Sheets of rain plow into the window as Austin Farrell punches in a phone number, and he glances behind him as the dial tone chirps its acknowledgment.
“Hey, this Austin from Falling Sky Delicatessen; we have an order, a delivery for you,” Farrell said.
Minutes later, a bicyclist appears from the deluge with a bulky pack strapped over his raincoat. Within minutes, the rider, Ben Strain, has secured his package and is off again, the only remnant of his visit a trail of water droplets leading across the concrete floor.
Eighteen minutes after this initial exchange takes place, a mound of pastrami rests between two pieces of rye bread in a to-go box on a table at the EMU’s Fishbowl and eager eyes attack it. The transaction is complete.
This undertaking was made possible because of a new partnership between the Falling Sky Delicatessen and the Cascadian Courier Collective, two local businesses who’ve combined forces to deliver deli food all across Eugene — and in an environmentally friendly way.
Falling Sky provides the food, and the Courier Collective provides the bikes and the riders. No cars enter the equation.
According to Rob Cohen, the operator of Falling Sky Delicatessen, the relationship was first forged when the Courier Collective approached them a few months ago with the idea of bicycle deliveries.
“We’re currently putting a major focus on building relationships with local businesses, such as Falling Sky, to provide a high quality and cost-effective service for their customers, with minimal environmental impact,” said Ben Strain, one of the three owners and operators of the Cascadian Courier Collective.
And the feeling ended up being mutual.
“We wanted to partner with like-minded businesses, environmentally conscious businesses,” Cohen said. “It really does speak loudly to our customers.”
On Nov. 11, that environmentally driven partnership became reality.
So far, according to Cohen, the delivery system has been utilized by an average of four-to-five customers a day, but he expects that number to increase as more people become aware of the ethos behind the system.
“It’s for people concerned about the world and the environment,” Cohen said. “It’s a totally environmentally friendly way to get food.”
And now, on any given day, rain or shine, between the hours of 11 a.m. and 10 p.m., you can witness a bicycle courier racing through Eugene with a cargo of food (but not alcohol, for legal reasons), fresh from the Falling Sky kitchens.
And for those willing to try it out, it’s cost effective too. In the downtown area, including the University of Oregon campus, the Courier Collective only charges a $2 delivery fee, and in the outlying areas, like south Eugene or the Ducks Village area, the fee is only $4 — and if you don’t have cash, they bring card readers with them.
The delivery service is still in its infancy, but both parties seem dedicated to expanding it and reaching as many people as they can.
“These guys (the Courier Collective) have said they’re willing to get up at three in the morning to deliver,” Cohen said. “They’re very dedicated.”