INWOOD — A local resident says his newly launched cleaning business will leave residents feeling like the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air — without the “witty and sometimes sarcastic butler."
The cleaning service Brownstone Butler — which provides customers with help beyond just housecleaning, including runs to the supermarket and medicine pickups — offers a pair of packages named after famous TV butlers.
The Geoffrey package, named after the "Fresh-Prince of Bel-Air" character, and The Belvedere, named for the titular character from "Mr. Belvedere," provide different levels of service based on tenants' needs.
For $39, customers who order The Geoffrey will benefit from floor cleaning, dishwashing, the watering of plants and the general organizing of homes, company founder Antonio Matos said.
The Belvedere, at $59, includes all the services included in The Geoffrey plus bathroom, refrigerator and window cleanings, the wiping down of furniture and even trips to the supermarket called "recipe runs."
Matos said patrons can further customize their packages to add more services, such as a 20-minute dog walk, the shoveling out of a car from the snow or a car wash for a few extra bucks. Initially, he plans to do all the work himself.
"Sometimes if you just maintain your home, you won't need the [service] as often," said Matos, 25, a graduate of Fordham University and Hofstra Law School.
When he conceived of his company and started compiling the licenses and insurance information needed to launch it, it seemed like the perfect opportunity “with the community being as tight as it is,” Matos explained.
He continued studying for the New York Bar Exam through the winter and took the exam in February before officially launching the company with a Facebook post announcing it last week.
“I’ve lived in Inwood for 16 years," he said. "It’s really a whole new culture here."
Matos, who grew up in Washington Heights with his parents while visiting his grandmother in Inwood, said the "butler for rent" business focuses on doing the things people don’t like to do themselves.
Customers can sign up through the company’s website and provide their contact information and best times to meet. As soon as Matos receives the information, he reaches out to the customer to go over maintenance needs, prices, getting copies of house keys and addressing any concerns “your Brownstone Butler should really be aware of,” he said. He then pays a visit while the resident is at work or out of the house for a period of time.
“The idea is that you can get all these things taken care of while you’re at work or outside,” Matos said.
The Brownstone Butler is currently available only to Inwood residents, although Matos said he’s hoping to expand to other neighborhoods in the near future.
