THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 21, 1994 TAG: 9412200117
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALLISON T. WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SMITHFIELD LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
AT BASSE'S CHOICE Plantation Ltd., employees were used to customers walking through the front door looking for the Southern gourmet foods the company sells.
But until now, the Isle of Wight County-based catalog business had never stocked the delicious products that have earned the company a national customer following over the last five years: Gwaltney hams, Virginia peanuts, smoked turkeys and the like.
``A lot of people came out here wanting to see our things,'' said Alexa Ricketts, the company's director of operations. ``But we didn't have a showroom and weren't really set up to see people.
``All we did was take the order. We were a distribution center,'' she said.
``We needed a place where people could see what we have and make purchases.
Nowadays, however, customers can see what they're buying. On Dec. 1, the mail-order company expanded into Isle of Wight County's retail market with the opening of Basse's Choice Plantation Shoppe. The store is at 224 Main St., Smithfield, in the former gallery of the late wildlife artist Robert Clontz.
It carries a wide selection of traditional Southern foods: Gwaltney hams, smoked turkeys, peanuts, preserves, maple syrup, and mixes for biscuits, pancakes and grits.
The shop also carries locally written history books, cookbooks and gift baskets, Ricketts said. In addition, people can purchase Clontz's wildlife prints from the store.
Diane Phelps is the day manager of the new outlet and Jennifer Watkins is in charge at night and on weekends.
Although Basse's Choice Plantation Shoppe will handle mail orders made by walk-in customers, most of the store's business is expected to come from local customers and tourists wanting to purchase a real Smithfield ham, Ricketts said.
Items purchased and carried from the store are 10 percent below catalog prices, she added. Prices will not be changed for purchases that are to be shipped by the company. MEMO: Basse's Choice Plantation Shoppe is open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday
through Saturday and from 1-6 p.m. Sunday. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JOHN H. SHEALLY II
Managers Diane Phelps, left, and Jennifer Watkins check items in the
catalog at the new Basse's Choice on Main Street in Smithfield.
by CNB