Austin Way Magazine - GreenGale Publishing - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/787203
54 AUSTINWAY.COM PHOTOS COURTESY OF STOCKSY Key Concierge works with luxury rentals to provide custom experiences like picnics (clockwise from top right), shopping trips, restaurant reservations, and concert packages. CUSTOM TRAVEL, SANS THE WORK YOU PICK WHERE YOU WANT TO STAY. AUSTIN- BASED EY CONCIERGE TURNS IT INTO AN ELEVATED EXPERIENCE. BY CHUCK ANSBACHER Imagine the perfect vacation. Your driver picks you up at the airport and whisks you away to your luxe vacation rental. The fridge and bar have been stocked with snacks and spirits—maybe just popcorn and prosecco for your girls' weekend, or groceries for you and your family. You've got reservations at all the buzziest restaurants, tickets to shows, and hyper-local recommenda- tions for what to do—from the hottest yoga studios to the coolest nightclubs. The best part? You didn't have to plan a thing. That's the premise of Key Concierge, the local startup launched at South by Southwest 2014 by Austin native Kim Shrum. Now in 10 markets and soon expanding to 20, Key partners with vacation rental sites like Austin- based HomeAway and boutique hotels including SoCo gem Kimber Modern (110 The Circle, 512-912-1046; kimber modern.com) to offer custom concierge pack- ages with minimal work on your part. Austin experiences include a live-music crawl and a private Hill Country bike ride; Aspen visitors can enjoy brunch and a hot-air balloon ride, and in LA, clients can enjoy the services of a private beach butler. "There is no request too bizarre or too big," emphasizes Shrum, who previously worked in private equity. "You always have that concierge in your pocket who is actually a local in the market." key.co . SCENE INNOVATOR "IF YOU SUFFER FROM FOMO, THEN KEY IS FOR YOU." —kim shrum