• Courtesy Of Rosie's Confections
• Truffles from Rosie's Confections

It's been a whirlwind of a year for Rosie's Confections, which launched as a CBD edibles company in January 2020. When Emma Rose made her initial production run, she planned to sell her infused sweets at stores around Vermont. The pandemic changed those plans.

After a year of e-commerce and selling chocolates from a temperature-controlled display case at farmers markets, Rose, 22, will open a shop of her own in time for Valentine's Day, just off the Winooski circle at 7 West Canal Street.

With a background in baking, Rose started making CBD-infused chocolates when her father, Paul, was battling cancer. With Rosie's Confections, she aimed to fill a gap in the CBD edibles market for products handcrafted with high-quality ingredients. She added the chocolate line as she learned more about the industry.

Rosie's Confections, which Rose described as a "direct-trade marketplace," will be a retail outlet for the chocolatier's two product lines: the original CBD-infused edibles and handcrafted chocolates and candies, such as truffles, bonbons, caramels and pralines.

"It's a chocolate shop first," Rose said of her new shop. "I'm hoping to make my mark as a chocolate company that's really focusing on supporting ethical practices in that industry."

The market will eventually sell cheese, wine, meat and other local products from small businesses, focusing on transparency in sourcing and fair compensation for farmers, Rose added.

The shop will have a soft opening the weekend of Friday, February 12, through Sunday, February 14, selling chocolates and serving coffee, tea, hot chocolate and pastries for takeout. After Valentine's Day, it will be open on weekends until a grand opening at Easter.