Chocolate Soup Lady: Woman’s dream is now Mariposa landmark
Mariposa– Upon entering a home, when a visitor sees an attractive table setting, the thought isn’t as much, “What a lovely plate,” but “What a beautiful woman.” And whenever you enter a certain gift shop in Mariposa, the same feeling pervades.
This is a story about such a woman. Yet, more than that, it’s a story about a woman and a community who have forged a relationship over the years, causing all involved to become richer for the experience.
Elaine Seymour will tell you she’s no businesswoman. She’s merely a person who had a dream and loved a house. And when the Matlock family was ready to sell, they called Elaine. It was a charming red-and-white, two-story house surrounded by tall trees and lush grounds that she quickly turned into a gift shop called Chocolate Soup.
That was 15 years ago. Since then this charming store has become an integral part of Mariposa life.
“I’ve lived in many places in my lifetime,” said Seymour. “My father brought me to these mountains for the first time, and I fell in a creek. It was then I decided, someday I would live here.”
Seymour and her family moved to the mountains over 30 years ago, and folks around town will say they’re the most giving family they know. Seymour was in real estate, working with her daughter, Gerry, when Gerry got sick.
After several months, her daughter died. The memorial service was held at the high school, and when Seymour and her husband drove into the parking lot, it was full of cars. She figured there must be a game going on. They had no idea those cars belonged to the hundreds of people who came to support the family in their time of grief.
She didn’t want to continue in real estate, so she used her creative talent to decorate a room at a local gift shop, the Jail House. Eventually, she filled a room in another shop. And then the Matlocks approached her with their offer. She’s still in awe.
“I don’t ever want to take anything for granted,” she continued. “I say to myself, ‘I really live here, and this shop is really mine.'”
