Ben & Bill's Chocolate Emporium
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food and beverage |
| Founded | 1956 |
| Founder | Paul Trahan, Mary Trahan |
| Headquarters | Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts , United States |
Area served | New England, Florida (seasonal) |
Key people | Ben Coggins, William Coggins |
| Products | Ice cream, chocolates, confections |
Ben & Bill's Chocolate Emporium is a chain of ice cream parlors and confectioner shops rooted in New England, originally established in 1956 under the name Trahan's Candies by Paul and Mary Trahan. The first outlet operated within Ben Franklin's Store located in Vineyard Haven on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. Two years following this, the Trahans launched a standalone retail location in Oak Bluffs. Their seasonal expansion included several Massachusetts towns such as Falmouth and Hyannis, along with winter venues in Palm Beach and West Palm Beach, each facility producing its own assortment of chocolates and confections.
Over the years, additional branches have opened and subsequently closed. The Main Street outlet in Bar Harbor, which began operations in 1980, continues to serve customers. After divesting the Oak Bluffs store in 2004, the company moved its headquarters to that location.
The introduction of ice cream occurred in 1983 at the Bar Harbor site, initially offering sixteen flavors. This selection grew to include 64 hard-serve varieties—highlighted by a unique lobster flavor launched in 1988—and twelve types of gelato. Vegan ice cream options are also available at Bar Harbor. The lobster flavor, originally conceived as a novelty, incorporates chopped lobster meat blended into vanilla ice cream.
In 1988, after 32 years under the Trahan family’s stewardship, ownership passed to nephews Ben and William Coggins, who rebranded the enterprise as Ben & Bill's Chocolate Emporium.
A store was opened in Northampton, Massachusetts in 1991 but ceased operations in 2017. The Oak Bluffs location resumed business three years after the Northampton launch.
With nearly 90% of its income derived from visitors outside the state, the Bar Harbor shop encountered significant difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sales dropped to 43% compared to the prior year, prompting a GoFundMe campaign to help maintain business continuity.
Current locations
Appearances in popular culture
The Bar Harbor location is featured in John Connolly's The Killing Kind (2001), part of the Charlie Parker series, as well as Jennifer Richard Jacobson's Small as an Elephant (2011).