If you’re a loyal Bailey & James customer, you’ll want in on the shop’s boxed services. The store has been sending sunshine through the mail with Cheer Box collections including floral items, candles and lip balm. There’s also an At Home Spa box to serve you well over the summer, with items such as conditioning treatments for hair and all things related to our time under the sun. If you’re craving florals, check out the popular wreath kits with a summer twist.
“The box kits are a great value,” said owner Amber Kneibel, who’s found success with Instagram story sales — which are also a fun way to engage with her customer base. “We build these collections and make them worthwhile because some people don’t have a lot of money to spend right now.”
HOUSECLEANING: While plans are pretty fluid, among considerations for when the store opens are shopping by appointment only and having customers call ahead from the parking lot, so extra disinfecting can occur before a shopper enters the building. There will probably be face masks for employees and customers, contactless payment, and plenty of distance among shoppers. Hand sanitizer will be on-hand as well. (No pun intended.)
At Cellar Door Preserves, expect to be cared for. Brighten social distancing with a curated Care Package box filled with specialty items that change monthly. “Everything in the box comes from small, independent makers from all over the Midwest,” said owner Zenobia Taylor-Weiss. Ninety percent of the items are from women-owned businesses. Each boxed collection has handpicked inspiration and contains items such as a jar of preserves, a tea towel, a candle, tea, lip balm and coffee, to name a few.
Taylor-Weiss takes joy in writing personal notes to go in the boxes and finds “people are showing love in ways that they are normally too busy for.”
Thinking outside the box, Parooz is ready to delight the world with its Happy Box selections. It’s simple to pick four or five items that will bring a smile to a loved one’s face — and yours as well, thanks to free shipping. One recent box featured a vase, a candle and a trinket tray. Whether it’s a birthday or baby gift, the boxes create excitement in an uncertain and overwhelming world. There’s even a graduation box to congratulate recent graduates.
“People want to be supportive of local shops right now and we’ve been pretty busy because of it,” said Brittany Koziol, who handles marketing and social media.
HOUSECLEANING: After looking at the state’s guidelines, Parooz staff will explore how many people are allowed inside at once and be wearing masks. Expect shorter hours, extra sanitizing and a dedicated spot out front for curbside pickup, for those who wish to do business that way.
