BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — A new delivery service is rolling into the neighborhood.
Just in time for the holidays, the bicycle door-to-door company Say Grace Delivery launched in Bedford-Stuyvesant this month to cater to area businesses and residents, said owner Shawn Walsh.
“I see all these new businesses coming into the neighborhood and Bed-Stuy has such an ambience, such a community feeling,” Walsh, 55, said.
“I find that by doing this delivery service, which I know is efficient and effective, I can offer support to local businesses and fill in that gap.”
After hitching an aluminum trailer to her bike, Walsh partnered with Seasons nursery and garden center and delivered about 20 Christmas trees within Bed-Stuy’s borders with the help of her employees.
She’s since teamed up with restaurants such as Peaches, Peaches HotHouse and Grandchamps Kitchen and Market for food deliveries, she said, along with local grocery stores.
For a flat fee of $5, Say Grace Delivery will pick up and drop off take-out orders from restaurants, as well as laundry, supplies or other items shoppers request from neighborhood stores.
Shoppers can call in their orders at the business for pickup, then contact Say Grace to do the heavy-lifting.
Walsh is also considering a streamlined option where people can order online, she said.
Customers can also use the company’s “concierge” service for a $15 fee, in which they send their shopping lists to Say Grace. Walsh and her team will go to the store to collect the items, which will be dropped off at clients’ doorsteps.
“It’s a social enterprise that supports local stores, provides decent jobs and keeps the commerce in the neighborhood,” the founder said, adding that the company is on the lookout for more delivery employees.
Walsh, who moved to Bed-Stuy in 2008, said she has always used her bike to get around.
Part of her motivation for Say Grace is to raise awareness about cycling as a form of transportation and safety issues for cyclists, she added.
The company takes its name after one of Walsh’s cats, Grace, who lived on her block when she first came to the neighborhood.
“Everyone knew Grace and took care of her. When I would come home on my bike, she’d come running and race down the block with me.”
In the future, Walsh hopes to offer a subscription service for deliveries, and is seeking to partner with local senior centers to help with their shopping.
For more information on Say Grace, visit the company’s Facebook page here or call 888-611-2453 for inquiries.
