Due to the warm weather, all shipments are being suspended. In-store pickup is still available via the website.
We will resume shipping in the fall. Click Here to Continue Shopping
Meet Mark & Rachel
Our Story
“Founded in 1930, Aigner Chocolates is one of the oldest chocolate and confectionery shops in NYC. Owned by the same family for three generations, the Aigners have recently passed the recipes and traditions of chocolate making to the new owners, Mark Libertini and Rachel Kellner. Mark and Rachel plan on continuing the rich tradition of making Austrian style chocolate using the same antique equipment and techniques that has made Aigner a New York City institution. Mark and Rachel are honored to be a part of generations of tradition and hope to help create new traditions in the years to come.”
MARK: “After graduating culinary school I had a desire to open a chocolate shop. I wrote my first business plan back in the late 90s. I opened Little Cupcake Bakeshop in 2005 and had several businesses thereafter.”
RACHEL: “I met Mark several months after he opened a Spanish tapas restaurant in Bayridge, Brooklyn. At that time I was working as a social worker in an outpatient drug program and I had a desire to incorporate food and therapy.”
MARK: “Years later after Rachel and I moved to Queens I was driving down Metropolitan Avenue and saw a chocolate shop. I stopped by to pick up some chocolate for Rachel and found it closed with a for sale sign on the door. I met with the owners the same day and couldn’t wait to share the prospect with Rachel.”
RACHEL: “I came home from work after a very challenging day and Mark mentioned that he saw a chocolate shop for sale earlier in the day. At that point Mark owned two businesses and I had just been promoted at my job. Let’s just say I didn’t share Mark’s enthusiasm for buying another business.”
MARK: “After seeing Rachel’s reaction I realized my timing could have been a little better. I decided I’d revisit the discussion in a few days.”
RACHEL: “Mark and I weighed out the pros and cons of owning a chocolate shop and ultimately decided to buy the shop. In four weeks we redecorated, produced and packaged in time to open 10 days before Halloween of 2015. I left my job as a social worker to help Mark run the business full-time. Owning and running a chocolate shop with your spouse has its unique challenges. It is an enormous undertaking and every day is an adventure. I love working with my husband and best friend who happens to be a great business partner.”
MARK: “Aigner Chocolates is much different from the original vision I had for a chocolate business. Continuing a NYC tradition is a great honor and has been a tremendous opportunity for Rachel and me. The Aigners have treated us like family and have been instrumental to our success. We feel fortunate we are able to build on the foundation of their three generations of work.”
Quality & Passion with our chocolate !
Our Mission
We spread joy and hope to communities through the magic of our chocolate.
Our Vision
Sharing our passion for the art of chocolate to make the world a better place.
Our Core Values
At Aigner Chocolates, we hold ourselves to high standards and value the importance of community, teamwork, solution-focused thinking, dedication, and striving for greatness. We believe in working together to create exceptional products that delight our customers while staying dedicated to our craft and continuously improving our processes. Our values guide us in every decision we make, and we strive to build a community that fosters growth and success for all.
