For the unusual human being who likes
chocolate (just kidding!), La Bonbonnière is
home base. Since opening in 2005, BeBette
Smith’s devoted following has grown steadily.
She has been located in the same center at
231 Furys Ferry Road, but has moved twice to accommodate space needs. Draw
your own conclusions from that fact.
BeBette was a school teacher in Richmond County for 20 years, but noticed that
the Augusta area didn’t have a legitimate chocolatier. Thus La Bonbonnière was
conceived. BeBette explained to us that a chocolatier doesn’t make chocolate, but
instead transforms it into chocolate delicacies. And, boy, does she transform it! She
imports chocolate from Belgium (in 22-pound bags), and when she is through, her
cases are arrayed with chocolate ganaches, caramel-filled chocolates, dark or light
chocolate, seasonal treats. The list goes on and on. You’re picking up on the central
theme here, right? Chocolate! “My shop is a destination store. My customers come
because they know La Bonbonnière is the place in Augusta for fine chocolates.
I attribute their discernment to travel—people who are travelers naturally are looking
for tastes of the places they’ve
visited when they return home.”
