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Best Doorman Substitute

  • Your Neighborhood Office

    332 Bleecker St., nr. Christopher St.; 212-989-8303

    The sign above the counter at Your Neighborhood Office says it all: just ask … we might. That includes anything you’d expect from a copy-mail center, like faxing, document notarizing, shipping, and P.O. boxes, but it’s what this shop’s employees do beyond that—signing for packages, bookkeeping, babysitting, making Home Depot runs, braving the line for cupcakes at Magnolia during peak tourist hours—that has made them a longtime favorite for doorman-less Villagers. An important factor: The (small) staff is incredibly warm and friendly and knows all the regulars, from neighborhood freelancers to busy small-business owners. Rates vary with the task at hand, but YNO charges $5 to sign for a FedEx or UPS delivery, and errand services run between $25 to $125. The staff’s so trustworthy that many customers give them keys to their homes when they’re out of town for plant-watering and pet-sitting. “No turtle will die on my watch!” says owner HelenAnne Lally. Whew.

From the 2012 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine