Written by Salvatore DiBenedetto
It’s International Women’s Month and we’ll be celebrating Long Island women throughout the month. Our first feature focuses on two Long Islanders who are showcasing local business and bounty in an incredible way.
Meet Haile Geller and Theresa Pinelli, the female duo behind LocaLi Bred, a company who hand-curates gift boxes stocked with Long Island goods. LocaLI Bred offers an array of options from themed curations to seasonal subscription boxes. Most recently the company added a curated marketplace where shoppers can purchase individual products.
Neither grow up on Long Island, but their husbands did. After moving here and starting families, the ladies met through a Huntington Mom’s Group and instantly became best friends.
“Though neither of us grew up in Long Island, we see it as our home and it’s an incredible place to live.” Haile tells me, “It’s a small island but a big place.” The idea of curating gift boxes with local flare came shortly after and within months they had quit their full time jobs.
Now you can find Haile and Theresa venturing around the island, meeting with local producers and craftsmen to fill their boxes with the best.
“We spend a lot of time meeting with new makers, listening to their stories and trying out what they have to offer. Our goal is to change the perception of Long Island and feature small businesses in the area who produce quality, unique products to locals and beyond,” explains Geller.
Haile, a former attorney and Theresa a former marketing professional who worked for companies like American Express and Estee Lauder, used their knowledge and background to get their “Long Island in a Box” concept off the ground. It’s been a huge success since its launch and the pair look forward to growing it even further with their new corporate gifting bundles.
The boxes are perfect for friends and family who have moved out of town, wedding favors, or even as a local curious on the varying businesses around Long Island. In fact, every box supports at least 10 local businesses featuring artists, spice makers, coffee producers to handmade soaps and much more.
The company currently offers six themed boxes and four seasonal boxes, which ship to subscribers four times a year. Each box also features a special bonus, Theresa’s fresh baked Mia Brownie and Annabelle Blondie, named after the duo’s daughters who are coincidentally also best friends.
When we talked about the importance of celebrating women during National Women’s Month, the duo chimed, “Being Mothers and entrepreneurs has been both the biggest blessing and challenge. Our families fuel and motivate us, in fact, they’re the reason this has even started! But one flu can throw everything off. Every day is an adventure but we wouldn’t have it any other way!”
Learn more and order your box at www.localibred.com
