What do cotton candy, event planning, and bartending all have in common? Each of these is part of a larger movement that has gained a lot of traction this summer: mobile services.
With COVID-19 limiting peoples’ opportunities to celebrate events and accomplishments at a restaurant or a bar, mobile service companies such as cotton candy company Spun Sugar Detroit, mobile bartending company Neat Pours Detroit, and event planning and design company Morgan Taylor’d Events are stepping up and taking over.
Mandy Tamborini, owner of Spun Sugar Detroit, started her business at the end of 2016 and has been doing mobile cotton candy sales for events and parties since 2017. She has eight cotton candy carts, giving her the flexibility to attend all different kinds of events whenever she is booked.
Compared to last summer, outdoor events are much more popular for each of the businesses during this summer season. Tamborini said she noticed that people are opting for neighborhood events in smaller groups versus last summer’s big weddings and corporate events. The response from customers has also been great.
“You just feel like you’re respected a little bit differently,” said Tamborini. “People seem really happy that you’re going to come out to their home now. It’s been pretty good.”
Keena Scott, owner of Neat Pours Detroit, and Morgan Taylor Bates, owner of Morgan Taylor’d Events, have recognized the same thing.
“I think [customer response] has been very, very good and referrals have been through the roof,” said Scott.
People are opting for mobile services because it gives them the chance to enjoy these services for their events and parties with a contact-free, safe, outdoor experience. Spun Sugar Detroit and Neat Pours Detroit offer distanced serving in compliance with social distancing requirements from their mobile carts.
Scott said that people want to host these parties and hire these mobile companies to cater because, after being cooped up in a house for three months, they want to enjoy some time outside with their friends and families. All three of the businesses stated that they have been doing parties every single weekend this summer, with 12 or more already under their belt.
“Everyone’s kind of finding a reason to celebrate and using these resources,” said Scott.
Bates found that outside events have their own challenges with weather and unforeseen events, but this summer has taught her how to be better prepared for anything that could come her way.
“This summer, it was extremely important to take advantage of the opportunity to pivot; pivot into a new way of doing events,” Bates said.