Tracing the History of SERVPRO

4/20/2023 (Permalink)

From Painting to Restoration: How SERVPRO Became a Leader in the Industry

SERVPRO, a leader in the cleaning and restoration industry, has come a long way since its small painting business origins over 50 years ago. Today, the company has more than 2,000 locations in the United States and Canada and is the #1 choice in cleanup and restoration. The history of SERVPRO is a story of growth, expansion, and success, driven by a commitment to providing top-quality service to customers.

SERVPRO was founded in 1967 as a small painting contractor business in Sacramento, California, by Ted and Doris Isaacson. With their background in cleanup and restoration, they decided to become a franchisor for specialists in this industry. Two years later, in 1969, they launched into franchising cleaning businesses. By 1979, SERVPRO had acquired the Bristol-Myers Domesticare division and its 175 franchises.

In 1980, SERVPRO received its first ranking in Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500, which was just the beginning of the company's success in the industry. By 1988, with 647 locations, the Isaacsons relocated the SERVPRO headquarters to Gallatin, Tennessee. This strategic move put the company within 600 miles of 50 percent of the U.S. population, boosting its options for nationwide expansion. It wasn't long before SERVPRO proved itself to be a major asset to its new community, and it was named the "Small Business of the Year" by the Nashville Business Journal in 1991.

SERVPRO continued to grow into the new century and hit a milestone in its growth when it sold its 1,000th franchise in 2000. In 2005, the company moved to a 140,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility in Gallatin, Tennessee, to provide more room for expansion. By 2009, SERVPRO had reached its billion-dollar goal.

SERVPRO's success has been built on a solid business model that provides entrepreneurs with a recession-proof opportunity. The company offers franchises in the cleanup and restoration industry, which has proved to be a vital service, particularly during times of crisis. In 2019, the investment firm Blackstone acquired a majority stake in SERVPRO as part of Blackstone's Core Private Equity strategy. The Isaacson family will re-invest alongside Blackstone and continue to be significant shareholders in the business.

Throughout its history, SERVPRO has received numerous awards and recognition for its outstanding service. The company was named the "Small Business of the Year" by the Nashville Business Journal in 1991 and has received rankings in Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 every year since 1980.In 2017, SERVPRO celebrated its 50th Anniversary, a testament to the company's longevity and success.

SERVPRO's commitment to providing top-quality service to customers has been demonstrated time and time again. The company has been on the frontlines as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads to North America. SERVPRO was also called on to provide services when the first cases of COVID-19 broke out in a senior facility in Washington state. Since then, the federal government, Fortune 500 corporations, and hundreds of small businesses have called on SERVPRO's expertise in deep cleaning and decontamination to help keep their patrons safe.

SERVPRO's history and evolution over time is a story of growth, expansion, and success.