After 25 years, a local business is staying true to its roots.
Earlier this year, Scott and Loretta Weeks celebrated the 25th anniversary of their business, Weeks Plumbing.
Loretta said many things have changed through the decades, but the company has maintained the same core values.
She said the company’s success stems from its longstanding commitment to the local community.
Weeks Plumbing is continuing to grow, she said, and is working to overcome the challenges that come with a changing industry.
When the business was founded, she said it was easy to bring new workers on.
However, she said there are less people looking to go into the plumbing business and industries have changed.
“Everyone wants to go to college, no one wants to do trade work anymore,” she said.
To combat this issue, she said most plumbing businesses will hire employees on an as-needed basis.
Weeks Plumbing is different in that the company only hires full-time workers. Loretta said this has multiple benefits.
First, she said it allows for continual training that ensures plumbers can work on the new construction and service sides of the business.
But, more importantly, she said it helps the company focus on its local relationships.
Loretta said having full-time employees creates a sense of comfort that comes with customers recognizing the plumbers that are entering their homes.
“We’re still small town enough that people know our guys by name,” she said, “People really appreciate that.”
She said this “small town feel” is at the center of how the Weeks operate their business.
Scott graduated from Jonathan Alder High School, while Loretta and their two children graduated from Marysville High School.
Loretta said she hopes her family’s – and business’ – connections to community are meaningful to those looking for a plumbing service.
“This is our town… our church is here, we shop here – we want people to think local, too,” she said.
Although Marysville is a growing area, she said she hopes people who are newer to the community will value the businesses that began here.
“We hope people will continue to see a local company as a benefit to the area,” she said.
Despite the hurdles a changing industry and area may pose, Loretta said she believes Weeks Plumbing will continue to find success because of the relationships its employees prioritize with their customers.
“We want this business to be here at least another 25 years, if not 50 or 100,” she said.