Entrepreneur succeeds at putting Sudbury 'in a box'

When Emily Gillespie was living in Edmonton, Alta., she ordered a subscription box — a package of themed products that arrive at your doorstep. But she was disappointed when she saw the contents.

• Listen to Emily Gillespie tell Markus Schwabe on Morning North why she put Sudbury in a box

Morning North5:16Sudbury-in-a-box

If you were going to mail Sudbury-based items to a friend across the country, what would you send? We spoke with Emily Gillespie, a new entrepreneur who is promoting the "shop local" mentality by sending pieces of Sudbury to others across the globe.

She says that all of the items were made in the United States.

Gillespie thought the products she received didn't reflect the talents or ingenuity of Canadians, and did little to ease her homesickness for Sudbury, Ont.   

• Sudbury mobile 'Painting Party' entrepreneur wants people to create, connect
• Kinkajou bottle cutter brings Sudbury entrepreneur success

On her return to northern Ontario, Gillespie enlisted the help of 14 entrepreneurs and came up with the idea for Sudbury-in-a-box, a luxury gift service that contains small, local products from the Sudbury area.

And so far, the response has been exciting.

Sudbury does have a lot to offer, so why not show it off?- Emily Gillespie, founder of Sudbury-in-a-Box

"Sudbury does have a lot to offer," says Gillespie, "so why not show it off?"

The Sudbury Chamber of Commerce has lent its support to Gillespie's endeavour.

Chamber chair Karen Hourtevenko says Sudbury-in-a-Box has the potential to also showcase the city's other small businesses. 

"If somebody is getting a box delivered to them," Hourtevenko says, "and they say 'wow, this amazing product and I know exactly where I can get it,' maybe they'll come to our community and shop [here]."

Gillespie says Sudbury-in-a-Box contains sample-size offerings that range in price from $19.99 to $49.99, depending on the size of the box, and the particular samples.

"So far we have Old Rock Coffee, Old Soul Soap, Cucumber Tree and Country Cabin Candles," says Gillespie, "and I'm willing to talk to any business."

• Visit Sudbury-in-a-Box on Facebook

The box is the perfect opportunity for consumers to sample Sudbury products, and Gillespie says it is likely she will soon offer holiday-themed boxes for Father's Day or Mother's Day.

And for the Sudburians who now live around the world, Gillespie says her own time living outside Ontario gives her a unique perspective on the benefits of receiving a gift of local goods.

"This is like sending a piece of home."