked an array of bulk candies, as well as dry soup and cookie mixes. But fudge was the main draw. Chelsea expanded the selection, adding new flavors like Almond Joy, a perennial favorite, and of course, truffles. 

“But it was maple bacon fudge that put us on the map,” she said. In the 2010s, Americans were fixated on bacon. It was almost a fashion statement, and shoppers could buy bacon clothing, bacon accessories, bacon jewelry, and even bacon toilet paper. 

When a friend who worked for Hormel offered samples of Chelsea’s fudge to executives at the company, they were enthusiastic. Hormel showcased the bacon-flavored treat on social media, and included it in a shipment sent to its Bacon Club Members. 

Business took off and has remained successful for over a decade. But now, Chelsea has closed Gunflint Mercantile and is looking forward to starting a new venture: The Chocolate Dog, which will offer “treats for you and your pup.” 

“It’s a reset after working seven days a week for the last 13 years,” she said. “I need to sustain my energy and enthusiasm.” The Chocolate Dog will be an online business, based out of Deer River, Minnesota, where Chelsea and her husband will move to be closer to their families.

She looks back on her years in Grand Marais with fondness. She is grateful for the support she received from the local business community and enjoyed connecting with customers. “I love making people smile. Chocolate always makes their day better,” she said. “I feel so lucky to be the one who supplied chocolate for Valentine’s Day, dessert for weddings, and treats for other special times.”

Chelsea, who has loved dogs since she was a little kid, insists that “dogs smile, too.” Beginning this spring she hopes to offer her canine customers a variety of dog delicacies, including bacon, peanut butter, and cheese treats. Their human companions will also smile as they choose from an array of chocolate treats. 

In addition to online sales, Chelsea eventually plans to sell her treats throughout the state at farmers markets and special events like Fisherman’s Picnic. She remembers fondly the weekend a few years back when she and her husband sold chocolates at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. “I still have the costume,” she said, smiling.

Find out more at TheChocolateDog.com

About Nancy Giguere