As I've gotten older, I've found that huge malls and overstocked chain stores rarely have much worth braving the crowds and chancing shoddy craftsmanship (not to mention the anxiety they induce and the child sweatshops they utilize). Since coming to this realization, I've developed an obsession with shopping locally (as evidenced here, here and here), and in my experience, locally owned stores have all kinds of awesome stuff you won't find at Forever 21 or H&M - both in terms of inventory and in character.
That being said, when MercoLocal contacted me and asked if I'd be interested in checking out their February box, I literally jumped at the chance. Similar to Birchbox, MercoLocal takes a selection of cool stuff from a wide range of local Utah merchants every month, packs it up neatly and sends it out to subscribers with some extra gift cards and a nifty keychain - think of it as a locally owned business cocktail party, shipped right to your door on the first of every month. I'm not generally into subscription box services, but between the products it contains and the businesses it supports, this one is pretty rad.
February's box contained a whole lot of goodness, including some amazing-smelling soap by Beehive Soap & Body Care, really pretty mineral make up by NS Minerals, uniquely made and beautifully scented perfumes by Inkling and a box of what I'm sure were absolutely divine chocolates by Hatch Family Chocolates (unfortunately, I made the mistake of opening the box before leaving for work - they were gone by the time I got home; the boy blamed the dog). There were also some gift cards/coupons, a spiffy little invention called a Drain Wig that I'm betting will save us a few calls to Roto Rooter, and a bag of Crio Bru, an interesting hot cocoa mix that brews like coffee (planning to give this a shot in the morning - perhaps we've found the pregnant lady's replacement for coffee???).
I haven't had a chance to thoroughly vet every item yet, but so far I haven't been disappointed and I feel safe saying that the $19.99/month subscription cost is well worth it. Aside from the fact that everyone loves getting cool stuff in the mail, it's a great way to find and get to know Utah's local businesses. Learn more about MercoLocal's mission and subscribe for March's box on their website. Monthly supplies are limited, so hop on over there soon if you're interested in subscribing.
Stay tuned throughout the rest of the week for updates and follow me on Twitter (@fashion_nerd13) for the live experience as I work my through each of the items.
Have you heard of the MercoLocal box, or do you have any experiences with the brands & shops in this month's box? Sound off in the comments.
Follow my local shopping adventures in Park City here, and check out Utah at large here.