“Enticing Vices” make nice surprises.
When it comes to figuring out what gifts people might want from Wisconsin, a new company is thinking inside the box.
WiscoBoxes, which launched this spring in Mount Horeb, sells and ships gift boxes around a variety of themes and in a variety of sizes. No matter the theme, the boxes have the same overall mission — to bring small-producer foods and other goods to people in Wisconsin and beyond.
“It’s part of that ‘Where does my food come from?’ or ‘Where do the things I love come from?’” says company founder and president Sarah Botham. “We want to be able to source products, goods and services that are local. It seems to be the most sustaining trend I’ve seen in a long time and I think it’s wonderful.”
WiscoBoxes offers 11 gift boxes with products from 45 producers. Goodies include candles, chocolates, cheeses, nuts, kitchenware, baby onesies and even bath fizzies.
Wine is also an option in several of the boxes, if shipped to any of 14 states where that’s legal. It’s from Botham Vineyards near Barneveld, owned by Botham and her husband, Peter. A non-alcoholic option is Wisco Pop, made in Viroqua.
“We chose some of our favorite products, and some of the less well-known ones,” says Botham. She also wanted the producers to be “spread throughout Wisconsin” for geographic diversity.
A “Culinary Queen” box includes a kitchen towel from Ghost Pegasus or Milkhaus Design in Madison, a wooden spoon from Nick’s Woodshop in Eau Claire and a bowl from Toast Ceramics in Madison.
The “Gentleman’s” box includes jerky from Wayne’s Jerky in Sobieski, Big Nuts peanut brittle made by Feed Mills in Barneveld and a shaving puck from Jangle Soapworks in Mount Horeb. “No Place Like Home” includes items for around the house and “Hey Baby Baby” and “Here Comes the Bride” target pretty much whom you’d think they would.
Boxes come in three sizes and range in price from $40 to $140. There’s also an option to build your own box from available items. Even the boxes are made in Wisconsin, by Wright Brothers Paper Box Company in Fond du Lac. Orders can be shipped, or picked up at 305 E. Main St. in Mount Horeb.
“We mainly came up with the themes first, then some products we knew and loved,” says Megan Madsen, the company’s brand manager. “There were others where we had to look for the right item to include. We found them at farmers’ markets, craft fairs, shops or Etsy.”
Botham and Madsen began searching for products in November, and launched in April. Madsen had to work with some of the producers to familiarize them with selling wholesale instead of just at markets. Some businesses have sent WiscoBoxes samples, and Botham and Madsen will take suggestions.
The two women are the company’s only employees so far, but Botham foresees that potentially changing as holiday season nears. They also see room for growth with private, corporate or community clients, and by producing small-box versions for such special events as Concerts on the Square. More gift boxes will be on the roster, too, as time goes by. Says Botham: “There are limitless ideas because there are so many cool products in Wisconsin.”
Wiscoboxes.com; 608-437-2202
