Post by Barnaby Cuthbert on Sept 28, 2014 16:04:57 GMT -8
The Gifts That Keep On Giving
By Rachelle Dralver - Seattle Herald
It was 2012 when Sylvia Prior, wife to a construction worker that was involved in the construction of the Horizon Building at 2nd and Seneca first saw the package, and her life was changed forever. A mystery gift, wrapped in fine silk and ribbon had been delivered to the half-completed doorstep of the Horizon tower for one of the backers of the construction project, she presumed, though she never saw inside of the letter that was slipped beneath the fine ribbon.
"All of the construction folks were gathered around it when the postman delivered it. It was just so beautiful and mysterious. I had to go see what all of the fuss was about," said the homemaker and mother of 3, "It seemed like something really special. We all scattered when the person came to pick it up. A real butler with white gloves and everything. It just added to the mystery."
That particular mystery was never solved for Prior, who watched the package go to it's rightful owner and never learned anything more about it. But the particulars of that container would lead to even more mysteries, all over town.
"I had the idea the next day when I was talking to my husband about it. Maybe," she mused, thinking back to that time in the kitchen of her Shoreline home in 2012, "Just maybe other people would love getting mystery gifts too - and giving them. I know I would." Since 2013, the success of the Mystery Gifts business has allowed her husband Richard to quit his construction job to help his wife with her business full-time. "He's my rock," said Sylvia. I couldn't have created the franchise without him."
That was three years ago. Since then, mystery gifting has been all the rage in Seattle, and it's been picking up steam in other parts of the country as well. Prior's company, Mystery Gifts Inc. has picked up subsidiaries in several malls and outlets throughout Seattle, an other companies like Post Puzzles out of Portland Oregon and the popular E-Nigmas out of Spokane, which specializes in electronic gift cards and vouchers have taken up the growing industry.
When asked about her competition, Sylvia had this to say:
"I don't mind. I got the idea from someone else anyway. I hope more people pass it on."
So it seems that one mystery gift in 2012 lead to many more - and at least one more for Sylvia Prior and her family.
By Rachelle Dralver - Seattle Herald
It was 2012 when Sylvia Prior, wife to a construction worker that was involved in the construction of the Horizon Building at 2nd and Seneca first saw the package, and her life was changed forever. A mystery gift, wrapped in fine silk and ribbon had been delivered to the half-completed doorstep of the Horizon tower for one of the backers of the construction project, she presumed, though she never saw inside of the letter that was slipped beneath the fine ribbon.
"All of the construction folks were gathered around it when the postman delivered it. It was just so beautiful and mysterious. I had to go see what all of the fuss was about," said the homemaker and mother of 3, "It seemed like something really special. We all scattered when the person came to pick it up. A real butler with white gloves and everything. It just added to the mystery."
That particular mystery was never solved for Prior, who watched the package go to it's rightful owner and never learned anything more about it. But the particulars of that container would lead to even more mysteries, all over town.
"I had the idea the next day when I was talking to my husband about it. Maybe," she mused, thinking back to that time in the kitchen of her Shoreline home in 2012, "Just maybe other people would love getting mystery gifts too - and giving them. I know I would." Since 2013, the success of the Mystery Gifts business has allowed her husband Richard to quit his construction job to help his wife with her business full-time. "He's my rock," said Sylvia. I couldn't have created the franchise without him."
That was three years ago. Since then, mystery gifting has been all the rage in Seattle, and it's been picking up steam in other parts of the country as well. Prior's company, Mystery Gifts Inc. has picked up subsidiaries in several malls and outlets throughout Seattle, an other companies like Post Puzzles out of Portland Oregon and the popular E-Nigmas out of Spokane, which specializes in electronic gift cards and vouchers have taken up the growing industry.
When asked about her competition, Sylvia had this to say:
"I don't mind. I got the idea from someone else anyway. I hope more people pass it on."
So it seems that one mystery gift in 2012 lead to many more - and at least one more for Sylvia Prior and her family.