New Moving Company Hops Into Twin Cities

Moving can be stressful for anyone, but Ben Cowan hopes to ease the burden and, in the process, build a lucrative business.

Cowan is the local owner of FrogBox, an eco-friendly moving company that got started in Canada a few years ago and launched in the Twin Cities in April.

The company provides reusable moving boxes to customers, then picks them up when a move is complete. It’s a simple concept—and one that isn’t alone in the Twin Cities or across the country—but Cowan thinks there is a market niche for his company.

“It’s been pretty good,” Cowan said of FrogBox’s first few months in the Twin Cities. “We’re hitting our budget numbers so far.”

The owner said he’s averaging 30 to 40 customers per month. Several of those were people moving from one Twin Cities suburb to another, including Ravon Taylor III.

“I thought it was an interesting concept," said Taylor, who moved from St. Louis Park to Brooklyn Park in May. "It was a lot more convenient than buying boxes.”

Taylor found out about FrogBox through Groupon. Cowan said outlets like Groupon, Facebook and Twitter allow him to get his young company in front of more people. Cowan is also trying to actually get himself in front of people, mainly by meeting with real estate agents, mortgage brokers and others connected to the moving trade.

As “going green” has fed into the businesses of rent-by-the-hour hybrid cars and rental bikes, it’s no surprise the movement is making its way to the moving industry. With an estimated 650,000 cardboard boxes used by Twin Cities movers every month, Cowan is seeing plenty of green in “greening.”

“We’re just getting going,” he said. "We're excited about this concept."