Copenhagen entrepreneur Jannik Lawaetz, 32, hatched LuggageHero, his luggage-storing service, from personal experience.
“When I stayed at an Airbnb in London two years ago, I had no options for leaving my luggage anywhere after checking out, so I had to lug it around London,” said Lawaetz. On the flip side, as an Airbnb host in his home city, more than half his guests ask for a place to leave their bags on check-out day.
LuggageHero, which takes reservations online, connects travelers with local businesses that will hold onto their bags for hours or even days. Many of the storage sites are retail shops and cafes, though Lawaetz also contracts with some hotels, a boon because they’re open 24/7.
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Since LuggageHero debuted last year, it’s grown to offer 45 drop-off points in Copenhagen and 70 in London (the service is recommend by both cities’ official tourist offices), and Lawaetz expects to expand into the United States later this year, hopefully to New York City.
To protect travelers, LuggageHero certifies its drop-off locations, covers bags with a security seal, and insures luggage up to $765 against damage, loss, and theft. Charges include a 2 euro ($2.30) start-up fee, 1 euro ($1.15) per hour rate and 10 euro ($11.50) max per day per bag the first day and 5 euros ($5.75) thereafter. The shops take a percentage of the fee and also become known to potential customers.
“It’s a great feeling to make a concept that really helps people,” Lawaetz said. “Being left with your luggage can really ruin an arrival or departure day.”
DIANE DANIEL