Wow have NYC standards lowered.
It’s not deliveries that keep the ladies of Soho waiting with bated breath for their man in brown: It’s UPS driver Anthony Lupi himself.
In fact, the strapping 28-year-old former model is so beloved that customers along his five-block route throw a fit every time he’s temporarily transferred, going so far as to complain to his manager.
“We want Anthony and no one else,” said one of the complainants, who owns a prominent gallery on West Broadway but wished to stay anonymous. “Not only is he super cute and charming, but he always goes the extra mile.”
“Oh yeah, he’s a good asset for UPS,” said Christine Smith, a saleswoman at Dsquared2 on Spring Street.
Lupi, who delivers an average of 250 to 300 packages a day, admits he typically gets asked out about 10 times a week by clients and passersby on his route.
“Once, a 98-year-old woman asked me out on a date,” he said. “She said ‘You’re such a handsome young man, I wish there were more like you when I was young.’ ”
Another time, a group of bachelorettes begged him to go dancing with them after his shift.
“People love the uniform,” said the driver, who’s been with UPS for five years. “I also get a lot of ‘package’ innuendos.”
The problems come any time UPS hires a new courier for downtown Manhattan — Lupi’s route, which stretches north to south from West Houston to Spring Street and east to west Greene Street to West Broadway, is often used as a training ground.
When that happens, the 6-foot-2 Long Islander can be reassigned for as long as 40 days at a time.
And that’s when the phone starts ringing.
“I get many calls every year exactly like this,” said UPS spokesman Dan McMackin of the Lupi fans.
“One time I saw [Lupi] working another route and it felt like he was cheating on us,” said the gallery owner, who has called UPS “countless” times to demand his return. “We were not happy.”
Another customer was so desperate for Lupi to personally handle a valuable package that the man walked seven blocks to give his favorite courier the box — while Lupi was on another route.
“We certainly don’t mind when he comes by,” said Zita Bettig, 60, a salesperson at Eileen Fisher at West Broadway and Spring Street, with a flirty grin. “He’s the total guy-next-door.”
She added that while Lupi is “so handsome and good-looking,” it’s his upbeat demeanor that really seals the deal.
“It’s like he’s having the best day of his life every day,” she said. “I don’t know how he does it, but he really is charismatic.”
Huntington, LI, resident Lupi — who previously worked at Lord & Taylor and Bloomingdale’s doing clothing alterations — is praised for “turning a mid-level job into a profession,” said the gallery owner.
He always introduces himself by name and hands out his number to customers. And they’re not shy about using it.
“I’ve gotten calls in the middle of the night asking if a package has arrived,” said Lupi. “But I don’t mind, it’s important that people can depend on me.”
When they ask Lupi out, however, his reply is always the same: “I’m very flattered, but I have to keep it moving.” Besides, he has a serious girlfriend of eight years.
The most common catcall he gets is “bend and snap,” a reference to a scene in “Legally Blonde” when a female character learns an alluring move to help her woo a UPS guy.
But Lupi doesn’t really get it.
“All I think is, ‘That’s not a good way to lift a package.’ ”
