Each year, as Valentine’s Day approaches, roadside vendors set up displays of baskets filled with heart-shaped candies, stuffed bears holding hearts, chocolate boxes covered in images of roses and more. While some may think the baskets are geared toward the last minute shopper, at least one vendor is putting together thoughtful baskets intended to make people happy.
Maria Valverge, who lives in Alabama, and her family have set up in front of the old Kmart building on Highway 45 North in Columbus, and Valverge said business has increased as Valentine’s Day drew nearer.
“We’ve been out here since Feb. 11, and we came out from about 8 a.m. to noon,” Valverge said. “However, the last few days we usually stay until the sun goes down. … Business has been good. The first day was kind of O.K., but Sunday we made about $345.”
Though this is her first time selling Valentine’s Day baskets on Highway 45 in Columbus, she’s sold watermelons before in the area, and last year the family sold Valentine’s baskets in Alabama. The baskets are arranged on various tables and shelves and even deep into the small U-Haul the family used to move them.
There is an array of Valentine’s-themed baskets for all ages and genders. Some have the standard brown teddy bears, chocolate and candy, but some have perfume, toys for children and balloons. She said the store she and her family work at, Brother’s Meat Market, has even more options and some include gifts like wine.
Prices can vary from $10 to $65, depending on what the basket includes. Valverge said her favorite baskets she sells are the ones with perfume and the ones with large teddy bears.
Valverge said their ultimate goal is to make someone happy. The baskets are unique in the sense they are not purchased then resold. All of them are hand-selected and packaged by Valverge’s mother-in-law, Marilina Pacheco.
“My mother-in-law does it with a lot of love,” Valverge said. “We do it because we need the money of course, but ultimately we make them to make people smile and show them there’s love still.”
For those last minute-shoppers wanting a thoughtful basket of gifts, the Valverges will be in their location all day on Valentine’s Day.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 48 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
