Reader “MSPD” informed me of a gourmet treat shop opening its doors in Burnsville (near the original Giuseppe’s and Blue Max) named Droolin’ Moose which has a sister location in Bloomington. Originally begun as a screen printing and embroidery shop, Droolin’ Moose morphed from corporate logos and gifting into two retail shops selling chocolate covered nuts, pretzels, etc.
After perusing their chocolates menu and considering their prices when compared to Abdallah Candies just a few miles down the road, one has to wonder how many people will be rushing out to Droolin’ Moose to buy $13 malted milk balls or $10 for 10oz of chocolate covered pretzels. Knowing people can melt a couple of handfuls of Dove chocolates and dip in a couple more handfuls of pretzels, is the price of convenience really worth $1 an ounce for these?
Is Droolin’ Moose something you plan on hitting up after seeing the prices and items listed? Where do you usually get your chocolate fix locally? Do you find it a bit ridiculous to charge $10 for 10oz of chocolate covered pretzels? Do you think this will be a successful location for them? Whatever you have to say go ahead and comment on as I’d love to hear what you have to say.
Address:
Droolin’ Moose
14600 10th Ave S
Burnsville, MN 55420
Phone:
952-451-9634
Dakota Complaints Map
Dakota Inmate Dashboard
Loading ...
November 7th, 2012 at 9:33 am
When I was 12, I can remember sitting outside somewhere staring at the blue sky and working on some piece of candy, maybe a Lick-Em-Aid and thinking I can’t wait until I grow up and can buy all the candy I would ever need.
So why when I was around 20 or so did my body decide to be completely ambivalent about candy and chocolates? Life is cruel. I guess once you have it, you no longer want it.
November 7th, 2012 at 11:15 am
While I don’t really think I would ever go buy candy from a place like this, I do find it curious that a retail location would close it’s doors for the day at 5 PM on weekdays (except for Thursday when it closes at 7).
Maybe a lot of people do their retail spending when most everyone is at work during the day that I don’t know about. I could see it if it was in a downtown skyway, but Bloomington? Maybe I am missing something.
November 7th, 2012 at 11:59 am
I live within walking distance of the new place in Burnsville and since they are open during the week when I’m at work and only for 4 hours on a Saturday it is pretty unlikely that I will even swing by to check them out.
November 7th, 2012 at 12:28 pm
Just FYI – They do not make any of their own chocolate or candy. They buy it all in bulk from other companies, and repackage it into their own containers and labels. I’m not saying it isn’t great stuff. Just that they don’t make it.
November 7th, 2012 at 12:29 pm
JG,
Unreal.
November 7th, 2012 at 1:03 pm
It’s impossible to tell if it is a good place to shop without knowing about the quality and ingredients.
November 7th, 2012 at 1:41 pm
Tried almost all of the varieties at a recent event (Maiden MN) and thought they were pretty good. Not something I’d buy for regular treats, but for a gift, sure. Personally, the malted milk balls had too much chocolate and not enough malted milk center.
Lefty – I agree on the weird hours; always thought the same about Penzey’s.
November 7th, 2012 at 3:54 pm
My wife apparently has had their stuff from the Bloomington shop and liked it. However, we live a little closer to Abdallah and I like supporting a local business that’s producing it right there over someone reselling it. Besides, the “imperfect” stuff at Abdallah is where it’s at! I might give this place a try and I hope they’re able to stick around. I just don’t imagine the demand for chocolate shops in Burnsville is high enough for 2, especially given their location. For their sake, I certainly hope I’m wrong.
November 7th, 2012 at 5:08 pm
Putting “drool” in the name of your business or product is a great way to have me avoid it. Gross.
November 7th, 2012 at 6:48 pm
I concur Tim. I have an image in my head of the moose at the MN zoo standing in nasty green algae laden water. Yuck.
Anything called a “retail shoppe” is enough to make me stay away too.
November 8th, 2012 at 12:10 pm
Tim, you apparently haven’t had Moose Drool from Big Sky Brewing Company in Missoula, Montana. If you like brown ales, it’s a pretty good one.
November 8th, 2012 at 9:57 pm
And I’m not going to, with a name like that. The idea of drinking moose saliva (and brown, no less) is not my thing.
November 16th, 2012 at 4:49 pm
I have purchased many cups of candy from Droolin Moose over the past year. Every time I bring it in for a get together or gift, people rave about the candy. The women who own the store were born and raised in Bloomington and have started their business n Bloomington and I like to support good local businesses. Yes, the name is a little odd but it’s all in good fun. And If you haven’t been in to try the candy, don’t knock it. It’s premium candy that you don’t find anywhere else. The store does alot of fundraising and gives back 30 percent! How many of you have done fundraising and gotten back 30 percent for your efforts? Not many of you , I’m sure. The store must have a great product for these women to be able to open a second store within a year of their first one. Whether you’re in Bloomington or Burnsville, stop in and try some candy. You’ll be hooked. Good people. Support your local business…their good people.
November 18th, 2012 at 9:56 am
Hmm, Sandi D. seems to know just a bit too much, just saying.
November 18th, 2012 at 11:31 pm
Lefty, don’t you routinely ask the owners of a business where they were born and raised? Sheesh.
November 19th, 2012 at 10:05 am
Jeez, most of you sound like crotchety old crabs that complain about anything?
A new business starts up in Burnsville, bringing money into the local economy and many of you never been there or tried their stuff and you want to hurl negative comments? What gives?
I’m assuming you all are must be small business experts? You must all be successful at growing businesses and stimulating the local economy?
Thanks for the motivation, I’m gonna go check this place out in spite of all you’re negative comments and stimulate the local economy, and wish this and all small businesses well!
Support our local economy. Get out from behind your damn keyboards, and do something positive for the economy!
November 19th, 2012 at 11:06 am
Heynurse,
Us crotchety old crabs get out a lot. We have a finite amount of expendable resources and this is one place we go to make sure we are doing our due diligence before we waste our money. Whether we spend our money at a place that packages up food that someone else makes (possibly even money leaving our local economy, mind you), or at a restaurant that is owned by a guy from Apple Valley, the money is going to be spent.
You don’t really seem to get this because it seems likely that you and Sandi D. are little more than a couple of shills for the Droolin’ Moose (I had to scroll to the top of the page to write that since I’d already forgotten the name of the place).
Why don’t you tell us a bit more about yourselves before we all just assume that both of you are the “women who own the store were born and raised in Bloomington”.
November 19th, 2012 at 11:28 am
Heynurse and Sandi D,
We have no issue with local businesses (that’s kind of ridiculous to say since if you’d read anything on this site before, you’d know that most of us get criticized for being partial to local restaurants over chains, for example). We have a problem with terrible businesses, whether local or not, and we get criticism for that too (the answer to the question, “Why would you tear down a local business?!?” is, “Because local or not, their product sucks.”).
But neither of those things is really the point here. The point is that more than anything, we expect commenters to represent their relationships with any business they support, regardless of whether that business is local or not. Again, if you’d read anything on this site before, you’d know that most new businesses have supporters (or even owners) who come here telling us all how great it is without ever identifying who they are. While the businesses they support may be great, their review isn’t neutral, and we suspect yours aren’t either.
Most people with no previous relationship to a business won’t take the time to dig up a blog post about that business, read through the comments, and type out a lengthy response defending that business. If you’re the exception to that rule, that’s great, but it’s pretty safe to assume you two probably have a relationship with Droolin Moose’s owners that you haven’t disclosed based on your comments.
November 19th, 2012 at 12:14 pm
Heynurse, thank you for adding absolutely nothing constructive to the conversation.
By the way, have you ever heard of Abdallah Candies? You know, that business that’s been around for more than 100 years, 45 of which have been based in Burnsville? The one that’s owned and operated by 4th generation locals that, on any given day, will be in the plant making stuff? (Yes, novel concept that they actually use ingredients to MAKE THEIR PRODUCT).
How does this compare? Please, enlighten us.
Oh, one other thing: Many of us ARE “small business experts”. One Burnsville small business that grosses hundreds of thousands of dollars each year (nearly all of which is re-spent in the community including $50,000 annually at a Burnsville print vendor) was started from scratch with zero debt and continues to operate in my very own home just up the street from Droolin’ Moose. I feel perfectly qualified to speak to how a small business should be run, especially as it pertains to marketing ethics (i.e. insiders/friends/vendors/acquaintances/family of owners not pretending to be objective reviewers online)
November 19th, 2012 at 9:42 pm
Not that I need to justify who I am, I’ll bite and fill you in since you all think you have everything figured out. Bill Roehl ran a story on a “Vote Yes Lakeville” thing I was volunteering for a few years ago. I’m a total lurker and have not commented, so I can see why my comments didn’t get a warm welcome ;)
I actually am a long time (11+ years) Lakeville resident, who recently moved to the west side of town, I occasionally browse this blog to see what’s going on back south of the river. I browse Bill’s website occasionally, liked it on facebook, I happened to come across this story and felt obliged to comment. I’m a long time webguy and can appreciate what Bill does here.
Of course, I’m familiar with Abdallah, been there many times, love their chocolate, I stop by their often when I’m in the area. I’m not sure why you are asking me to compare companies? I’m just irritated that many of you would be so negative.
Since we are throwing around numbers, I am a very successful business owner myself with 7 figure revenues. I remember all the neigh sayers when I started my business, and it ticked me off back then, and it still ticks me off when I hear negativity of any business who is trying to make something of themselves.
All the negativity just struck me as absurd in a wolf pack, bullying kind of way, and ticked me off so I wasted my time to post a response. Now I feel I am wasting more of my time responding for the last time, because you think you are telepathic and all newbies must have an agenda if they differ from you. IMHO, Not a welcoming atmosphere to stimulate growth of a blog following, that’s for sure.
Obviously, many of you are regular posters with large post count with street cred with this blog, kudos to you. I bow to you and your omnipotent powers. I’m done wasting time talking about this. Think what you want.
To all small businesses, don’t let any negative drivel from others affect your passion for growing your business! Nobody knows your business better than you!
FYI: I don’t plan on responding anymore, so don’t expect any further replies from me :)
Peace out. Good Luck with the blog Bill!
November 19th, 2012 at 11:28 pm
Another friend-of-owner with a drive-by bashing. Yawn.
Can someone without an agenda PLEASE say something constructive about this business?
Or even someone WITH an interest speak up (with disclosure) and tell us why we should come spend our money here instead of the competing local business down County 42? (Or the great local chocolates offered at Byerly’s, etc.)
All I’m hearing is a couple of nice women putting fancy packaging on products made by someone else. I’d love to know if this is accurate and if it’s worth it.
November 19th, 2012 at 11:32 pm
I assumed Heynurse was a guy given his use of the term “webguy.”
Actually, I only knew that because of my omnipotent powers bestowed upon me by my large post count and the street cred that has followed it. Yay me!
November 19th, 2012 at 11:37 pm
BTW…one other point for anyone thinking there’s a lack of care for local businesses. Note who it is that tipped Bill to this place and put it on this community’s radar.
November 20th, 2012 at 8:21 am
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
November 20th, 2012 at 6:19 pm
lefty, just love to watch you trip over your d**k when someone “new” contributes to this blog.
November 23rd, 2012 at 11:26 am
I had not heard of Droolin Moose until last Saturday when a friend of mine gave me a gift of peanut brickle. It was the best I have ever had. No idea what it cost but wanted to order more. That’s how I ended up in this blog, I was trying to find out how to order on line as I do not live near the stores. Probably would not drive to Burnsville for it but it is pretty darn good.
March 18th, 2013 at 12:32 pm
No, I did not have a previous relationship with the owners. Just got to taliking and found out we were both raised in Bloomington.
I like the product and will say so. You don’t have to try it if you don’t want to…
crabby!
March 19th, 2013 at 9:20 am
Sandi D.
So being raised in the same city as the owner of an establishment makes it worth going to?
Good thing you are not from St. Cloud, or Tom Petters would have stolen all of your money. Who would be the crabby pants then?
lefty