We recently hosted our Appreciation Event, and when we put together our food, drinks, and raffle prizes, we made it a mission to support our downtown businesses. Dare I say the food spread and gift baskets were second to none! One of the best feelings when it comes to picking out gifts, or in our case prizes, is how personal it feels. Going in a shop, talking with the owner or team member working there, and coming up with a gameplan together on how to create a perfectly tailored gift. And the literal bow that ties everything together is how some shops, namely Elena Renee, Foxglove Hollow, and Spruce and Sparrow, can put together beautiful, personalized baskets or boxes at any budget, ready to be delivered or shipped. Each shop also has unique fall and winter décor, gifts, and styles worth exploring in person as you plan ahead.
As someone who has been on the receiving end of corporate gifts over the years, both personally and through my businesses, I always love and appreciate the sentiment behind them. But gift giving season can easily become a “check the box” type of activity. Too often, it’s the same fruit basket, popcorn tin, box of chocolates, or even the infamous vacuum-sealed meat tray.
Every once in a while, though, a gift stands out. In a couple decades of receiving corporate gifts, only a handful have been thoughtfully curated, locally sourced, and truly memorable. Those were the ones that blew me away because they reflected real thought, care, and connection.
Now is the perfect time here in September to start planning so you’re not scrambling in November or December. And the good news is that Downtown Marion has everything you need to elevate your gift giving this year.
There are even more creative options downtown. LuLu’s Toy Co. regularly curates and ships gifts across the U.S. to kids and grandkids, making it easy to send a little joy to the younger ones in your life. Treat kids, friends, or your partner to an activity like painting pottery at Mimi’s Art Hollow. Or give them a thoughtful, hand painted gift from the heart. Adding a bottle of wine from Blend of Seven Winery can give a gift basket a refined touch. Clothing items from Maddie’s on Main or Finding Center, personalized items from Belenos Creations, specialty candies from YummY Treats Candy & More, or even pet gifts from Pitter Patter Paws can all add extra layers of personality and delight. The list truly could go on.
This season, let’s break out of the rut. Instead of defaulting to the same old corporate (or personal) gifts, take advantage of the creativity and quality right here in our downtown. You will not only impress your clients, employees, and partners, you will also be supporting the local businesses that make Marion
unique.
A space for a few hours of your workday, or a space for your entire workday, it’s all right here at Connect Coworx. Meeting Room Rentals, Office Space, Coworking Memberships, and more are right in your downtown. With perks like coffee, snacks, sparkling or still water, energizing workspaces, whiteboards, TV, and high-speed internet, there’s no better place to be productive.
Our meeting room rentals are perfect for quarterly meetings, team events, presentations, real estate signings, and celebrations. Our memberships are perfect for all the moments in between, quiet productive mornings to brainstorming sessions with members in the afternoon. Schedule a tour today!
There is something I keep coming back to when I shop downtown for a gift. The thing in the box is only half of it. The other half is where your dollars land, in the hands of a neighbor who took a risk, opened their doors, and turned an idea into a storefront. A fruit basket from a warehouse cannot carry that. A basket from Elena Renee or a box from Foxglove Hollow can, because someone here chose every piece with your person in mind.
So this year, let your gift do two jobs at once. Delight the person opening it, and support the neighbors who are building something good downtown. Start now, while there is time to do it well, and let the people behind these counters help you get it right. A gift chosen here carries a little joy to the person you love and a little strength to the shop that made it. That is worth far more than a check in a box.
Better Together,
Luke Henry Col 3:23
