Godiva To Close All Santa Clara County Locations

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Chocolatier Godiva became the latest victim of the pandemic, announcing plans to close its 128 North American stores, including two locations in Santa Clara County.

The international chocolatier announced the move Sunday less than two years after initiating a major push to open 2000 cafes worldwide, Business Insider reported. However, the pandemic stymied those plans as customers shifted their dining habits to take-out and their shopping online.

Godiva will keep its brick-and-mortar locations open through Valentine's Day, the busiest time of the year for Godiva sales.

"Of course, this decision was difficult because of the care we have for our dedicated and hard-working chocolatiers who will be impacted," the company’s CEO Nurtac Afridi said in a written statement. "We have always been focused on what our consumers need and how they want to experience our brand, which is why we have made this decision."

Chocolate lovers will still be able to find their favorite Godiva treats online and at retail partners, the company announced.

The Bay Area locations slated for closure after Valentine's Day include:

• San Francisco’ Stonestown Galleria
• The San Francisco Center in San Francisco
• Santa Clara’s Westfield Valley Fair Mall
• Walnut Creek’s Broadway Plaza
• Livermore’s San Francisco Premium Outlets
• Palo Alto’ Stanford Shopping Center
• Pleasanton’ Stoneridge Mall

The company did not say how many employees will be impacted by the closures. The company plans to complete the closures by March, CNN reported.