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Patch to Porch RVA is bringing pumpkin deliveries to the Richmond region. (Photos courtesy Patch to Porch)
Rebecca Rabiger has never been happy when summer ends in Richmond, but decorating her front porch for fall has always helped.
That's why, after being laid off from her corporate project manager job earlier this year, she decided to go all in on an idea that's more creative than corporate.
Rabiger and fellow Richmonder Sara Lahmann have teamed up on Patch to Porch RVA, a locally based and sourced pumpkin delivery and styling service.
The service offers a handful of packages for pumpkin porch delivery and styling in a range of prices. Options include porch setup and removal by Rabiger and Lahmann, as well as several cheaper options for just pumpkin delivery, for those who can set up and take down the displays by themselves.
Rabiger and Lahmann, a nurse, have been friends since they met waiting tables at Siné Irish Pub several decades ago. When Rabiger, who is also a Pilates instructor, was laid off from her project manager job in January, the unexpected turn of events led her to wonder what her next move might be.
Not wanting to go back into the corporate world, she began looking to her other skills and interests, one of which was porch decorating, and her background in event planning before she took her corporate gig.
That led her to Patch to Porch, an idea informed by an Instagrammer she'd seen last year who runs a pumpkin delivery and styling service in another city. With nothing similar available locally, and with her love of decorating and styling her own porch, Rabiger said she saw an opportunity to bring the concept to Richmond.
Rabiger brought Lahmann in on the idea, and the two set to work formulating Patch to Porch, which officially launched this week.
"I'm a summer girl, so when fall comes around, I always mourn it. ... I started styling the porches to make myself happy in the fall," Rabiger said. "That was what originally inspired me."
Rebecca Radiger, right, and Sara Lahmann are the co-founders of Patch to Porch.
Rabiger told BizSense she believes Patch to Porch can be a good option for families who might not have time to get out to the pumpkin patch but still want to support local entities with their autumnal decor.
"It's always something I've done regularly, is decorate my porch for fall. ... I feel like it's a service that's needed for both busy families who don't have time but would want to have something like this. They don't want the hassle of grabbing pumpkins on their own," Rabiger said. "But also, there's a market for people who want you to do it all for them."
Packages start at $300 for a bundle that includes around 34 pumpkins and gourds (including 10 jack-o'-lanterns) and does not include setup or removal. The two more expensive tiers - the $775 Harvest Collection and the Autumn Estate for $1,275 - come with 60 and 92 pumpkins and gourds, respectively, and include delivery, setup and design by the Patch to Porch team.
The pricier packages also include one or two jumbo prizewinner pumpkins and polar bear pumpkins, as well as straw bales and mums. Customers can also add options like corn stalks and additional straw bales to their packages for an additional fee.
Per the company's website, Patch to Porch also provides pumpkin delivery and styling for weddings or other special occasions, at varying rates.
When customers visit the website, they can select the week they'd like their package delivered, and Rabiger and Lahmann will follow up with logistics. Deliveries are currently scheduled starting the week of Sept. 15 and ending the week of Oct. 19.
Patch to Porch serves all addresses in the Richmond city limits. It also delivers to Chesterfield and Henrico addresses for a $50 fee. Delivery in Henrico and Chesterfield is free for the Autumn Estate package.
The delivery service sources its pumpkins locally, which Rabiger said was an important detail for the duo.
"We're a local business; we want to work with local businesses," she said. "I think that's a great way to build community."
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