GALENA, Ill. — The lead up to Galena resident Christine Melaas’ 2017 wedding was hectic, she said, as she worked on putting together gift baskets for her bridesmaids.
“I was running around like a basket case,” she said.
This experience birthed the name of her business a few years later. Under the brand Basket Case, Melaas designs gift baskets for clients across the country, but a majority of her clients are hotels and vacation rentals in the Galena area. For hotels, Melaas said, the service is mostly used by guests who would like a gift basket in their room as a surprise for someone with whom they are arriving. For rentals, most of the time, the property owner wants to leave a special gift basket for the renters, Melaas said.
Customers can use her website, basketcasegalena.com, to build their own basket or select from pre-made options.
Basket Case offers different pre-made options that include products from many Jo Daviess County companies, including Galena Roasters, Great American Popcorn Co., Galena Canning Co., Galena Garlic Co. and Midtown Marina. One of the newer gift basket themes is a “dog mom gift basket,” which includes dog treats, a mug and a book about a dog written by a Galena-based author.
Eventually, Melaas, who had prior marketing experience, decided to shift the focus of Basket Case to also include other ways she can support local small businesses. She offers different monthly packages based on the services she provides the companies, such as email marketing, website management and social media content.
“The majority of what I do is digital marketing and consulting for small businesses,” she said.
Among Melaas’ clients are Galena Roasters and Fergedaboudit Vineyard and Winery.
“I’m all about figuring out how you can teach your brand story … without spending too much money,” Melaas said. “Small businesses don’t have a large budget or a large team.”
Earl Thompson, owner of Galena Roasters, said working with Melaas is a “great” experience. Galena Roasters, which started as a specialty coffee roaster, has since expanded into a downtown Galena coffee shop, a mobile coffee trailer and, most recently, a bistro location at Midwest Medical Center.
Melaas and Thompson met several years ago at a different coffee shop, but the two started collaborating more recently. Thompson said Melaas was interested in including his coffee products in her gift baskets and that he asked her for help with his social media presence. Since then, she has worked on other aspects of marketing his business.
“(Melaas) does my newsletters,” Thompson said. “She does all my marketing. She’s good to work with.”
Thompson said Melaas is currently helping him with a long-term marketing plan.
Vicki Olson, co-owner of Fergedaboudit Vineyard and Winery in rural Hanover, Ill., also works with Melaas.
“(Melaas) has been a significant person since (we met),” Olson said. “She does a ton of stuff for me and it’s all great.”
Olson said Melaas took over social media management for Fergedaboudit Vineyard and Winery and also sends out newsletters and email blasts. Melaas has incorporated Olson’s products in her gift baskets.
“I love the name Basket Case because we’ve been able to brand that as services to not make you feel like a basket case,” Melaas said.
Her collaboration with other local small businesses earned Melaas a prominent role with Galena Area Chamber of Commerce. She manages its social media and mailing list as well as assists with its website.
She also serves on the Galena Art & Recreation Center Board and is a founder of Galena Holidaze Festival.
Melaas said that, ultimately, her story is made possible by her family and by the Galena community. She considers the city to be her hometown even though she wasn’t born in the area.
A Chicago native, Melaas moved to the Galena area with her family as a 12-year-old and has stayed there ever since — aside from her time in college. Her husband, Kyle Melaas, is a Savanna native.
“I wouldn’t be able to do what I do … without Kyle’s support,” Christine Melaas said. “We chose (to stay in) Galena because his family is here. It’s a great community.”