Godiva In Manhattan Beach Calls It Quits Thanks To Pandemic

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — The Godiva store in the Manhattan Village shopping center will close its doors after Valentine's Day, February 14, according to a Patch media report. The chocolatier will close all of its 128 retail outlets.

The international chocolatier announced the move Sunday less than two years after initiating a major push to open 2,000 cafes worldwide, Business Insider reported. However, the pandemic stymied those plans as customers shifted their dining habits to take-out and online shopping.

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 through Valentine's Day, the company said.

The Los Angeles locations slated for closure after Valentine's Day include:

• Cerritos: The Los Cerritos Center
• Torrance: The Del Amo Fashion Center
• Manhattan Beach: Manhattan Village
• Canoga Park: Westfield Topanga & The Village
• Glendale: Glendale Galleria
• Arcadia: Westfield Santa Anita

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.

Patch staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.