Guin Service, LLC is an Alabama company centered around being a family – and getting things done right the first time. Joseph Braswell, owner of Guin Service, walked Yellowhammer News through his family’s history and how Guin first started.
It all began when Braswell’s great grandfather returned from World War II. Looking for work, he entered the plumber’s union. Eventually, Braswell’s grandfather followed his father into the plumbing industry to get himself through college. He attended the University of Alabama and got his degree in engineering.
Following graduation, Braswell’s grandfather continued to work, get married, and have 3 kids. With his new family, he decided to start his own company and start building his legacy. Braswell’s grandfather hired his own dad and brother in order to help him start to grow and build this new company. It started off no bigger than a son and pop shop, doing small services for their friends and neighbors. Braswell’s grandfather made a vast amount of connections who would often call on him to help with projects.
Many of the projects he helped with can still be visited today, including the BJCC, the Alabama Power building in downtown Birmingham, the Brookwood Mall, Brookwood Hospital, Guntersville State Park, and Perimeter Mall in Atlanta.
Braswell’s grandfather decided to retire in 1990, closing the contracting branch of Guin for good, however, he kept the service side open in hopes that if any of his old clients needed help with something, the company would be around to help them. The idea of keeping the customer first runs deep in the Guin philosophy.
Joseph Braswell officially joined the company in 2007, working part-time and learning the business. In 2011, he decided this was something he wanted to do and wanted to take the reigns one day. In 2013, he bought into the business and in 2017, bought it outright and is still currently in the captain’s chair today.
Braswell spoke to what motivates him. “I don’t want to be the grandson that tarnished 66 years of customer satisfaction and relationships. If I thought I was doing my family or my customers a disservice, I would close the doors.”
New location. More service.
Guin Service has been in Birmingham since 1958, and has been located in their Woodlawn location until this year. Their old office on Woodlawn is best recognizable for having one of their vans on the roof and it has been there since the late 70’s. The van is one of their most asked questions and “a great conversation starter”.
Their new location is at 2880 Crestwood Blvd., and it’s a beautiful new facility. Renovated from an old Wells Fargo Bank by Rader McCrary, the new facility boasts a tremendous new amount of office space, a warehouse, and a truck yard for their fleet of 20+ service vehicles. This new change stemmed from the need for more space and the spread of their customer base. They wanted to ensure the fastest and best response times for their clients, and they are very happy with their new facility.
To celebrate, they held a 3-day celebration, with an official ribbon cutting on the 2nd day, pictured above.
They brought everyone in on the first day to do customer service training, invited business partners and friends who helped make the move happen on the 2nd day, and the last day was a huge company picnic. They invited families of their employees and their friends to come have a celebration and officially open the doors to their new location.
Keeping traditions fresh
Braswell wants to refresh how Guin works and operates – without losing the thing that made them who they are in the first place. He said he hopes to bring Guin into their new chapter without forgetting where they came from, and he is doing this by modernizing their look and services, all the while ensuring that they are still treating every customer like a VIP.
Business size is relative and is best held in the eye of the beholder. Braswell still considers Guin as small family business where others see it as a top tier HCAV company that is everywhere they look. While both may be true, it is apparent that Guin Service still works and operates like a well-oiled machine that will never let you down. Guin Service is still growing, but at their own speed. They let the work they do and the people they do it for speak for them.
Braswell spoke to the model philosophy that Guin Service implements into their employees: “If this was your grandma’s house, what level of service would you provide?”
This philosophy is what keeps Guin feeling like a true family business, Braswell says, reflecting that many of their customers are now second and third generation loyalists.
Baylor Frazier is a digital and radio sales specialist for YHN Media Group. For advertising opportunities through our portfolio of publications, you can contact him directly at [email protected].
