Boxes to beat
A man walked into the Araya Artisan Chocolate shop recently and asked for a box of chocolates, store co-owner Stefano Zullian recalled.
When asked which among the variety of elegant chocolates he wanted, he said, “I don’t care, I’m collecting your boxes.”
It was music to Zullian’s ears. He presents his chocolates and truffles in boxes designed by local and international artists as a way of differentiating his less than 1-year-old shop in the River Oaks Shopping Center.
There are many thousands of gift items for shoppers to consider this time of year. Fine packaging is a way to make a product stand out.
“Although we often say don’t judge a book by its cover, that is exactly what we do. Not only books, but every thing we buy,” said Gerald Patnode Jr., assistant professor of management and marketing at York College of Pennsylvania.
