April 5, 2006

Baskets Unique 'Thinks Outside the Basket'

A simple napkin holder is transformed into a distinctive gift basket by Baskets Unique.

It happens to everyone. Despite the best of intentions, special occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries sneak up on us. Finding the perfect gift in a hurry can be stressful — and expensive. 

Last minute shoppers: worry no more. Baskets Unique, a local virtual store, can save customers time and provide a custom-made gift in the process. 

Baskets Unique offers custom and pre-made gift baskets for all occasions. And the end results are definitely not ordinary. Owners Stanya Doty and Sara Canterbury use everything from flower pots to backpacks to table top grills as gift baskets. 

The concept of Baskets Unique is simple. Customers can order one of the pre-made baskets, or they call or e-mail with their own specifications for a gift. "Our service is very similar to a florist," says Canterbury. "People call with a price range in mind and tell us what types of gifts they'd like in the basket. We will always work within someone's price range." 

Doty and Canterbury will also work with the unique ideas of their customers. "Approximately 80 percent of our sales come from custom-made orders," Doty says. "If someone requests a traditional wicker basket, we'll fulfill that request. But we strive to be unique. The custom baskets are more fun for us and we enjoy the challenge of creating something special." 

Some of the more interesting baskets Doty and Canterbury have created include a basket made in an Ohio State University cooler for a tailgate party. "It was nearly four feet tall and included everything imaginable for a tailgate," laughs Canterbury. 

The pair also created a "get well basket" for someone that included People magazine, Pepsi, and Eve cigarettes. Doty and Canterbury searched and searched local stores until they found Eve cigarettes — that's the beauty of Baskets Unique — they do the shopping for you. 

"It's all very convenient," Canterbury says. "And we ship nationwide." 

Doty purchased Baskets Unique three years ago when she moved to Delaware. "The first owner really put the business on the map," she says. Doty, who had worked in retail with Canterbury, asked her friend to join her in the business. "I wanted a partner and Sara needed a job," recalls Doty with a smile.

Since then the two women have worked diligently to develop their company. They've worked with clients such as Grady Memorial Hospital and the Delaware Arts Castle to create custom baskets. And they're also able to put together hundreds of baskets for a customer. "Our baskets are a great idea for sorority, fraternity, or commencement gifts," Canterbury says. 

"We can create almost any kind of gift basket a person could think of," Doty says. 

For more information about Baskets Unique or to order a gift, e-mail sales@basketsunique.biz or call 740-363-5763. 

— Ericka Kurtz