20150407_105622I love to create every day! Whether it’s painting furniture, making displays, wrapping gifts, or knitting, all of this is for the enjoyment of others. We have an amazing customer following and we love to see them and visit with them in the shop. That’s why to take over ownership of this eclectic gifts shop was right up my alley!

The Basketree has been in business now for 23 years. It was started by a very clever, artistic and hardworking Cathy Smith of Weidman, Michigan. It has been an honor to follow in her foot steps and keep this shop going and growing. I look for unusual items for the store that you won’t necessarily find at the big box stores.

20150822_182705The shop has a unique goods feeling to it, from door stops to wine stoppers, to fine home decor. I’ve always enjoyed strolling through other downtowns and taking in the sights of small unique shops. To own one is a dream of many and it takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but it satisfies.

Downtown Mt. Pleasant is made up of other great small businesses, eateries and salons. I love spending time downtown because it offers wonderful places to walk, great places to eat and drink and our park system rival many other downtown parks. You can spend an enjoyable afternoon visiting shops, eat some great food, walk and bike on our beautiful trails that connect three parks.

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The stronger a city’s downtown is, the more it is able to help the people of the community with various fundraising events and the needs of the people on a local level. My hope is that our downtown will continue to grow with more small retail shops offering new and exciting things to the people of Mt. Pleasant and our tourists.

 

 

 

 

 

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CharIene Young has been a Downtown business owner since 2014. She has worked in a retail and design setting for 20 years now. Char started her career as a florist and now uses her experiences as a shopkeeper of a cute gift shop downtown. She loves biking, walking, knitting and helping those in need through various fundraising at the shop.