A Sandy-damaged chocolate factory in Rockaway Beach had a brief reopening after the storm, but is now up for sale.
Madelaine Chocolate, a family-owned business since 1967, was one of the largest employers on Rockaway Beach. The bright, foil-wrapped chocolates were produced in 100,000 pound volumes a day before the storm.
DNAinfo reported a CBRE listing for a 5.43 acre site with four buildings totaling over 200,000 square feet, which includes the factory.
The lot for sale is zoned for commercial use, though the listing says it is suited for redevelopment for multifamily, retail, or mixed-use.
The factory had once employed over 400 people at 96-03 Beach Channel Drive, but was badly damaged after the hurricane in 2012. Every piece of equipment had been affected, with damages of millions of dollars.
CEO Jorge Faber had previously said they lost $8 million in inventory alone and $50 million in business from the hiatus and repairs.
Last July, the company began producing chocolate again. It had received a small business loan and a $250,000 grant from National Grid. Governor Andrew Cuomo later announced $6 million in tax credits for the factory.
In October, the company had a reopening celebration, and Faber had been determined to reemploy all the workers. After reopening, the factory had only been able to bring back 125 employees.
Madelaine Chocolate said in a statement they could consider moving to another location.
Friends Read Free