From Sailing Trip to Chocolate Shop: How Tyler Cagwin Built Nostalgia Chocolates in Huntersville
What happens when a mortgage broker from Syracuse takes a sailing trip to Grenada and tastes real chocolate for the first time? For Tyler Cagwin, it sparked a complete life transformation that would eventually bring him to the Lake Norman area—and give Huntersville one of its most unique small businesses.
I recently sat down with Tyler, the founder of Nostalgia Chocolates, for an episode of the We Are Lake Norman podcast. What started as a conversation about chocolate quickly became a masterclass in entrepreneurship, reinvention, and the power of following your passion—even when it means starting over from scratch.
The Moment That Changed Everything
Tyler's chocolate journey began in the most unexpected way. "I always just assumed that cacao was like a skittle where it was just chemicals that were thrown together and ended up on the store shelf," Tyler admitted. "And I also just thought dark chocolate was gross because it's chalky and bitter."
But during a 10-day sailing trip from St. Lucia to Grenada, Tyler's tour guide took him to two cacao plantations on the island. At the first stop—the Grenada Chocolate Company—Tyler tried real, organic dark chocolate for the first time.
"I was like, whoa, this is incredible," Tyler recalled. "It was all dark chocolate. This is different. Totally."
That single taste opened Tyler's eyes to a world he never knew existed. A couple years later, while leading a yoga retreat in Costa Rica's remote Osa Peninsula, he had another transformative chocolate experience when a young couple came to the retreat center with locally-grown cacao chocolate bars.
"Somebody early on had told me that if you have an idea and it doesn't last in your brain as excitement beyond three weeks, it's probably not a very good idea," Tyler explained. "So I had so many bad ideas, but this one stuck with me."
From Mortgage Business to Chocolate Maker
At 37 years old, after working 15 years in his family's mortgage business in Syracuse, New York, Tyler decided to take the leap. He enrolled in a three-month bean-to-bar chocolate course through Ecole Chocolat, a chocolate school in Vancouver, British Columbia.
But the course had one major problem: "When the course ended, there was no lesson on making chocolate, roasting chocolate, tempering chocolate, all of the steps you need to actually do to put a chocolate bar into the world."
Tyler didn't give up. He reached out to John Nancy, who runs an online store called Chocolate Alchemy and is credited with helping many of today's top bean-to-bar chocolate makers get their start. John responded with a simple list of equipment and ingredients to get started.
"I just started doing it," Tyler said. "The first batch that I made was beans from Costa Rica and made the chocolate, went through the refining process, and then took it upstairs to do the tempering process... and that went perfect. I was like, oh, my goodness, this is so easy. Like, why isn't everybody doing this?"
Of course, it wasn't that easy. The second batch was a disaster. And the third. And the fourth.
The Education of a Chocolate Maker
Tyler's breakthrough came when he attended "Chocolate Summer Camp"—a weekend gathering organized by chocolate makers from Dandelion Chocolate in San Francisco and Fruition Chocolate in New York. There, he connected with Mackenzie Rivers, owner of Map Chocolate and founder of the chocolate school called The Next Batch.
"She was offering her first apprenticeship opportunity and she was, it still is, extremely well respected in our portion of the industry," Tyler said. "So I applied for the apprenticeship and she emailed me back and she said this sounds like a really good fit. So when can you come?"
Tyler flew to Eugene, Oregon for two weeks to work one-on-one with Mackenzie. "That changed everything because she helped me fix my tempering problems and we talked through roasting and all of the stuff that you needed."
When he returned to Syracuse, Tyler was ready. He moved his equipment out of his basement (you can't legally make chocolate for commercial sale in your home) and set up shop above a friend's taco restaurant in downtown Syracuse. Within three weeks, he had his tent, table, tablecloth, five bars, and packaging—and started going to farmers markets.
What Makes Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Different
For those unfamiliar with the term, "bean-to-bar" means Tyler roasts the cocoa beans himself and makes the chocolate bar from scratch. This is very different from most chocolate you'll find at grocery stores.
"The grocery store stuff—they're roasting, basically burning all of the flavor out of the cocoa bean," Tyler explained. "That's their purpose. They want it so that you buy a chocolate bar at Harris Teeter in Huntersville, and then you go to Australia and you buy the same chocolate bar at a place in Australia, they're going to taste exactly the same."
But Tyler's approach is the opposite. He works with seven to eight different origins of cocoa beans—from Madagascar to Tanzania to Costa Rica to India. Each origin has its own unique flavor profile, and Tyler roasts each one differently to highlight those natural characteristics.
"Madagascar tastes very different than India. And the Tanzania with the sweet cherry is very different than the rich, chocolatey notes of Costa Rica," Tyler said. "I really want to highlight the different flavor notes from country to country. I want you to taste the difference."
It's similar to wine or specialty coffee—the terroir matters. Climate conditions, soil composition, and growing elevation all impact the final flavor of the chocolate.
The Philosophy Behind Nostalgia Chocolates
But for Tyler, Nostalgia Chocolates isn't just about making great chocolate. It's about creating an experience—a moment of pause in our increasingly hectic world.
"In my brain, I just picture somebody buying one of my bars... I want them to buy it, they walk over to a park bench and they sit down on a nice warm day and they open it up and they just sit and chew it a little bit, let it melt on their tongue," Tyler said. "And then they dream about—they have these nostalgic visions of maybe a trip from childhood or a trip they want to take, or maybe the chocolate elicits a memory from their past. That's where the name nostalgia came from."
This philosophy extends to how Tyler runs his business. Making chocolate has taught him an important lesson: "You can't rush the chocolate."
"When I first started, I was trying to do like four or five different things all at once. And usually at least four of them ended up getting screwed up, maybe five," Tyler admitted. "So it was a practice for me to step back and say, you need to slow down."
Now, during the natural waiting periods in the chocolate-making process—like when chocolate needs to cool from 110 degrees to 95 degrees before tempering—Tyler uses those moments to breathe, clean, or play a word game on his phone. "I try to do something that is remotely meditative and not super triggering for my brain and try to use those moments just to get a breath."
Starting Over in Lake Norman
About two and a half years ago, Tyler made the move from Syracuse to North Carolina, eventually settling in the Huntersville area. While he loves the Lake Norman region, restarting his business here presented unexpected challenges.
"One of the things that somebody said to me when I reopened the business here that I never considered was it was like you're restarting the business essentially from scratch," Tyler reflected. "In Syracuse, my family had been there literally since before the Erie Canal. So I knew so many people and if I didn't know them, I knew the right people to call to find out who they were."
In Syracuse, Tyler had built strong relationships with breweries and restaurants, which became the largest part of his business. He roasts cocoa beans and cocoa nibs for breweries (including Lost Worlds Brewing, Town Brewing, and 760 in Huntersville), and makes specialty baking chocolate for restaurants with custom formulas based on their specific needs.
"Here it's been a totally different story. It's been more difficult than I thought trying to network my way in," Tyler said. "But I feel very, very lucky that the few people that I have connected with have become huge supporters of mine."
That networking aspect is crucial for small businesses in the Lake Norman area. As Tyler noted, "We're not out advertising on TV or Internet... we rely on a lot of word of mouth and people just happening on you."
More Than Just Chocolate Bars
While Nostalgia Chocolates is known for its single-origin dark chocolate bars (most at 70% cacao, with some 80% and 90% options), Tyler has expanded his offerings to include the treats he loved growing up—but made with his high-quality chocolate and organic ingredients.
He now makes:
Peppermint patties
Peanut butter cups (using peanuts from Bare Foods in Matthews, NC, which he roasts and grinds into peanut butter himself)
Nut clusters
Truffles (including a peppermint bark truffle for the holidays)
Peppermint bark
Candy cane milk chocolate
A maple milk chocolate bar (using maple sugar from friends who own a maple farm near Syracuse)
A cayenne pepper bar (using organic cayenne from a family farm in upstate New York)
"The milk powder is a grass-fed, A2 organic milk powder from a family farm out in California," Tyler explained. "And I pay a lot of money for it, but it's worth it because... the amount of this stuff that I eat, I want to make sure that I feel good about putting in my body so that other people do as well."
Tyler is even working on figuring out how to make nougat so he can create his own version of Snickers bars. "I'm a junk food guy," he laughed. "So what I... all of the ingredients that I add to the chocolate whenever possible, which is most of the time, I try to get organic."
Supporting Local Business in Huntersville
Nostalgia Chocolates is located in the Village of Huntersville, near the Gilead and Old Statesville intersection—close to Discovery Place and the heart of downtown Huntersville. Tyler welcomes visitors to come in for free samples and chocolate tastings.
"I have 25 bars basically out. And I think I have samples for all but one of them," Tyler said. "Please come in and try all the chocolates from around the world. Try the milk chocolate, the dark chocolate. I have a number of dairy-free milk and white chocolate options as well for people that have dairy sensitivity."
Tyler also offers custom label work for businesses looking for unique gifts for clients or employees. "I can come to your office or you come to my store and we can do a little chocolate tasting so you can figure out kind of what it is you want," he explained.
For the holidays, Nostalgia Chocolates has special seasonal offerings and makes perfect gifts for anyone who appreciates quality, handcrafted products made with care.
The Bigger Picture: Why Local Matters
Tyler's story resonates because it's about more than chocolate. It's about someone who had the courage to reinvent himself at 37, to leave a stable career and pursue something that brought him joy. It's about the value of slowing down in a world that constantly tells us to speed up.
"I think we get caught a lot in our lives just trying to do too much and go too fast," Tyler reflected. "And we drive as fast as we possibly can everywhere we go. And we don't stop at stop signs."
He shared advice from a podcast he once heard: "The one place you can start, just to calm your nervous system down is when you get to a stop sign. Stop. You know, like, do what you're supposed to. Take a breath and just literally stop your car and then move on."
It's this philosophy—this intentional approach to life and business—that makes Nostalgia Chocolates special. When customers come into the shop, Tyler notices the transformation.
"Probably 90% of the people walk in and they stop in the door and they're like, oh my goodness, it smells so great," Tyler said. "But it brings a smile to their face. So even if somebody comes in with a crabby kind of look on their face, for the most part, by the time they leave, they're at least calmed down enough that they're like, oh, I can get on with my day now."
Why We Need More Stories Like This
As someone who also reinvented myself—going from owning a gym to running a marketing agency and law firm—I deeply appreciate Tyler's journey. Too often, we think we're locked into the path we started on in our twenties. Tyler's story is proof that it's never too late to pursue something new.
"You got plenty of time to figure out what you truly love and want to do," I told Tyler during our conversation. And it's true. Tyler is now 45 and has been making chocolate for eight years. He's built something meaningful, something that brings joy to others, and something that allows him to live according to his values.
The Lake Norman area is fortunate to have entrepreneurs like Tyler who are committed to quality, community, and creating experiences that matter. In a world of Amazon Prime and instant gratification, there's something powerful about walking into a local shop, talking to the person who made the product, and supporting someone's dream.
Visit Nostalgia Chocolates in Huntersville
If you're in the Lake Norman area, I highly encourage you to visit Nostalgia Chocolates. Whether you're looking for a unique gift, want to try chocolate that actually tastes like the country it came from, or just need an excuse to slow down for a few minutes, Tyler's shop is worth the visit.
Nostalgia Chocolates
100 S Maxwell Ave Suite E, Huntersville, NC 28078
Website: www.nostalgiachocolates.com
And if you enjoyed this story, I invite you to listen to the full podcast episode where Tyler and I dive even deeper into his chocolate-making process, his favorite chocolate origins, and what it's really like to start a business from scratch in a new city.
Listen to the Full Episode
Hear the complete conversation with Tyler Cagwin on the We Are Lake Norman podcast, available on:
About We Are Lake Norman
We Are Lake Norman is a podcast dedicated to sharing the stories of interesting people, local celebrities, and small business owners in the Lake Norman area of North Carolina. Hosted by Ryan Webber, each episode explores the journeys, challenges, and successes of the people who make this community special.
Connect with Ryan Webber:
Website: www.webbermarketing.com
Instagram: @ryanwebbermarketing
Email: [email protected]
This podcast is produced by Webber Marketing, helping local businesses in Huntersville, Mooresville, Davidson, Cornelius, and the greater Lake Norman area tell their stories and connect with their communities.
