Local businesses offer Valentine’s Day experiences, giftsDate: 2/1/2021 WESTERN MASS. – The holiday for showing loved ones we care is in a mere 10 days. That’s right – Valentine’s Day is already right around the corner.
While you may be tempted to purchase gifts online, we at Reminder Publishing encourage locals to shop small at businesses close to home. There are many unique local shops, sweet confection creators and experiences right in our own backyards.
A simple search on Google provides an abundance of opportunities to support small businesses in the area, while also showing your loved one some appreciation. While this listing could not come close to highlighting all of the special businesses in the area, Reminder Publishing took the liberty of scoping out some of our favorite Western Mass. shop’s offerings. This article is meant to serve as a jumping off point to spark ideas of businesses to frequent in your communities. The businesses are listed in alphabetical order by community.
Alluring Balloon Creations
& Color-Me Creative Gifts
Adams
While she now lives and runs her business in Adams, Heather Dexheimer, owner of Alluring Balloon Creations and Color-Me Creative Gifts was born and raised in Westfield and still maintains what she called a “very large clientele base” in her hometown.
Through Alluring Balloon Creations, Dexheimer creates specialty balloon bouquets, packages, sculptures and decor. Westfield residents may recognize her work from PumpkinFest, Westfield State University alumni events as well as the senior balloon sticks? she created last year. For Valentine’s Day, she is offering an array of bouquets, baskets and creations such as giant “popable” belly bears that can fit stuffed animals or customized gifts in their bellies and heart shaped boxes of chocolate made out of balloons. For the other side of her business, Color-Me Creative Gifts, Dexheimer offers customized photo gifts including, but not limited to, shirts, mugs, onesies, bibs and jewelry.
Dexheimer is offering local pickup in Westfield on Feb. 13,
5 to 7 p.m., at the Friendly’s restaurant near the Massachusetts Turnpike onramp on Route 202. Those interested in ordering specialized Valentine’s gifts should visit https://form.jotform.com
/210208148762048 and fill out the form.
For more information, visit her website, https://alluringballooncreations.weebly.com, or her Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/AlluringBalloonCreations.
Maureen’s Sweet Shoppe
6 Center Sq.
East Longmeadow
A favorite of Reminder Publishing news staff members,
Maureen’s Sweet Shoppe, owned by Maureen Basile, is offering not only all of their typical delicious chocolate offerings, but a series of new sweet confections for Valentine’s Day.
“We have our amazing new reverse peanut butter cups which are made of our store-made peanut butter chocolate with a sweet chocolate ganache in the middle. We have our new ‘don’t go breaking my heart’ smash hearts that come in milk, dark or white chocolate and are filled with all kinds of chocolate treats. We have our Valentine’s Day hot cocoa bombs, which follow our incredibly popular Christmas assortment and our super cute new oreos,” Basile told Reminder Publishing. “Of course we are offering our amazing chocolate covered strawberries and our heart boxes full of chocolates.”
The smash hearts Basile mentioned are wrapped in cellophane and come with a small wooden hammer. Purchasers of the smash heart then – as one would imagine – smash the white chocolate heart, opening it to find an assortment of Maureen’s Sweet Shoppe’s chocolates.
More information about Maureen’s Sweet Shoppe can be found at her website https://maureenssweetshoppe.com/. The shoppe can also be reached at 222–2642.
Otis Ridge
159 Monterey Rd.
Otis
Looking for an experience rather than a tangible gift? Interested in celebrating the holiday with children, perhaps outdoors? Head on over to Otis Ridge for skiing and snowboarding and to get some fresh air.
Lift tickets range in price depending on the hours that people are looking to ski/snowboard, as well as depending on the skier/snowboarder’s age. For a weekend and holiday day pass, which runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., adult passes for ages 13-69 can be purchased for $40. Junior passes – those aged 7-12 – can be purchased for $35. Tickets for children who are 6 years old and under cost $15. Seniors, aged 70 and up, are able to ski at Otis Ski Ridge for free. For specifics on lift ticket cost, go to: https://otisridge.com/lift-tickets/
Otis Ridge has posted a COVID-19 safety statement and guidelines to their website. Their website notes that lift tickets have a daily maximum limit, and cannot be purchased online. Tickets are sold in-person at the Ridge on a first-come, first-served basis until the daily limit is reached. With that said, all ski lessons must be reserved and pre-paid by calling 269-4444 or emailing skischool@otisridge.com.
For more information on Otis Ridge, head to https://otisridge.com/.
Board & Brush
19 College St., Suite 4
South Hadley
Another experience-based gift, a trip to Board & Brush in South Hadley. According to their website, Board & Brush is a “DIY wood sign workshop,” that offers a creative outlet for those looking for a night out with friends, for people who are itching for a fun new project without having to purchase their own supplies and make a mess at home, and everything in between.
Board & Brush is host to workshops that interested
parties can purchase online on their website, https://boardandbrush.com/southhadley/#Calendar-workshop. The dates for workshops are laid out on a calendar so people can pick the specific sign they’re interested in making along with their tickets.
For those who may not want to venture out of their homes or attend a workshop, the website offers a “shop local” section where people can purchase a variety of premade signs, boxes, trays, porch signs, at home kits and more, all from the comfort of their home.
For more information on Board & Brush go to https://boardandbrush.com/southhadley/ or call 504–2676.
Crystal Miller Photography
77 Mill Street, Suite 201
Westfield
Crystal Miller Photography is offering two types of gifts that Miller says are a “big hit” this time of year: classic portrait and boudoir photo sessions. Located at the Mill at Crane Pond, the studio can be reached directly by phone, either call or text, at
478-8770. More information can be found at https://crystalmiller.photography.
Ice Skating
Various Locations
Looking to get outside and get fresh air? Or perhaps some indoor ice skating exercise? A few ice skating rinks in the area are welcoming the public to skate in small groups.
In East Longmeadow on the corner of Maple Street and Shaker Road a new outdoor ice skating rink has been put into place. The rink was made possible by donations from local businesses and individuals. For information about schedules for ice rink use, contact the East Longmeadow Recreation Department at 525–5437 or go to https://elrec.recdesk.com.
In Westfield, Amelia Park is host both an indoor arena as well as an outdoor skating rink. For the indoor arena, Amelia Park is offering a limited public skate time which can be pre-registered for and paid for on their website, https://www.ameliaparkarena.org/. Information about the outdoor rink at Amelia Park was not available at press time, so calling the rink directly is preferable. With that said, Amelia Park did inform Reminder Publishing that the Valentine’s Day skate is fully booked. Amelia Park is located at 21 S Broad St. in Westfield, and can be reached at 568-2503.
While residents are at it, head on over to a local coffee shop
before or after your ice skating adventure. Next to East Longmeadow’s ice skating rink is Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters, located at 60 Shaker Rd. A short drive down the road from Amelia Park is Circuit Coffee at 22 Elm St. Both locations are perfect for a beverage to warm up after a chilly skate.
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