ServiceMaster is a Fortune 1000 company that first opened its doors in September 1929. Originally, the commercial and residential service provider set up operations in Downers Grove, Illinois, but eventually went on to make its home in Memphis back in 2007. With annual revenue of nearly $3 billion and more than 13,000 national employees, ServiceMaster stands as a major tent pole company in the heart of Memphis.
ServiceMaster runs several major brands throughout the United States
ServiceMaster is a global holdings corporation that owns a number of small businesses. Some of the best-known businesses it operates include Furniture Medic, Merry Maids, ServiceMaster Restore, Terminix, Terminix Commercial and AmeriSpec (to name a few).
The vast majority of businesses ServiceMaster runs focus on pest control, janitorial services (both commercial- and residential-based), plus furniture repair and disaster response. Because these needs are desired throughout the United States, ServiceMaster has managed to expand its business operations to include 13,000 corporate employees, plus 33,000 additional independent employees. As of 2015, the company brought in $2.59 billion in revenue.
Making the move to Memphis
For the better part of the company’s history, it called the Chicago suburbs of Downers Grove home. However, as the business expanded, so too did the office of operations for the smaller companies ServiceMaster owned. In order to centrally locate itself and bring the smaller companies together, ServiceMaster moved its main office to Memphis.
More recently, ServiceMaster moved away from East Memphis into Peabody Place, located in downtown Memphis. The company first started the move in 2016 and completed it in 2018. With its headquarters now centrally located in the heart of Memphis, it’s looking to become a major face within the city.
Life in Peabody Place
Peabody Place first took shape in downtown Memphis back in 1993. Eventually, though, smaller businesses moved out of the building, leaving it all but vacant in downtown Memphis. ServiceMaster saw the opportunity to rejuvenate this area of downtown while also better positioning itself within the city. The enclosed mall at Peabody Place has a total of 300,000 square feet, giving the company and all of its smaller branches plenty of space to expand.
The building is also famous for having, in extremely large letters on the roof, “come downtown and play,” which is visible from the air and can be seen if using the Google Earth application (it also appears when using the map mode of Google Maps and driving downtown).
Demonstrating excitement for downtown Memphis
Downtown Memphis has seen a drastic uptick in renovations and new construction in recent years. Beyond ServiceMaster bringing its headquarters to downtown, the city itself has experienced both current and planned development valued at $15 billion.
The planned development will not only bring in new development and help beautify the downtown area, but important jobs and new opportunities for current residents. And this momentum will only continue.
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