Between kids being home and holiday travel plans, finding the time to shop, wrap, and deliver gifts to everyone on your list can seem impossible. Enter: Afloat—the local high-end gift delivery service that combines the thoughtfulness of gift-giving with the ease of online ordering, all while supporting local shops.
Founder Sarah-Allen Preston got the idea for Afloat amid a difficult life experience—her 5-month-old son was undergoing open-heart surgery. “I wouldn’t have gotten through this trying period of time without my friends, family, and community,” she says. “A gift, no matter how big or small, on our doorstep, would change a hard, lonely day into a moment that I felt cared for and connected to someone.”
The feeling those gifts evoked sparked something in Preston—she wanted more people to be able to feel what she felt. “I wanted to bottle the feeling of care and connection that I had felt and build a product that not only amplified this feeling of connection through technology, but made gifting both meaningful for the recipient and seamless for the giver,” she says. After connecting with friends, local stores, and gift-givers in her community, the app was born.
As the holiday season ramps up, users can shop, purchase, and send gifts without worrying about wrapping or delivering—Afloat even offers same-day delivery and sends each gift with a handwritten note. Plus, since the app curates only the best of the best and allows users to filter searches, picking out the right present is far easier than spending hours at the mall.
Some of the trending gifts Preston has noticed fall under the category of “quiet luxury,” such as Estelle wine glasses from Talulah & HESS and beautiful linens from Don Lino. With items like these, along with culinary and experiential gifts, Afloat has something for everyone.
“I love the jetsetter pillow from The Pillow Bar for literally anyone,” she says. “Sur La Vague has the cutest tops and PJs, which you can never have enough of. Giving experiences is always a win, and I love the sessions at The Ozone Bar and facials from Joanna Czech.”
From easing holiday stress to spreading local love, Afloat is all about bringing people together, cultivating connection, and celebrating relationships.
theafloatapp.com | 5600 West Lovers Lane, Suite 312
