The historical candy brand Hilliards Chocolates is gearing up to treat the residents of West Newton with the opening of its latest store. Per an announcement reported by The Newton Beacon, the endearing New England confectioner is setting up shop at 1 Chestnut St, taking over a site that once housed a Bank of America branch.
Hilliards, a name synonymous with quality handcrafted sweets, traces its beginnings to Perley and Jessie Hilliard in 1924, in south suburban Boston. Over subsequent years, their seven children, each involved in the family business, grew its presence to 14 stores, even touching West Hartford, CT. The store to debut in West Newton will be the fourth in its current configuration, joining the lineage of stores in North Easton, Norwell, and Mansfield—where the production happens out of a 2,300-square-foot candy kitchen as outlined by Hilliards' company page.
Beyond chocolates, Hilliards is known for their menu's breadth, featuring fruit-filled confections, truffles, and bark, not to mention their iconic caramel patties, a testament to the company's adherence to its roots. "Opening in Newton feels like coming home," Maegan McCarthy Dec, President and the founders' great-granddaughter, told The Newton Beacon. “This community was an important part of our company’s early growth, and we’re thrilled to bring back a piece of that history.”
The company's dedication to its craft is also evidenced by its history of innovation. Founded by a family that invented chocolate tempering machines and enrobers still in use today, the spirit of ingenuity is seen in the North Easton location – a Kitch-In-Vue store where candy making was performed for all to see. This new location will continue in that tradition; it is planned to feature a classic ice cream parlor, a perfect addition to its signature product lines that have satisfied customer cravings for decades. The Newton outlet is expected to receive its first guests come November 2025, aiming to replicate the success of its flagship and other stores.
As it stands, Judy’s and Charlie's daughters, Maegan and Erin, are the current torchbearers for the family enterprise. They maintain the core values of customer delight and an uncompromising dedication to 'confection perfection,' a lineage that started nearly a century ago. Hilliard’s continued success and expansion are living proof that good old-fashioned quality and familial passion in the chocolate business never go out of style.
