Hollywood may have Willie Wonka and his famed chocolate factory, but those who lived in Warrnambool and district during the second half of the 20th century have an even more magical place for the decadant delights of the cocoa bean.
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In 1954, local businessman Jens Flaherty and his son James decided to open a shop in Kepler Street.
But this was no ordinary shop.
This was to rapidly become a Warrnambool institution, possibly the most beloved shop the city had, and still has, ever seen.
You see, Flaherty's was about everything that was good.
There was chocolate, lots and lots and lots of chocolate.
And not just at Easter time, but all year.
That is not of course to discount the sheer brilliance of what the shop became at Easter.
It was like a superior being had been summoned and blessed the place that already had all the chocolate in the world with even more.
And as for Valentine's Day, nothing says love like heart-shaped chocolate.
And then there was Mother's Day, Father's Day, an argument circuit breaker - it was the place where all the expressions of love and the world's troubles could be solved by a chocolate from Flaherty's.
We recently ran a story of the great Warrnambool milkbars over the years.
We received correspondence asking us why Flaherty's was not on the list.
And it was perhaps a valid question, given Flaherty's did sell the milkbar staples such as bread, milk, lollies and ice-creams.
But the decision was made that Flaherty's needed to be a place sitting in its very own orbit.
The location chosen by Jens Flaherty should have made it clear from the very start that Flaherty's was something that would rise above the pack.
The location chosen was a stroke of genius, right next to the Capitol Cinema.
This was to provide a captive and excited audience, who would duck in for a pre, intermission or post film snack as part of going to see the latest blockbuster.
Flaherty's were smart enough to not only stock their normal chocolate goods, but also movie-goer favourites such as Fantales and Jaffas.
The success of Flaherty's can no doubt be attributed to the passion for the shop by the family.
Like all great business operators, the Flaherty family were always keeping ahead of the game and at the cutting edge.
In 1956, Flaherty's was the first in Warrnambool to install an espresso coffee machine.
Over two decades later, Flaherty's made headlines again when it was the first shop in Warrnambool to offer soft serve ice-cream.
Both these were game-changers of their time, making us feel like the exotic delights of European and big-city living had made it to Warrnambool.
As a child, I was fortunate enough to have my grandmother live next door to Flahertys.
Nanna would always have a paper bag of coins for us when we arrived for our Sunday visit, which we would quickly tuck under our arms and head next door.
The choices were endless, but among the favourite purchases were Rainbow Choc and Eskimo Pie ice-creams in the old foil wrapping.
Another popular buy were round, white peppermints, in a paper bag, the same our money came in.
The success of Flaherty's can in no small way be aimed straight at the family behind it.
The vision of founder Jens and his entrepreneurial spirit was faithfully continued by his son James (Jim) when the elder Flaherty handed over to his son in the mid 1960s.
James run the shop with his wife Margaret.
As well as running the shop, the couple raised nine children.
A highlight of the Flaherty's time in the shop was winning a national competition back in 1969.
At that time, Nestles was the most prestigious chocolate maker in the world.
The giant Swiss company decided to reward the excellence of those shops that stocked their products, hence the setting up of the Best Nestles Milkbar Display competition.
To the surprise of no one in Warrnambool, Flaherty's scooped the pool in 1969, winning the Western District, Victorian and Australian titles.
It was a just reward for the high standard set by Flaherty's, one that was to be maintained for decades to come.
James passed away in 1982, with the Flaherty children stepping up even more to work alongside their mother, until Margaret's retirement in 2000. Mrs Flaherty passed away in April last year, aged 90.
Other key staff members included Norm and Lyn Sheppard and Robert McLaren.
One of the children, Leo, took over the running of the business.
He also showed a progressive business nature, turning the flats next door into a Backpackers and starting an internet cafe in the shop.
The family sold the shop earlier this century and today the premise is still running as a business, Day Kitty Cafe.
