Select A Hamper is a little shop in Saddleworth that has popped up between O’Neill Associates and the Saddleworth Library.
The business started quite by accident. Owners Debra and Peter O’Neill have a number of business interests, one being O’Neill Associates.
O’Neill Associates is usually not as busy during Christmas and it was during this time a couple of years ago that Debra went home one day watched 10 minutes of a daytime soap opera, followed by a session of Kevin Rudd speaking in Federal Parliament.
This was a dilemma. Debra then phoned Peter. She had a major problem – she was bored.
Peter suggested she start a hamper business, as in previous years she would put together hampers for their clients at Christmas and various occasions and this then led to her doing hampers for their clients ‘clients.
That’s how it started.
Debra spent about 12 months researching and looking into whether it would be feasible to set up a business of this nature from a small country town. It was.
“As I would be on the premises working in both O’Neill Associates ,and taking care of other business interests, it just made sense to open a shop. The goods were here and if people wanted to pop in and have a look they can,” she said.
Select A Hamper opened the doors two weeks before Christmas and was inundated with hamper requests without any form of advertising.
“In the two weeks leading up to Christmas we made and sold about 80 hampers as well as general sales from the shop,” Debra said.
Though the web site is still a work-in-progress, orders are coming in from all over Australia, and it is going really well.
“There are so many options with the business your brain just doesn’t switch off ... what on earth have I started, what have I done,” she said.
Her shop, at 13 Belvidere Road Saddleworth, has a range of gifts available from baby clothing to chocolates, gourmet food, body products, books, nuts, toys and for Valentine’s Day, naughty food, something a little bit different.
There really is something for everyone and, if you can’t find it, Debra can usually get it in, as she has for some people who have asked.
“It really has surprised me at how well it is going, there have only been about 6 or 7 people who haven’t purchased something.
“We are trying to offer a wide variety and wide price range also”.
Individual items can be purchased or made into hampers the choice is up to you, you can just buy what you want.”
Due to the increase in business and stock level they are extending there storage facilities to enable even more range and more options for the business.
“It doesn’t matter who or where you are you can have a gift or hamper delivered to your door or you can collect from the shop.
“Most hampers at the moment are being sent interstate due to an increase in advertising,” Debra said.
Select a Hamper is part of the Advantage SA campaign and is looking to source local produce to include in hampers and to stock in the shop to promote the region.
Debra said due to requests both locally and from interstate, Select A Hamper was branching into the supply of floral arrangements, in conjunction with a local florist who has 25 years’ experience.
“We are finding a demand for flowers, both fresh and artificial,” Debra said.
Businesses and corporate organisations are hiring artifical flower arrangement on a monthly basis, mainly in Adelaide.”
Fresh flowers are available readily but orders need to be in at least a few days before you want them, at this stage, so they can be ordered and fresh when you receive them.
The cut off time to ensure delivery of fresh flowers for Valentine’s Day is midday February 10.
So with Valentine’s Day coming there is no excuse for the man in your life to forget, point him in the direction of Saddleworth. They even have hampers which would appeal to the man in your life. Pop in and have a look who knows what you will find.
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