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NILES — A Niles native’s entrepreneurial endeavor aims to provide Michiana residents with a convenient shopping experience.

Kelly Myers, of Edwardsburg, is launching Myers Market Shopping and Delivery Service on Monday, April 11.

A grocery delivery service, Myers Market will offer the Niles, Buchanan, Edwardsburg and Michiana communities a dedicated, detail-oriented and service-driven personal shopping experience. Interested readers can sign up at shop.dumpling.us/myersmarket. Unlike most grocery delivery companies, Myers Market users can shop from a variety of area stores – Martin’s, Shelton’s Farm Market, Target, Meijer and more – and can order items from more than one store in the same time block.

The service also allows customers to leave detailed notes to ensure the accuracy of their order. 

“If you want green bananas instead of ripe ones, you can add those details to really get your shopper the information so they can serve you in the best way possible,” Myers said.

Myers has spent the past four years working for a grocery delivery service in Indiana. After a friend created an account with grocery delivery app Dumpling and started her own business, Myers decided to try it in order to serve an area of the state with few grocery delivery options.

“I had so many people ask me when I’m in the store shopping if I know anyone who will deliver in Michigan,” she said. “The farthest south in Michigan is the Stevensville area. … I figured I’d give it a go and see if I can get my hometown and our community taken care of, too.”

Myers has completed nearly 2000 orders with a 5 out of 5 rating with her current job, 100 percent of which were delivered on time. When Myers Market launches, she plans to ease into it in order to make necessary adjustments.

“I want to make sure that I’m providing the best service possible,” she said. “I don’t want to jump in too fast and sacrifice that service.”

Myers said her demographic ranges from teens to senior citizens.

“I work with a lot of retired, disabled elderly,” she said. “I do a lot of young moms, new moms with kids at home or people who are sick and don’t want to go to the store. I have a wide client base, which is awesome.”

In order to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold, Myers has dozens of cooler bags ready for use. While Myers will not be making deliveries until April 11, customers can begin creating orders for the 11th starting Saturday, April 2. Myers said the early feedback on her endeavor has been positive.

“I made a few Facebook posts and started a business page, but that’s pretty much it,” she said. “I’ve had dozens of people in the past few days sign up for my app.”

The interest and feedback has been so positive that Myers, who was initially planning to keep her grocery delivery job in Indiana, may commit to serving the Niles area exclusively sooner rather than later.

“I’m pretty excited to see so many people with a positive response,” she said. “I did not expect that to happen this quickly.”

The grocery business has always been close to Myers, whose first job was at Shelton’s Farm Market was her first job. With her new business, Myers feels like she has come full circle.

“I have stayed close friends with the family there,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to talking to grandpa Jimbo [Shelton] and saying ‘I’m delivering for your store, how awesome is this?’ … I’m excited to get out, see people and get them taken care of.”

With the opening date fast approaching, Myers looks forward to serving the community she calls home.

“There’s just something special about this community,” she said. “The people are thankful and happy to have a service like this available to them when the whole area around us has already had it. I want to bring this to my friends and family.”

For more information, contact Myers at myersmarketmi@gmail.com or message the Myers Market Shopping and Delivery Service Facebook page.