The Beach Butlers helps you avoid such headaches. If the thought of navigating an overloaded cart through an unfamiliar store makes you panic, the services of this company are at your disposal.

A few years ago, when Bobbi and Jeff Griggs planned their extended family vacation to the Emerald Coast, they were looking forward to the warm sunshine and beautiful beaches. What they didn’t expect to encounter were flight delays, even flight cancellations, and subsequent bouts of tears.

“We arrived late at night, not knowing where to go for groceries. At that hour the stores were closed and our frustration grew,” Bobbi explains. “We lived in Park City, Utah at the time and I knew of a business there that would have made our arrival in Florida a whole lot better.” Despite the unfortunate travel day, the idea for The Beach Butlers was born.

Bobbi and Jeff first developed their business plan in February of 2004, and have been on the go ever since. Today they service anywhere from Panama City Beach to the seaside communities of 30A, as well as Sandestin and Destin. Their services go beyond grocery shopping, too.

“I do most, if not all, of the shopping and stocking,” says Bobbi. “We’ve delivered items for business lunches, family reunions, wedding brunches, and holiday gatherings. New Year’s Eve parties are popular,” she noted.

“Spend your time at the shore, not at the grocery store,” is one of several catchy slogans for the business. “Grocery shopping is a personal thing for many people, so it’s important we build trust with our clients and provide them with reliable service to accommodate every possible need,” adds Bobbi.

The Beach Butlers try to go above and beyond. Cold items are arranged neatly in the refrigerator; boxed and canned items are organized in the cupboards and pantry; even water bottles and soda cans are out of their cardboard containers, with no trace of the waste. “It’s so important that we focus on the details. We want to make a client’s arrival on day one be one of the best days of their stay.”

Items that are easily forgotten—aluminum foil, plastic sandwich bags, extra toilet paper—are ready and waiting. “We’ve had special requests for organic foods, and baby items are significant for young families.” Stocking homes and rental properties with the everyday items that are so important to guests is the name of the game. Bobbi has even gone so far as to purchase and inflate a portable mattress for visitors whose son wanted a place to “sleep over” in his grandparents’ unit.

Interested parties visit the web site to complete an online order form. Customers are asked to give at least one week’s notice. From there Bobbi calls to verify the requested items and suggests those that may have been overlooked. The firm takes care of contacting the property manager (if the unit happens to be a rental) to determine an appropriate delivery time.

“There’s a small window of time, especially in the high season, between the cleaning service and new renters. We work efficiently, that’s for sure.” Repeat customers appreciate and rely on the service so much that many leave a set of keys with the Griggs.

Bobbi often finds herself conversing with women and mothers who say, ‘I hate to grocery shop!’ She smiles and says, “That’s why we’re here—to alleviate such woes.” The online order form is a snap, and it serves a dual purpose. Bobbi explains, “It’s a template for meal preparation, and it avoids the inevitable ‘impulse buys’ that many stressed parents fall victim to at the supermarket.”

The Beach Butlers cannot guarantee a stress-free vacation, but they can do everything possible to start you out on the right foot. For more information, call The Beach Butlers at 276-0764, or visit www.thebeachbutlers.com.