Api’s Chocolate shop in Lyster Square in Portlaoise has announced its closure.
The family-run business posted on Facebook that they were closing the shop but that they would be continuing to produce hand-made chocolates.
Api’s Chocolates is owned by Maria Lukacova who is originally from Slovakia and her husband Andre from Hungary. Their son Api, a 5th year student, has also helped out with the business.
The business started in 2010 in their home in Errill before they opened a shop in Portlaoise in 2014. They are part of the SuperValu Food Academy and produce about 12 different types of chocolate.
“Sorry for the inconvenience but we have closed the shop,” they said on their Facebook page.
“We want to thank all of our chocoholics and coffee lovers for all the support over the years we are forever grateful for all the wonderful people that walked past our doors.
“But don’t you guys worry because this is just the start of a new chapter in our chocolate escapade and we will still fuel your chocolates fixes in many other ways.
“Stay tuned to our Facebook to see what we are up to and where you can find us.”
The closure is one of a number of recent decisions by Portlaoise retailers to close. Graham’s Newsagent, just down from Api’s, remains unoccupied since its closure last year while Miller’s Hardware, Kearns and Cuddy Menswear and Seasons and Relish restaurant have also closed in the meantime.
At the recent AGM of the Downtown Portlaoise group, chairman Matthew Kennelly spoke of the very real struggles of businesses in the town and how the loss of that trading experience in the town centre was a huge blow.
“This level of shop closure is unsustainable,” he said. “And although we have had a few new shops opening – Hale, Kelly’s Steakhouse and the Bay Tree, to name a few – this goes nowhere close to replacing the quality of business and trading experience that has left”.
