Store That Wishes You Well

Wishing Well, a gift shop on Church Hill Road in Sandy Hook center, offers a potpourri of surprises for health food enthusiasts and shoppers seeking handcrafts.

The shop, owned by Tamara Doherty, specializes in dozens of different gift baskets stuffed with health food or special occasion items. But, it also offers crafts, such as sweaters, stuffed animals, jewelry, pottery and other gifts.

“I had been a webmaster for an on-line toy company. But, six years ago, I moved on to create a web-based gift basket business emphasizing health foods. Then, four years ago, I opened my shop,” Doherty said.

The shop, originally on Glen Road, recently moved to 107 Church Hill Road, in the heart of Sandy Hook Center.

Customers interested in the health food baskets may shop on-line at www.wellbaskets.com. But, they also may come to the shop where the items used to fill the baskets are displayed for sale, such as almond biscuits, flavored sunflower seeds, tomato sauces, fruit jams and health drinks.

There also is a sizable stack of CDs for individuals with various illnesses desiring guidance to cope, or support to get well.

Doherty was inspired while founding her business by her father-in-law who had received diet instructions from his doctor after suffering a heart attack.

“The doctor gave him a list of foods he should not eat, but I thought it would be best for him to know what he could eat to restore his health,” she said.

This insight led Doherty to create dozens of different baskets, each designed to fight a specific disease and improve health. Her website includes basket choices in various categories including women’s health, heart problems and cancer.

Basket content may also be selected based on holiday themes, such as vegan organic Easter eggs or artisan chocolates. Kosher items are also available. Baskets range in cost from about $35 to $175.

Other baskets may involve foods to maintain health, perhaps directed toward diabetics, persons with gluten intolerance or other food oriented problems and allergies.

“We know certain foods can reduce cholesterol, or shrink cancerous tumors, for example. We choose the items for our baskets, based on such concepts,” Doherty said. “I’ve always been interested in the power of real food and its healing properties.”

Nearly all the food items selected for the baskets and sold in the shop have been created by small entrepreneurial cottage industries in Connecticut.

They include cookies from Gilbert’s Gourmet Goodies and sunflower seeds from Kathie‘s Kitchen, both in Newtown; condiments and marinades made by Ariston in Bloomfield and pasta sauces created by Frank’s in Glastonbury.

An exception is a display of blueberry jams and sauces from Maine.

An ever-evolving display of locally made craft items fills the rest of the shop, including stuffed animals such a huge rabbit sewn by Doherty’s mother Joy Knapp, costume jewelry by various artists, decorative note cards, tie-dye clothing, goat milk soap, pottery and glassware. Many of these items are on consignment.

Doherty admits the shop caters to women who make up a lot of her clientele. But, it is possible for a man interested in health issues or needing a gift for his wife or significant other to benefit from shopping at the Wishing Well.

The shop, offering ample parking, is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and closed on Sunday. It may be contacted by phone, 1-800-582-6164.