Flowing Through Connections understands the constraints and needs of small businesses when it comes to telecommunications and IT. They are able to provide for the entire infrastructure of a business – from telephone systems to internet service to surveillance cameras to program installation. Garcia takes pride in the company’s attention to detail. “My dad always told me, ‘do the best you can because your work is your signature.’” Flowing Through Connections’ professional products and services are driven by a desire to create lasting relationships with their clients.  “Connections aren’t always physical,” notes Garcia.  “We create connections in a physical sense, with network and telephone cable installations, but we also create connections with our clients.  Thus our name: Flowing Through Connections.”

Flowing Through Connections joined the Albany Park Chamber of Commerce after serving our telecommunications and IT needs during our move from Kedzie to our current location at Lawrence and Kimball. “Everyone at the Chamber is very personable and enthusiastic.  Other Chambers I have worked with do not get to know their members on such a personal level.”  Garcia recently attended the Bon Appétit Restaurant Crawl with his family and friends.  “We value the Chamber not only for what it offers our business, but for what it offers our community.”  

Laura Case was not always a chocolatier. “I was in TV news for 20 years. I loved it, but I needed a change.” In an effort to push herself creatively, Case enrolled in the French Pastry School in the Loop. It was there that she fell in love with creating chocolates. At first, Case worked out of her kitchen making wedding cakes and gifts for friends. Her concoctions proved so popular that she soon decided to “take the plunge” and share her talents with the world.

She opened Beijo de Chocolat in 2009. “People told us we were crazy, opening at the height of the recession, but it turns out that chocolate is one of those things that people are still spending money on. Chocolate is a little reward that makes us feel better during tough times.” 

The name, Beijo de Chocolat, or “Kiss of Chocolate,” is half French and half Portuguese. “We chose it because I’m a French pastry chef and our signature chocolate is our own take on the Brazilian Brigadeiro.” Case loves the creativity that comes with owning her own business. “The endless possibilities keep it interesting,” she explains. The decision to “start a new adventure” and open in North Park was not a hard one.  “We didn’t want to compete with anyone in the community. We are 100% unique – there’s nothing like us around for miles.”

Today, Beijo, as it is affectionately known by the community, offers coffee, pastries, and of course, handmade chocolates.  “We don’t offer lunchy things – even though we could make great sandwiches – because that’s not who we are. We want to maintain our identity.” Thanks to Case’s commitment to her craft, the little shop soon earned a big reputation. “Everything you see is handmade,” she gestures toward the display case. “For the last two years – and we’ve only been open three – we have been named one of the best chocolate shops in the country.” 

Beijo de Chocolat has been featured on several local stations including WGN, FOX, and CBS. “We are a small business with basically no marketing budget. The Chamber helps us get the word out.” Beijo has participated in the Chamber’s Bon Appétit Restaurant Crawl three years running. “The Chamber is a valuable contact and support for us. We love the neighborhood and we love the Chamber. We hope that we are a feather in the cap of North Park.”