25th Anniversary Journey
2001 – 2026 · Celebrating 25 Years
Where It All Began
The journey to opening my new business started with a life changing accident. It was a difficult time. I fell and did a lot of damage to my spine and needed surgery. I went into surgery with a 50-50 chance of ever walking again.
Fate was with me as the surgery was a success, but the recovery was very difficult. It took months.
On the first year anniversary I wanted to remember the people that got me through that ordeal. The lady that picked me up every week to take me to our networking meeting as I was not able to drive. The physio girl that encouraged me to push through the pain with the promise of things will get better. My neighbours who kept the snow off the front porch and helped with my flower garden in the summer.
There were many kind people.
I wanted to send them a gift basket but could not find anyone to make me a custom basket that would reflect my gratitude in a way that I was proud to give. Seemed like a perfect opportunity to learn how to do this myself…and I did! The feedback was most encouraging, and I started to get requests from others to make baskets for them!
Who knew that it would catch on!
2001
Doors Opened
2012
Heart Surgery
2020
COVID Pivot
2026
25 Years!
♥
Opening the Doors
The first year I partnered with a friend who owned their own business. I stayed a year and then knew that I had to move on. January 1st, 2001 I ventured out to look for my own retail space while making baskets at home. I found a little quaint space…1200 square feet in what looked like a little yellow house on a main road and decided to open the doors of Gift Baskets by Design to the world.
Needless to say, I was afraid that I would fail miserably. As I was preparing the space my friends and family came forth with dressers, tables, chairs, various sundries, counters and the list went on! Some of my colleagues put me in touch with solid suppliers that would lend a helping hand to help me get a firm foot hold in my dream. And hence it began….. I had my own store!
“an unexpected gift at an unexpected time created just for you”
The Store Evolves
The concept of the business was that if you got a gift basket you should be able to go back to the place where the basket was created and buy that one product! That option was not available at that time in the industry except at my place.
The store began to evolve…..shelves being stocked with products that went into the baskets. People could pick out their own products, and I would build the basket right then and there…something different. Others started coming in to just buy the products that they enjoyed the most. And there were still others that came to shop for gifts.
As time rolled on, I invested in a wide variety of inventory…. loose leaf tea…baby items…small trinkets…. personal items… Bearington Bears …greeting cards…. a one stop shop. Eventually I was known as “London’s little hidden treasure” and it would not be uncommon for people to meet in my store to sample the tea and shop a little. The atmosphere was very quaint and inviting and people just like exploring each vinette I had created. The store took on a life of its own.
Soon I had requests for delivery and now I can deliver right across Canada. There were requests to go visit my website! This was an adventure on its own to create and it didn’t take long when I had customers around the world…even to this very day.
How things changed from that first day.
I decided to take on the challenge of seeking out Canadian inventory and to support local whenever I could. I tasted everything I bought for the store and stayed away from conventional items that you could buy in a grocery store. I set myself apart from others to do only custom made baskets and make each gift very special…”an unexpected gift at an unexpected time created just for you” became my mantra.
♥
The Picture Windows
I learned to decorate the huge front windows I had to reflect the seasons and what was inside the store if you just opened the door!
One summer I had a very special book in the window that I would turn the page each day for people to read as they walked by. It was a puppy book …. like a new baby book…. for pictures and first memorable moments written by a local author. It was fascinating watching people stop and read the book. My picture windows brought a lot of attention to the neigbourhood and especially to the people on the bus because there was a bus stop right in front of my store… a little divine intervention for sure.
The changing of the seasons brought lots of interest. Christmas is my most favourite time of the year and I went all out with decorations all the way to having an arched Christmas tree over my work bench filled with ornaments and the invitation that if you liked to buy one… just take it off the tree and I would box it up for you!
Every year on the first weekend in November I would hold my Christmas Showcase of new inventory and gifts. There would be at least 25 or more items to taste from sweet to savory… hot chocolate and tea …lots of chocolate and many items in between. It was an annual event that people looked forward to. For those that couldn’t come on the day of the event I held private showings the day before and the day after….. so much fun getting to know my clientele!
A Test of Strength
As luck would have it, in March of 2012 I needed open heart surgery. No heart attack…. Just my doctor heard something unusual and sent me for further testing and I had a bad valve that needed immediate attention. Needless to say, I was devastated. My world came crashing down around me. No time to think. I was admitted immediately.
My store…. What was I to do? I couldn’t find anyone to do what I did and how I did it to keep my dream alive.
I had to close for three full months to recover.
I contemplated keeping the doors closed forever and something most unusual happened. Phone calls. Cards. Emails. All telling me to don’t give up…. that my customers would wait for me to get back up on feet again. Gifts arrived…. It was over whelming, but it was the motivation that I needed to push though to the other side…and I did.
After three months I could only go back for an hour or two a day with restrictions. It was very hard. Christmas was on the horizon, and I knew that I would not make it in time. Then another miracle.
Friends, family and a few close customers would show up and stock the shelves for me…break down boxes…help in small ways around the store…decorate…none spending a lot of time but just enough to get me through the moment.
I was so grateful for the help but totally in awe that I actually made a difference in someone’s life that I still needed to be here…that Gift Baskets by Design still had to be available to people. A most humbling experience.
I made it through that year and had to do a little rebuilding. A small price to pay.
Through time I got to know a lot of people and made a lot of good relationships both in business and with my customers.
♥
Weathering the Storm
Then COVID hit. That was a devasting and changing time for the world. In order to keep my business I moved home thinking no one would care about me once I left the public eye. Come to find out that was not true. My business flourished as people that wanted to give to their friends and family had to just send stuff… no more bringing them gifts in person.
Although that seemed like a good thing….and in many cases it was, it was difficult for me as a person. Once people realized that I would listen to their stories they would talk for a long time. The stories were gut wrenching and so very sad. I took on their pain. And that was not a good thing.
But we all got through it together.
♥
Giving Back
Because of the success of my business, I have been able to give back to those who pushed me to this milestone of 25 years in business. I volunteer a lot! I sponsor kids’ programs and I give of my inventory to places that offer it to those in need.
I have never forgotten about my journey…how it was the people out there that have given me what I have today and how I must keep paying it back as often as I can.
To the universe…. Just know I am appreciative…