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Business & Tech

Five Places to Fill Your Easter Basket

With the Easter holiday fast approaching, here are ideas from five local stores.

It’s just days before the Easter holiday and stores across the North Fork are braced for the last minute rush of holiday shoppers. North Fork Patch spoke with five stores that have candy and gifts for your baskets.

1) Peter Clarke at in Greenport said his biggest seller this time of year was really his blooming plants. However, he did say his store this year is carrying a unique two-piece paper molded egg that can be used as a basket. He said the vintage European-style egg can house candy or jewelry. In addition, Clarke carries ornamental birds, bunny spreaders and napkin rings, and handmade nests, all perfect for a holiday hostess gift.

2) At the in Mattituck, Chelsea Shalone says customers usually know what they want. This time of year it's chocolate: white, dark, or milk, solid or hollow. In addition to jelly beans and Easter candy corn, she said they do carry a line of sports bunnies and chocolate carrots. Customers can come in and the staff will make up a basket to go, or to be delivered later, said owner Jackie Wilsburg.

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3) Ginger Tomaszewski of in Southold said her store carries a full range of homemade fudge and truffles. They recently added Hammonds Chocolate products, which she said are chocolate bars with unique flavors. If you're looking for something other than candy, they carry a line of animal slippers for adults and children and recently got in  anew line of organic soap. Tomaszewski said they now have doggy treats, toys and shampoo for your four-legged friends basket as well.

4) Angela Oliveri-Deroski of in Greenport said Easter shoppers look for traditional items in her store. She carries Godiva chocolate bunnies, foil covered eggs, 49 flavors of jelly beans, spice jelly beans, and chocolate crosses. She said her most popular item are the handmade chocolate bunnies made from old German molds. They will also make a basket for you, using everything from flower pots to soup tourines to plates as the "basket."

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5) At in Orient, Deb Michta said the candy is homemade and many of the Easter chocolate is made in old German silver molds that have a lot of detail on them. They have chocolate bunnies, hens, crosses, and chicks, in white, dark, or milk chocolate. She said they carry chocolate covered peeps and chocolate covered marshmallows. They have bunnies that are an inch and a half tall up to a bunny that stands over three fee. She said people look for nonpariels, sugar jellies, chocolate covered pretzels and cream eggs to fill out their baskets. Michta said they will also special order anything and they can accommodate customers needs on the spot.

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