The Royal Chocolate received a sweet treat by being named Retail Alliance's Retailer of the Year 2010.

"It was totally amazing," said Brenda Tusing, co-owner of the Virginia Beach store. "We were just shocked because this was the first year we were eligible and there were so many good retailers out there. We were really taken aback, flattered and touched."

Retail Alliance chose winners based on their ability to be a "healthy, viable operation" and a business that could "demonstrate an understanding of retailing and its eccentricities."

The business, which opened in 2006, is also co-owned by Terry Restin. The duo has spearheaded the chocolate shop into a successful business on the Southside.

Four years ago, Tusing and Restin were looking for a new career opportunity when they found a chocolate shop that was going out of business.

"The business for sale was a franchise," Tusing said. "We didn't want to do a franchise because we wanted the ability to create our own environment. There were things creatively that we would have liked to do in a business that you couldn't do as a franchise."

The chocolate shop offers treats to satisfy every indulgence along with individualized gift baskets.

The shelves are lined with a variety of chocolates, chocolate strawberries, chocolate-covered pretzels and the shop's signature gourmet apples, which include the apple pie apple, a caramel apple rolled in brown sugar and cinnamon, covered in Belgian-white chocolate, then drizzled with more cinnamon and brown sugar.

"Our biggest sellers are the gourmet apples and a line of royal chocolates made here," Tusing said. "We also have a number of items for you to build a gift basket. We always find the best in chocolate. We don't carry something we or our staff doesn't enjoy."

Building the brand and getting the word out has been task No. 1. The owners learned early that opening a store doesn't guarantee a mad rush of customers.

Royal Chocolate participates in community events including Sweet Memories with the Alzheimer's Association and Tour de Cuisine of Norfolk for the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters. They have a booth at Old Virginia Beach Farmer's Market at Croc's.

"We go out of the store to events to increase awareness of where we are," Tusing said. "We do corporate business events and gifting for them. We also do wholesaling to increase our visibility and drive traffic to our store."

Not relying heavily on advertising to promote their company, the owners enjoy the face-to-face interaction with potential customers.

"We can go to events and talk to people and let them know all of the things we do at the store like fondue parties or chocolate tastings," Tusing said. "It gives us a better opportunity to share this with people when we're out. I think our marketing style is a little different than most."

As the economy continues to be an obstacle for all businesses, Royal Chocolate has fought the battle by setting reasonable pricing for their products and hosting different events.

"We have educated people that we have a price point that will work for any budget," Tusing said. "We have geared up our chocolate- tasting events and promoted them more. We do an e-mail blast to more than 4,500 people.

"It's all about finding ways to get the message to our customers and potential customers that we are here and that we can help them," she said.

The best part of their job is tasting chocolate, going to candy expos and discovering new combinations of chocolates, which include spicy, salty and balsamic vinegar flavors.

"The possibilities of flavor combinations are unique," Tusing said. "We are always getting new chocolates in from vendors who come to us with new combinations."

Working in the chocolate business has been a wonderful experience for the owners.

"I can't explain how great it is when people come in our door," Tusing said. "Even when they have a frown on their face, when they smell the chocolate they smile."

And the temptation overwhelms the owners as well.

"Terry and I eat chocolate every day," Tusing said, laughing. "We said we weren't going to eat chocolate each day but that's a lie." nib