When I came across this initiative from my hometown of Hamilton on Facebook I knew I wanted to help support. It was the perfect mix of two things I love, my hometown and supporting small shops from my hometown.
How did you choose the name for your business? The Hamilton Makers Boxes came from boxes such as Fab Fit Box, Bark Box etc. I thought that the best type of box would one with handmade items. I also thought that since there are so many individuals that make things in various cities that keeping it to Hamilton would give Hamiltonians the opportunity to support local businesses. So, it just made sense to call it Hamilton Makers Box.
Are you only allowing shops from Hamilton to participate in the box? Or are you reaching out to other local cities? The businesses that will be taking part will be from Hamilton; no businesses from other cities will be considered as it is for Hamilton Makers.
How much is the box? Is it a monthly subscription or purchase by month? The boxes are $30 each for over $60 in product. As of right now the purchasing of the boxes are month to month. We are working on eventually having mini boxes and monthly subscriptions.
Is the box delivered or do you have to pick it up? Boxes are to be picked up at a location in East Hamilton near Centre Mall.
Are you able to gift the box to someone? Absolutely, the boxes as a whole make a perfect gift. Our first box was a Christmas theme and more than 50% off the boxes were gifted.
How can small shops apply to participate in the box? The size of the business does not matter, as long as it is a business out of Hamilton and the items are hand made in Hamilton.
What advice can you give someone looking to start up their own business? Have faith if yourself and what you want to do. Set out a plan and a point that you need to stop (ie. If you don’t break even by a year). It costs money to make money; don’t be afraid to give a free product or a discount for someone to try your product or service.
What sets your business apart from others alike? It’s a one of a kind project in Hamilton that brings multiple makers together for one purpose (sell, promote their businesses). During the process of each box the current makers make decisions together and have input into how things will go for that box.
What is the most challenging part of running your business? With Hamilton Makers Box I would have to say to that the hardest part is getting the sale; as some people are iffy about buying from businesses they haven’t heard from before. We spend lots of time promoting the boxes, engaging our prospective on social media.
Email: hamiltonmakersbox@gmail.com Facebook: Hamilton Makers Box
Instagram @HamiltonMakersBox
@Camara.Crew Stamp of Approval
I am going to break down my review by each person that participated in the Hamilton Makers Box as well as review the box as a whole. These the small shops that participated in the Hamilton Makers Box (I will tag each shop - please click their shop name to visit their page):
provides many healthy living options for everyone using Essential Oils, even making custom products to meet your personal needs. add what I received. I will say this is one of the items that I did gift to my mom. I thought it would be perfect for her! She was pleasantly surprised when she received it in her stocking and was excited to give it a try.
Personally Yours Boutique & Apparel: make a variety of custom products and clothing. In my Hamilton Makers box I received a Christmas Themed Tea Towel with a printed red truck & Christmas tree on the front. I loved the design of the tea towel. Everyone is obsessed with the red truck/Christmas tree look right now and its the perfect addition to any kitchen.
My Little Bean Shop: It's not secret My Little Bean Shop is one of my favourite shops from my hometown! We have lots of clothes for both Lily and Mason from this adorable small shop. I also love the mama behind it, Kerri - trust me when I saw you want to follow @mylittlebeanshop on Instagram and follow along on Kerri's stories. She always makes me laugh! I was really excited when I opened the box to see 2 of her Christmas themed scrunchies. I am obsessed with scrunchies! The patterns were perfect for the holidays and of great quality. What I really liked about her scrunchies is they aren't really big, so they hold my shorter hair perfectly!
Karma Crystals is a practicing crystal healer and creator of healing infused, wired wrapped crystal jewelry. I received a beautiful bracelet from Karma Crystals. The colours on the bracelet were beautiful! And the fit was perfect!
Sweet and Simple I received Sweet and Simple Salted Caramel Toffee in my Hamilton Makers Box. Anything Salted Caramel flavored is the way to my heart! It was delicious and did not last long in my house.
Andybela Teas: Andybela teas are amazing! I am a huge tea lover. I don't drink coffee often, unless it is an iced coffee but every morning I get up and have a tea. I have now replaced my traditional Red Rose morning tea with the Chai Organic Andybela tea! I look forward to waking up in the morning and sipping my tea while watching the news. This would be the perfect gift for any tea lover. You can also check out their Instagram page @andybela_eateary
Overall I was pleased with the products in the box. There was a wide variety or product types. It is a great idea if you are wanting to test some products from various companies in Hamilton. Some of the products I wouldn't use personally, so I decided to gift them to family members. A few of the items I gifted in my mom's stocking as they were perfect for her! So not to worry, if you are not able to use the products personally I am sure there is someone in your life you could brighten their day by gifting it to them.