Minibar Delivery

Minibar Delivery was founded in 2014 by Lara Crystal and Lindsey Andrews,{{cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/15/minibar-alcohol-marketplace-picks-up-5-million-in-funding/|title=Minibar Delivery alcohol marketplace picks up $5 million in funding|work=TechCrunch|date=15 August 2017|accessdate=17 June 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/leoking/2015/12/17/minibar-founders-friendship-and-work-startup/#1e30e0e36563|title=Fantastic Digital Founders On Balancing Friendship And Entrepreneurship|website=Forbes|accessdate=17 June 2019}} who were classmates at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.{{cite web|url=https://glg.it/de/videos/lara-crystal-lindsey-andrews-minibar-brand-identity-business-partner/|title=Toasting to the On-Demand Economy|publisher=GLG|accessdate=17 June 2019}} The two conceived the idea during a takeout Tuesday at their apartment when they ran out of alcohol and neither of them wanted to go to the store. Crystal is the former vice president of marketing at the e-commerce site Rent the Runway, while Andrews had various marketing roles at FreshDirect, Soap.com, and Wag.com. In deciding to venture into alcohol delivery, Crystal stated that "Basically we saw a huge market that has not been successfully brought online",{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2014/02/05/seamless-for-booze-minibar-deliverys-ios-app-summons-alcohol-to-your-doorstep|title=Seamless for booze: Minibar Delivery's iOS app summons alcohol to your doorstep|website=VentureBeat|date=5 February 2014|accessdate=17 June 2019}} also saying that "We saw a major void in the market–especially in New York City where you can have virtually anything delivered to your door–and wanted to create a great consumer experience that makes alcohol delivery and home entertaining as easy as and enjoyable as possible".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3026099/on-demand-booze-minibar-will-deliver-the-alcohol-you-ordered-within-60-minutes |title=On-Demand Booze: Minibar Will Deliver The Alcohol You Ordered Within 60 Minutes.|magazine=Fast Company|accessdate=17 June 2019}} They began by partnering with local liquor stores to offer on-demand delivery in 30–60 minutes.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/07/21/door-door.|title=Door-To-Door.|magazine=The New Yorker|accessdate=17 June 2019}}

In October 2014, Minibar Delivery opened up their services in Chicago, forming agreements with Un-Cork It wine store and sandwich shop Milk & More. They opened in San Francisco the same month.{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20141022/BLOGS09/141029909/new-york-based-minibar-launches-liquor-delivery-in-chicago|title=Liquor quicker: Minibar starts up in Chicago|publisher=Chicago Business|date=22 October 2014|accessdate=17 June 2019}} By 2015, Minibar Delivery expanded to serve wider New York, Los Angeles, Jersey City, The Hamptons, Ithaca, Dallas, Hoboken, Westchester, Silicon Valley, Palm Beach and Miami.{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/01/30/minibar-offers-on-demand-booze-delivery-in-13-cities |title=Minibar Delivery Offers On-Demand Booze Delivery in 13 Cities|publisher=Tech Crunch|date=30 January 2015|accessdate=17 June 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2018/10/24/a-liquor-delivery-company-offers-customers-party-planning-101/|title=A liquor delivery company offers customers party planning 101|publisher=Digital Commerce|date=24 October 2018|accessdate=17 June 2019}} That same year, the company acquired Booze Carriage, a New York City-based on-demand alcohol delivery company.{{cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/03/20/minibar-liquor-delivery-startup-acquires-competitor-booze-carriage/|title=Minibar Liquor Delivery Startup Acquires Competitor Booze Carriage|work=TechCrunch|date=20 March 2015|accessdate=17 June 2019}}

In July 2017, TechCrunch reported that Minibar Delivery raised an additional $5M in seed funding, led by Corigin Ventures, with participation from Female Founders Fund, Winklevoss Capital, LaunchCapital and RiverPark Ventures, among others. The same month they formed an agreement with Total Wine & More to launch an on-demand two-hour alcohol delivery service in Arlington, Virginia.{{cite web|url=https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2017/08/us-retailer-offers-two-hour-alcohol-delivery-service/|title=US retailer offers two-hour alcohol delivery service |publisher=The Spirits Business|date=7 August 2018|accessdate=17 June 2019}} In 2018 they expanded this partnership to many more cities in the state of Virginia such as Richmond,{{cite web|url=https://richmondbizsense.com/2018/11/27/new-york-based-booze-delivery-service-thirsty-richmond-market/|title=New York-based booze delivery service is thirsty for the Richmond market|publisher=Richmond Biz Sense|date=27 November 2018|accessdate=20 June 2019}} Newport News, Virginia Beach, Norfolk and more.{{cite web|url=https://pilotonline.com/business/consumer/article_ed099d5c-ec42-11e8-8418-f7eda5eb17dd.html |title= Want alcohol delivered to your door? A new app brings beer and wine to parts of Hampton Roads|publisher=Pilot Online|date=24 November 2018 |accessdate=20 June 2019}} In September 2017, Minibar Delivery began operations in Baltimore.{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2017/09/05/alcohol-delivery-service-expands-to-baltimore.html|title=Alcohol delivery service expands to Baltimore |publisher=Biz Journals|date=5 September 2017|accessdate=17 June 2019}}

As of February 2018, Minibar Delivery had raised $6.8 million in seed funding.{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/newyork/news/2018/02/01/minibar-delivery-brings-a-minibar-to-your-door.html|title=This start-up delivers a minibar right to your door in New York City |publisher=CNBC, accessed via Biz Journals|date=1 February 2018|accessdate=17 June 2019}} In July 2018 Minibar Delivery formed a partnership with BevMo! in California.{{cite web|url=http://www.spiritedbiz.com/bevmo-and-minibar-delivery-to-partner-on-alcohol-delivery-in-california/|title=BevMo! and Minibar Delivery to Partner on Alcohol Delivery in California|publisher=Spirited Biz |date=18 July 2018|accessdate=20 June 2019}}

In November 2021, Minibar was acquired by ReserveBar.{{cite web|url=https://beveragedynamics.com/2021/11/08/reservebar-acquires-minibar/ |title=ReserveBar Acquires Minibar Delivery |publisher=Beverage Dynamics |date=2021-11-08 |accessdate=2021-11-29}}

Minibar Delivery is headquartered at 79 Madison Avenue, Madison Square North, New York City. It does not hold any inventory, rather the company serves as a platform via their mobile app and website to connect customers with local liquor stores that will deliver to their location{{cite web|url=https://postandparcel.info/68981/news/alcohol-delivery-specialist-minibar-launches-subscription-feature/|title=Alcohol delivery specialist Minibar launches subscription feature|publisher=Postandparcelinfo|date=29 October 2015|accessdate=17 June 2019}} Customers can use the service for on-demand alcohol delivery to their location in 30–60 minutes, shop directly from vineyards, book a bartender on demand, access a trained concierge service for wine recommendations and cocktail recipes, and subscribe for auto-renewed orders in 1, 2, 3, and 4 week intervals.{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/10/27/minibar-alcohol-delivery-service-launches-subscriptions-so-you-can-keep-drinking|title=Minibar Alcohol Delivery Service Launches Subscriptions So You Can Keep Drinking|website=TechCrunch|date=27 October 2015|accessdate=17 June 2019}} Orders can only be delivered during opening hours of the store providers. The company also offers an event planning calculator to help predict the amount of type of alcohol required for parties.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.timeout.com/newyork/shopping/best-options-for-alcohol-delivery-in-nyc|title=The best options for alcohol delivery in NYC|magazine=Time Out|date=22 January 2019|accessdate=17 June 2019}} Minibar Delivery takes a small marketing fee from its store partners. Minibar Delivery also has partnerships with brands. For example, they worked with St-Germain to allow customers to order bartenders on French-style bikes for delivery in New York City.{{cite magazine|url=http://fortune.com/2015/09/21/st-germaine-bike-delivery-nyc/|title=St-Germain using bikes for on-demand delivery service in NYC|magazine=Fortune|date=21 September 2015|accessdate=17 June 2019}}

In September 2017, Minibar Delivery expanded its on-demand deliveries to nationwide shipping with the launch of its Vineyard Select service.{{cite web|url=https://www.foodandwine.com/wine/order-wine-vineyard-direct-minibar|title=How to Buy Wine Directly From a Vineyard-Using an App|website=Food and Wine|accessdate=17 June 2019}} As of 2018, Minibar Delivery has over 200 partners and delivers to over 40 cities in the US.

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• [https://www.minibardelivery.com/ Minibar Delivery Website]

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Category:Wine websites

Category:Companies based in New York City

Category:Retail companies established in 2014

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Category:American companies established in 2014

Category:Online food ordering