Beloved Beaufort shop, the Chocolate Tree, to close after 45 years

BEAUFORT, S.C. (WSAV) — Forrest Gump once said, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.”

Locals and tourists said their box now feels empty, as a popular Beaufort shop is set to close its doors after 45 years.

Like all good chocolate, folks are savoring their last moments at the Chocolate Tree in downtown Beaufort.

“It's very sad because it's kind of like a landmark here in Beaufort,” said one woman, who has been visiting the shop for 20 years.

It’s a business that is said to have started originally as a hobby but has now been serving up sweet snacks to locals and tourists for decades.

Some even said it served the iconic film character, Forrest Gump.

“The rumor was that he got his box of chocolates here, so we checked it out and we just loved it,” sai