The gift basket is an American classic: wrapped in cellophane, brimming with Easter-basket grass, packed with old standbys such as tins of flavored popcorn, hot chocolate, and waxed cheddar. It arrives in the office and is quickly dissembled, with the most popular items immediately consumed and the others left to languish in the break room for eternity.
While a gift basket is an ideal option to foist on business associates and hard-to-buy-for friends or neighbors, it can sometimes fall flat, seen as a phone-it-in gift. Celia Naranjo and Megan Kirby thought the gift basket was due for a makeover, one that made it more meaningful, sustainable, and local.
In other words, more Asheville. Asheville Goods, their locals-only gift box, is just that: a curated collection of Asheville artisan products, packed in a pretty, compostable box lined with wood shavings.
Naranjo and Kirby started the business in November 2012. The two had worked together as graphic designers at Lark Books, so they liked the idea of a product with strong visual appeal, and early research indicated that a locals-only gift basket would be met with enthusiasm.
There’s no shortage of artisan goods in town, says Naranjo, but keeping the boxes affordable was a challenge. Gift boxes are a very low-margin business to start with, and small producers aren’t able to offer hefty discounts. Traditional gift baskets tend to have a few good items surrounded by cheap filler. Asheville Goods was intent on making every inclusion “something that people actually wanted,” says Naranjo.
Adding a piece of original artwork to each box also proved tricky. Without knowing how many orders to expect, it was tough for the artists to produce enough (but not too many) pieces. Instead, Asheville Goods now includes a reproduction vintage Asheville postcard.
Their first box, called The Land of Sky, is full of local heavy hitters: Lusty Monk mustard, 12 Bones barbeque sauce, French Broad Chocolates, and more.
The pair later developed a Sweet On Carolina package containing dessert delights such as Dolci di Maria cookies, as well as the Blue Ridge Breakfast package, with Blue Hill Farm grits, West End Bakery biscuit mix, and Imladris jam. For visitors on the go looking for things that don’t need to be cooked, the Pisgah View Parkway Picnic box features Hickory Nut Gap Farm sopressata, Roots and Branches crackers, and more. With each box, there’s a “meet the maker” brochure so that buyers can contact the producer directly to order more if they like. In this way, says Naranjo, the box helps support local businesses beyond just the initial purchase.
Sure, you could just buy each product individually. But “the box makes it easier to get a variety of goods without spending the time,” says Naranjo. Now operating the business on her own, she says that Asheville Goods packages have met with success for a range of different gift givers.
Realtors love to give them to their new clients as a closing gift; vacation-rental owners provide them to guests. Companies give them out as holiday gifts. Asheville parents send them as care packages to kids away at college. Folks can create custom boxes, there are theme boxes available around holidays such as Mother’s Day, and brides or event planners can order packages for wedding-party members or guests.
“Everyone we talk to loves the idea,” says Naranjo. People like to take a little of Asheville with them when they leave.
Verve Magazine | It’s All Goods
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