While some may visit the Pearl or La Villita for a taste of San Antonio living, business owner Allison Craig offers city residents the most sought-after products in a box.
A resident since 2012, Craig founded “SA in a Box,” intending to celebrate makers of San Antonio by featuring them in one-of-a-kind boxes. Starting her E-Commerce business in 2019, Craig was uncertain yet hopeful of her success. But, when making her first sale of thirty boxes, she continued to buy more.
In understanding the essential features of San Antonio, Craig made a successful effort at presenting an array of San Antonio areas within a box at conventions and events.
“(We thought) it would be really cool if somebody comes down for a convention and we could bring together the north, east, west, and southside of San Antonio and put it in a box,” Craig said. “It’s a gift from San Antonio to experience San Antonio even if you don’t have time to jump around to all these places.”
The customizable boxes can be purchased at SanAntonioinabox.org with five, seven, or ten different San Antonio crafted items at $49, $59, $69, individually. Customers can choose from various local businesses, including Ricos, Tio Pelon’s, Casa Chocolates, Karma Candle Makers, and more. The box also includes a physical printout of each item’s history and information about the cities most prominent areas. Craig believes salsas are the most popular items in her customizable boxes, with notable favorites being Clint’s, Salsita, and La Fagata salsa.
Craig has never understated the importance of helping the youth, including a donation box option on her website. The box is sent to aid those in the Thru Project, which bridges the gap between foster care and adulthood for youth who age out of the foster care system. The Thru Project provides foster youth, ages 14 and up, with a volunteer mentor, free bus passes, cell phones, crucial life skills training, and affordable & stable housing.
“We want to bring awareness to the Thru Project,” Craig said. “Also, what you could actually do is sign up as a mentor, and visit them virtually or in-person at least once a week.” “So, I think it’s just amazing.”
Craig is also amazed by her business partnerships remaining unaffected by COVID-19. While Initially expressing worry for her business and her vendors, Craig received a substantial order from the Conventions of San Antonio that helped “fuel the fire and continue pushing.”
Craig also points to her ability to set goals, network, and maintain effective communication as tools for preserving business viability. “SA in a Box” notably relies on networking to connect out-of-state customers with local products and businesses in San Antonio.
“We’re hoping to connect the local businesses of San Antonio with people everywhere else,” Craig said. “So, we kind of plant the seed and let it grow.”
Planting the seed has led to growth in Craig’s business model by accepting more corporate orders and campaigning with Holiday Gifting for Good – a United Way Campaign, which was created to better reflect the spirit of giving and supporting our local community’s enormous needs. From Nov. 13 to Dec. 10, a portion of each purchase of the curated offerings will benefit not only United Way of San Antonio but also towards the community’s most complex and challenging issues.
A challenging issue Craig must address is selling 8,000 boxes by Jan. 2021. So far, she has sold 4,000 boxes this year but is confident in reaching that goal within the next couple of weeks.
“Hopefully, by the end of the year, we’ll hit 8,000 boxes,” Craig said. “It would be so great because it gives so much back to the community.” “Whenever you open (the box), it’s such an amazing experience since all these companies are in San Antonio.”