Packs Delivery: 'Anything, anywhere, anytime'

MOSES LAKE - From dinner to dry cleaning, groceries to roadside assistance - Nathan Pack promises to transport pretty much anything to your door.

"If you need something, we're here," he said. "I'll move anything."

This week, Pack, 27, launched Packs Delivery along with his wife, Stacie, and his brother Daniel, who assists with deliveries.

The idea is straightforward: Patrons are charged a flat rate of $3.50 per delivery plus $1.25 a mile from the place of pickup.

Pack said he devised the business after noticing the only restaurants with delivery in Moses Lake are pizza joints and one Teriyaki place. Pack, who also works full time at Genie, said he decided to come up with a plan to fill the need.

"I'm 27 now, married with two kids and I knew if I didn't try to do something for myself, my family, now, I might never do it," he said. "But getting into it, I didn't realize how much there is to starting a business."

While there was a lot to learn, Pack said since its inception, the business has only taken about three months to get off the ground. He and Stacie used their savings to buy a scooter, which Pack built a delivery rack for, and a Toyota Prius, which cuts down on fuel costs considerably.

Pack found a device that lets him process credit cards using his cell phone and taught himself how to advertise on Facebook and Google, as well as create his own website.

"It's all new to us," he said. "There was a lot of computer time and there's still more to go. We've hired a couple things out but for the most part it's all done in house."

The website has menus of several area restaurants and easily allows online ordering, which sends a message directly to Pack's phone. He said he'd like to eventually have an online grocery store, with pictures of each item that can be dropped in a virtual shopping cart. He's also working toward a smartphone application.

For her part, Stacie recently left her job at Michael's On the Lake to dedicate herself full time to the fledgling business. She said working at the upscale restaurant taught her the importance of customer care, something she and Nathan plan to emphasise with Packs Delivery.

"We're here for the customer because, once someone pays us, it's nothing they can hold in their hand," Pack said. "They're paying for our customer service, our quickness and our ability to get them what they want."

Pack said his delivery fee is well worth the savings in time, energy and gas.

"It's really not as expensive as people might think if they break it down to time spent, the hassle and fuel prices," he said. "Your time is worth something too."

Pack is offering a half-off introductory rate to new customers, along with a punch card that gives patrons the 10th in-town delivery for free.

For more information call 509-762-1234 or visit www.packsdelivery.com