Platform begins curbside pickup for wine, CBD

Culver City’s Platform offering curbside pickup for your feel-good treats, WFH cravings

By Lisa BooneStaff Writer

March 30, 2020 4 PM PT

The swift and harsh economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic has prompted many small businesses and restaurants to get creative in an effort to stay open.

Nurseries are selling houseplants and victory garden staples curbside. Elite restaurants are offering takeout, groceries, farm boxes, even cocktails to go.

Starting today, Platform, the Culver City shopping center, is offering drive-through pickup of select items from many of its independent boutiques and restaurants. Order online, and purchases will be waiting when you arrive, with all proceeds benefiting the vendors and not Platform.

Feel-good items include a DIY pizza kit from Roberta’s; wine, beer and alcohol from Flask and Field’s Miriam Yoo; Van Leeuwen ice cream; WFH supplies from Poketo; and Parachute bathrobes. There are also produce boxes from County Line Harvest.

Poketo’s Ted Vadakan said he and wife Angie Myung, whom we profiled last year, have been forced to close all four of their stores temporarily and furlough their staff. “We have had to make tough decisions so that we can survive after this is over,” Myung said. “We are trying to drive as much traffic as we can to our website. Our community has been so supportive. It’s nice to see the community come out and support us and other small businesses.”

Platform’s drive-through service will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Here’s how it works: Order and pay online at PlatformDriveThrough.com, wait 45 minutes, then pick up your goods from a sanitized table or have an attendant place them in your car. (A spokewoman for Platform said CDC guidelines are being followed, including the use of commercial grade disinfectants, gloves and social distancing.) A small percentage of proceeds will benefit Meals on Wheels.

Here is a full list of the participating businesses:

Food / Drink

-- Roberta’s: pizzas, DIY pizza kits, dry pasta, wine

-- County Line Harvest: produce boxes

-- Van Leeuwen: pints of ice cream

-- Flask and Field: wine club boxes, beer, a la carte liquor, home mixology set

-- Bondi Harvest: takeout, fresh frozen family meal kits, at-home boxes

-- Loqui: tacos, tortillas, pantry chips, salsa, guacamole, Mexican wine and craft beer

-- Pop’s Bagels: half dozen and dozen bagels, schmear, bake at-home bagels

-- Loria Stern: edible-flower cookies, granola