Relax Concierge provides clean sheets, towels, picks them up dirty at end of week
OCEAN CITY — Erin Visalli likes to take it easy, but what she likes even more is helping others enjoy a relaxing vacation and leaving the work to her and her staff.
The 46-year-old, who lives in Wall Township with husband Pete and children Christian, 11, and Francesca, 8, operates Relax Concierge, providing premium linens, comforters, blankets towels, pillows, plush bathrobe rentals with weekly delivery and pickup.
In addition, she rents a wide range of equipment for babies including full-size cribs, strollers, pack and plays, bed rails and high chairs.
Products are not limited to inside the home, as she also offers resort-quality umbrellas, towels, chairs, carts and outdoor games for the beach, as well as inflatables and other items for the pool.
The products are loaded into clear bins, maintaining the crisp and clean look of everything, then loaded onto trucks and delivered, primarily on Saturday mornings but Fridays and Sundays to a lesser extent.
The same day, the bins delivered the previous week are picked up, making guests’ arrival, departure and return home smoother.
“We deliver to the front entrance to the property. We typically look for overhangs, an awning or porch, and for the second floor we walk it up and leave it there,” Visalli said. “On the day of check-out, they put everything back in the bins — it does not have to be laundered — and then hit the road. This saves them a lot of time.”
Prices start at $20 for Saturday delivery/pickup with a minimum order $50.
The business keeps Visalli hopping as she processes and fills orders, manages her fleet and creates the most efficient route for delivery.
She said she was motivated to form the business by watching her mother get ready for family vacations at the shore.
“Preparing for the trip was a lot of work for my mom. She organized everything — from linens to groceries to luggage to beach gear,” Visalli said. “After arriving, I remember it taking about a day until we were all truly on vacation. After getting home, there was a mountain of laundry and lots of stuff to put away.”
After meeting her husband at Loyola College, they spent summers at his parents’ house in Ocean City.
“I remember seeing vacationers arrive every Saturday, just as my family did, with cars loaded with stuff,” she said.
Upon graduating, Visalli specialized in business processing re-engineering with Accenture, through which she traveled extensively across the U.S.
“I always enjoyed checking out what made each hotel unique. Whether it be for work or pleasure, I love checking out lobbies, sampling toiletries and amenities of the hotels,” she said.
After 10 years of consulting, she aimed to bring the hotel experience to vacation rental homes.
“I took that dream to Wharton’s Small Business Development Center to further develop the specifics. From there, Relax was a reality and we’ve have been enhancing vacations ever since,” Visalli said.
Another facet of the business that evokes a hotel experience is that Relax Concierge provides a complimentary copy of the Ocean City Sentinel and Sure Guide with each order.
Visalli started her business in 2010 out of her in-laws’ home before moving to a warehouse. She wound up for a while on West Avenue at 12th Street before making the move to the current location at 232 West Ave.
The office exudes relaxation, with its muted color scheme offset by crisp white accents and inviting decor. Since her clients sign up mainly online, it’s a nice, cool place to hang out for the 15 college-age employees she hires each season.
Every summer, she and her team have expanded the business.
“We are always adding more inventory to service more guests, incorporating new product lines per our guest requests and adding new delivery towns,” she said. “We truly hope for the best and want to hear from our guests as to the best way we can make vacation the most fun and relaxing.”
The business keeps her busy a couple of times throughout the off-season as well. Families visiting their shore homes for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter can get all of the sheets, towels, blankets and other items delivered, since the house may have been closed for a couple of months, then picked up after the celebration with little thought from the celebrants.
While the headquarters is in Ocean City, the business operates Relax North, serving Sea Girt, Manasquan, Point Pleasant, Bay Head and Mantoloking; Relax LBI, serving Long Beach Island, Beach Haven West and Manahawkin; and Relax South, serving Ocean City, Strathmere, Sea Isle City, Avalon and Stone Harbor.
Call (609) 601-5077 or email support@relaxconcierge.com for more information. Visit relaxconcierge.com to place an order.
– STORY and PHOTOS by CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
