Retail Roundup

Build The Perfect NC Welcome Bag

Greeting your guests with a thoughtful bag of goodies is a great way to share your excitement and to thank them for coming to your special event. Welcome bags, or out-of-town bags, are fun to put together and will make your guests feel appreciated. With so many fantastic North Carolina companies and products, finding ways to personalize your welcome bag is easy.

Whether you’re having a large gathering of out-of-town guests or a smaller get together with people who see each other routinely, welcome bags are always a thoughtful gesture. They’re universally loved and everyone likes to feel a little pampered.

Before you can start thinking about what to put in your bag, you first need to decide what kind of bag you want to use. Visit some of your favorite local stores and check out their selection of reusable shopping bags. You may be surprised to see how affordable and attractive they are. Atherton Mill and Market, a local farmer’s market in Charlotte, has sturdy, handsome burlap bags for only $3, or you may want to think outside the “bag” and use alternative containers like beach pails, apple baskets or wine crates.

Once you’ve selected your container, start writing a welcome letter, itinerary and contact sheet. Visit your local tourism office for visitor guides, brochures and maybe even coupons. Pick up local newspapers and magazines. Personalize your information further by including a list of your favorite coffee shops, restaurants and parks. Don’t forget to provide driving directions to your event venues!

Now the fun begins. Give your guests a taste of local NC flavor by including some of these goodies.

• Cheerwine soda
• Sun Drop soda
• Moravian cookies from Salem Baking Company
• Lance snacks
• Krispy Kreme donuts
• Butterfields Candy
• Texas Pete Hot Sauce (yep, they originated in Winston Salem)
• North Carolina apples
• Hush puppy and grits mixes from your local farmer’s market
• Scott's Barbecue Sauce, a Greensboro staple
• NC Wine from a local winery or around the corner at a nearby grocery store

Want something even more local? Visit some of these stores, bakeries and purveyors:

• Loco for Coco, Greensboro
• The Chocolate Door, Chapel Hill
• The Secret Chocolatier, Charlotte
• Dillsboro Chocolate Factory, Dillsboro
• French Broad Chocolates, Asheville
• Escazu Chocolates, Raleigh
• Miel Bon Bons, Carrboro
• The Pleasant Bee, Raleigh for honey
• The Old Cider Mill, Bat Cave for sauces, jams and cider
• The Curb Market, Hendersonville for jellies, jams and honey
• The Northwest Trading Post, Mile Market 258 on the Blue Ridge Parkway for jams and bread
• A Southern Season, Chapel Hill for all things North Carolina

Another way to personalize your welcome bag is to give it some regional flair, per NC’s unique geography and three distinct regions.

Mountains:

• State and national parks maps
• Trail mix
• Flat skipping stones
• Reusable water bottle
• Warm socks
• Mittens
• Chapstick

Piedmont:

• City map
• List of favorite shopping spots
• Brochures to local attractions
• Restaurant menus
• Coupon for museums

Coast:

• Travel-sized sunscreen
• Beach towel
• Flip flops
• Sun visor
• Starfish shaped chocolate
• Salt water taffy
• Ferry schedule

added: August 17, 2010

updated: August 19, 2010