Deborah Ann's Sweet Shoppe

We’re often asked how two lawyers came to open a homemade chocolate and ice cream shop. Our story begins as young, idealistic law students at Yale, where we met and hoped to go on to make the world a better place. But after six years in the New York corporate world we knew we needed a change. Deborah, inspired by childhood memories of her mother making chocolates in the kitchen, suggested a homemade chocolate shop in Mike’s hometown of Ridgefield, Connecticut. Mike thought she was crazy. Until she took him to a small, homemade chocolate shop in Manhattan. The store was filled with the delicious aroma of chocolate and there were cases full of freshly made chocolates. Wide-eyed children came in with their families, excited to try those wonderful looking confections. This was a place that made people happy. Mike was convinced and so we put the same effort we’d put into learning the law into learning everything we could about chocolate and candy making, determined to make chocolates we would be proud of. Deborah Ann's opened in September 1998 and a few years later we started making our own premium ice cream. To this day, we’re still learning and experimenting, always with the goal of making the best chocolates and ice cream anywhere. When we met in law school, we wanted to make the world a better place. We still do. Only now, we try to do it everyday by bringing a little fun, joy, and deliciousness to our customers! - Deborah Ann Backes & Mike Grissmer