Business Conversations: The Enchanted Gift Basket

Braintree native Diana Nessralla says she's in the "feel good business."

The owner of The Enchanted Gift Basket on Washington Street in Braintree specializes in putting smiles on faces whether it's with her custom gift baskets or selection of specialty toys.

She has also merged her passion for history – she belongs to the Board of Directors of the Braintree Historical Society – with her knack for gifts and presentation.

Last Friday, she hosted "Braintree Day" with Images of America: Braintree author John Dennehy, and she has recently started a line of cards with the tag line, "You Know You're From Braintree If..."

Patch will feature questions with business owners every Monday. See The Enchanted Gift Baskets' interview below.

What did you do before?

Nessralla ran a dance studio in Braintree and worked as the head of personal shopping and gift basket design for F.A.O. Schwarz. When the Boston location of F.A.O. Schwarz closed a decade ago, Nessralla went back to running her own business.

When did you open and what was the biggest challenge?

The Enchanted Gift basket opened in South Braintree Square across from French's Common in May 2012. Prior to that, Nessralla had a store in Maynard for two years and ran the business out of her home.

The biggest challenge, Nessralla said, was opening in a former home on Washington Street. The architecture posed spacial difficulties for her store in terms of displaying and storing goods, and also meant that people passing by often do not see it as a gift shop. 

"It's been a challenge making people realize just how many types of gifts that I have," Nessralla said, adding that customers are often surprised by how nicely laid out and quaint the space is once they come inside.

Why did you open in Braintree?

Holiday shopping can get hectic at the South Shore Plaza, to say the least, Nessralla said, and she wanted to offer an alternative where people could find unique gifts for their loved ones and avoid the rush.

Nessralla also said she noticed that there are not many gift shops of her type north of Hingham.

"Braintree flew under the radar in having a nice, quaint gift shop," she said. "Braintree can handle it and it deserves it."

How many employees do you have?

Aside from a few people she hires temporarily during the holidays, Nessralla runs The Enchanted Gift Basket herself. And that answer leads to this question...

Do you ever sleep during the holidays?

She literally spends all her time at the shop during the holiday season. At one point last year, she was putting together an order of 500 gift baskets for Herb Chambers and looked up and realized it was 4:30 a.m.

Sales remain steady throughout the rest of the year, though, mainly through walk-ins – people looking for sympathy, housewarming or get well gift baskets – and through corporate clients.

What's the balance between pre-packaged baskets and customized orders?

The Enchanted Gift Basket carries pre-made baskets, but customers can also hand pick items they'd like in a basket or give Nessralla a budget and details about the recipient and set her to work.

Baskets are usually made in a day or two and are delivered free in Braintree. There is a small fee for delivery on the South Shore and Boston. Baskets outside of the area are shipped through UPS.

Nessralla takes a hands-on approach to her business, probably a product of her teaching background.

"I have played with every single game or toy in my store," Nessralla said, adding she's tried all the gourmet food and smelled all the candles.

She said about 70 percent of orders are customized by clients in the store or by them giving ideas to Nessralla over the phone. The remaining are off-the-shelf. She also has what amounts to a stand-alone speciality toy shop, where customers can pick out individual gifts or add them to a basket.

What are you working on now?

Nessralla has created a line of Braintree-specific gift cards for sale individually and in Braintree-themed baskets that also contain items like scented soaps and hand towels with pictures of landmarks like Sunset Lake, Pond Meadow and the Thayer House.

She got the idea from the Facebook group "You Know You're From Braintree If..." and some of her finishing lines include "if you remember closing your eyes and hoping for the best as you drove through Five Corners" and "if one of your fondest memories is making bread and churning butter at the Thayer House."

What is your favorite part of the job?

"Being the one to provide some unexpected enchantment in someone's day," she said.

What one thing would you make easier for small businesses in Braintree?

As long as small business owners stick to tasteful presentation, Nessralla said she believes signage restrictions should be less stringent.

Patch Editor Adam Roberts contributed to this article.

If you would like to be featured in our weekly Business Conversations article, email joseph.markman@patch.com.