Jul. 27—Editor's note: This story has been updated to change a name misspelling.

EMPIRE — Despite the soaring temperatures outside, an Empire company enjoyed a cool opening on Saturday.

Grocer's Daughter Chocolate officially opened a new portion of its business on Saturday. The GCD Gelato and Sweets Shop made its debut at 11600 S. LaCore St. in a building directly adjacent to its chocolate shop in Empire.

Jody Hayden, who co-owns Grocer's Daughter Chocolate with her husband, DC, said a little less than 1,000 scoops of gelato were served both Saturday and Sunday out of the new shop.

"It exceeded our wildest imaginations," Jody Hayden said on Monday evening. "It shattered our sales records. We were excited to share our gelato with people, we just didn't know how excited people were to try it. We were busy with a line out the door all day every day."

One of the first people in line when the store opened on Saturday was Jennifer Stairs of Empire.

Stairs is gluten-free and tries to be dairy-free, so she tried chocolate sorbet.

"I was the happiest camper ever that day," Stairs said of her experience. "It was as good as any chocolate ice cream I've ever had. It was vegan on a gluten-free cone. I was like a little kid in a candy store. I also walked away with a chocolate chip cookie for later."

Stairs even went back on Sunday for blueberry sorbet, which she liked slightly better.

Gelato is similar to ice cream, but contains less cream and fat.

Served slightly warmer than ice cream, "resulting in a quicker melt and release of flavor," according to a release from Grocer's Daughter.

It also fits in well with Grocer's Daughter Chocolate, which opened in 2004. Jody and DC Hayden purchased the business from founder Mimi Wheeler in 2013.

"It's the perfect vehicle for expressing the nuanced flavors of our various chocolates, not to mention our region's bounty of fresh fruits and berries," according to a Grocer's Daughter release for the July 23 opening. "It's truly the perfect summer treat."

Jody Hayden said the new store will have 12 flavors of gelato on a rotating basis in addition to two single-origin chocolates and a mocha.

She said her Taylor Freezer rep, Dennis Dobrowa, said Grocer's Daughter is the only company in northern Michigan producing handmade gelato.

"A lot of people were coming in and saying, 'Finally a traditional European gelato,'" Jody Hayden said.

In addition the the house-made gelato, the shop offers up signature cookies and brownies plus shakes, floats and special drinks like affogatos, espresso poured over gelato.

The new store also boasts signature treats like wookies, a scoop of gelato served over a warm cookie, and a frozen cookie sandwich called a frookie. All of the dairy is sourced from The Farmer's Creamery in Mio.

Other ingredients come from locations "as locally as possible (and ethically), continuing with GDC's long standing chocolate sourcing practices," according to a release.

The building is also more than the new store.

In addition to the gelato shop on the main floor is a second kitchen, three bathrooms, an office and a multi-purpose space for storage and order fulfillment for the main business, located at 11590 S. LaCore St.

On the second floor are two one-bedroom apartments — the Milk and Dark Chocolate suites — for short-term rentals and housing for industry guests.

Jody Hayden said it will also be available free to employees, their family and friends.

The renovation of the new building was a 14-month project led by Maple City contractor Scott Lattimore, who previously worked with the Haydens.

Gardens will be installed by Laurel Voran, who currently oversees the grounds. Jody Hayden said the business expansion wouldn't have been possible without the "talented, dedicated and compassionate GDC staff of 27," according to the release.