In 1941 when he opened his newspaper store he added an area for chocolate. Late at night and into the morning, he experimented in his candy room. In his white apron, he stood over a giant copper kettle, rhythmically stirring batches of streaming caramel and fudge, testing new ingredients, forming chocolate shapes at his marble slab, inventing flavor combinations that no one had tasted. His hand-dipped chocolates quickly became legendary. Within a few hours, he could sell an entire batch, each loaded with Maurie's Fine Chocolates, butter, cream, caramel or freshly roasted nuts.