New Chocolate and Candy Shop Opens in Beverly

Freshly made chocolate creations fill the shelves of a new sweet shop where a Beverly couple hopes to build a thriving business. 

Katie and Pat Murphy opened Sweet Freaks, 9915 S. Walden Parkway, last week and a steady flow of customers and candy gazers have been filtering into the shop in the days since. 

"We opened really fast and everything has just fallen into our laps," said Katie Murphy. 

It only took about 30 days to open the shop which grew from a successful catering and candy-making business. Pat Murphy is a trained chef who does catering and has been the head chef at large music events.

Locally, their products began to gain a following after handling the chocolates for a Sutherland Elementary School fundraiser at the Beverly Arts Center several years ago. They also began selling their products at their now next-door neighbors Blossom Boys.

The neighborhood spirit has been alive and well in the shop where new customers have become fast friends. One woman dropped off glass candy containers she had at home because she thought they would look nice in the new store. 

Signature items include Jakes, their version of a turtle, and a variety of chocolate dipped treats like cherry bites, which pair perfectly with a glass of red wine. The Murphys use high-quality dark, milk or white chocolate in their creations.

The shop also stocks classic candies that might transport you back to your childhood. On Fridays and Saturdays they offer chocolate covered strawberries and caramel apples on a first-come basis. 

Their large, and I mean large, assortment of molds allows them to create chocolate treats for special occasions like graduations, first communions and weddings. 

The Murphys are currently working on plans to add a kitchen that would allow them to make chocolates on site and give them the ability to create special platters while customers wait. 

Sweet Freaks is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They will also be open on Mother's Day. They can be reached at (773) 610-6320 or at sweetfreaks.org.