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Ohio University Students’ Business Benefit From Cold Weather
< < Back toTwo Ohio University students have taken the concept of home deliveries and turned it into a business.
Sophomore Aaron Hoffman is the president of OU Deliveries, a company that specializes in delivering just about anything to their customers.
"It's mainly food but I've delivered a stick of butter before, I've done deodorant, milk, just about anything you can imagine," says Hoffman. The only thing OU Deliveries does not deliver is alcohol, due to complex legalities.
The company started as an idea by a group of friends in November 2013 but has since grown to become a limited liability company. OU Deliveries, officially known as Our University Delivery, LLC, has 15 employees ranging from a social media manager to drivers.
OU Deliveries earns about $2,000 a week if it has a "slow week," according to John Zinno, vice president of the company. "On a really good week, we make about $4,000 in sales and that's usually when it's very, very cold cause no one wants to go out of their house."
"We definitely have our highest volume of sales when the weather's really bad," Hoffman says.
"When we first started it, we didn't really think it was going to work, I told (Hoffman) I didn't want to be part of it," says Zinno.
The company has grown rapidly, now with over 2,000 followers on their Twitter page in just three months.
OU Deliveries is expected increased sales in the spring, especially during fest season. The company also has partnerships with local businesses including various bars and restaurants.
Hoffman has plans to set up OU Deliveries in an office space on Congress St. later this year.