- Video shows Jackson Neighborhood Reporter Olivia Pageau putting together an Easter basket for less than $25.
- All items in the basket came from Downtown Jackson shops.
- Those items came from Nostalgia Ink., Farm Sudz, Gilbert Chocolates, Jackson Candle Company, and Marketplace Manna.
In Downtown Jackson, many neighbors are getting ready for Easter Sunday. Many of those same neighbors are also dealing with the rising costs that add up quickly during the holidays. To help, I'm taking a tour of the neighborhood and putting together a locally sourced Easter basket for less than $25.
I started my hunt at Nostalgia, Ink., where Owner Tim Stairs says there's something for everyone. "Every comic book is unique," says Stairs. "There's so many different flavors and tastes and styles of writing and artwork in comic books." Plus, plenty of budget-friendly options in the dollar comic section. "Marvel Spotlight, Captain America...lots of different options for somebody if they want to keep the budget low," explains Stairs. I picked one up for $1.
Then, down the block, I stopped into Farm Sudz, where Owner Erin Valkuchak says Easter can be a busy time. "It's busy," she says. "People want things other than candy in their Easter baskets, and we have a lot of those little things." With handmade soaps in every scent, it made for a colorful addition to my basket for $4.50. Valkuchak says, "You can clean up after you eat all the sticky candy."
Speaking of candy next, I stopped by Gilbert Chocolates, which has been in business for 125 years, because what is an Easter basket without some chocolate? All the chocolate at Gilbert's is handmade, using the same original recipe. I got to see a bit of how the Easter magic is made with their chocolate bunnies. Owner Brian Krichbaum explains, "The big difference between Gilbert Chocolates and most grocery store bunnies is they are solid chocolate. There's no air in there. It's all chocolate." I couldn't leave without a bunny for my basket for about $5.
With just a few dollars left in my pocket, I grabbed a candle from Jackson Candle Company for $10 and a key chain from Marketplace Manna for $3. After all that hopping around, my basket was complete, and it came to less than my $25 goal.
WATCH: Showing Neighborhood Reporter Sarah Poulos what's in the Easter basket
With a holiday around the corner, Krichbaum says there's no better time to shop local. "Without you folks shopping here, our folks wouldn't have anything to do, and we probably wouldn't be here," says Krichbaum.
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