The Wells County Chamber of Commerce staff and ambassadors surprised Randy Buuck, owner of Mr. B’s Cleaning and Restoration, as the May Member of the Month. Buuck is based out of Ossian and serves Wells, Allen, Whitley, Adams, and Huntington counties.
Buuck started his career in the grocery business locally and then worked at a large chain in Fort Wayne.
“I worked in grocery stores for 27 years and at the last one I was working I met a guy who owned a cleaning business,” explained Buuck. “He was in the store buying coffee to donate to fire stations because he wanted to work with them for fire and smoke restoration.”
This intrigued Buuck to start thinking about a possible future in the cleaning business.
“Over time we met and talked about the company and what he needed to grow the business,” said Buuck. “He had the building and equipment, but he was not a manager and that is what I have experience in; therefore, I started working for him as a general manager.”
Buuck decided, almost two years later, that owning and running his own business is the direction he wanted to take but wasn’t sure yet what that would look like.
“I worked for a construction company and did repair work from fire restoration and water damage. One evening my wife and I were talking about our goals and what the next steps would look like and if this was going to work, I needed to go into it 100 percent.”
Through Buuck’s experience working for the restoration and construction companies, in 2001 Mr. B’s Cleaning and Restoration company was created.
“My wife, Diana, worked two jobs and we bought everything we could buy and started out small,” stated Buuck. “That first year was tough. I appreciate all of her support over the years.”
Mr. B’s Cleaning and Restoration specializes in carpet, upholstery, tile and grout cleaning and water damage restoration.
“I am slowly backing out of the water damage business because the competition is incredible; however, if one of my customers has water damage, I am there to help.”
When asked what brings him joy in the work he does, he is ready with an answer.
“Oh, my customers,” he said. “I love my customers. They are so good to me.”
In addition, Buuck said he likes the freedom the business allows in his schedule.
“It is scary because you have to do everything, and I never wanted a lot of people working for me or multiple trucks to manage. I wanted something that I could control.”
The interaction of going into homes and businesses and taking care of problems is what Buuck enjoys about the job.
“There is a lot of science to do a job at times,” explained Buuck. “Cleaning agents must be safe and have to be approved and certain jobs require specific treatments. Drying a house due to water damage must have a specific humidity level, which all can be detected on an app on the phone now. In addition, the specific tools can find moisture in the house or business, and I want to guarantee before I leave, it is absolutely dry and safe.”
Buuck explains with the equipment and experience it is important to create a safe environment before mold growth and bacteria take over.
“I have a thermal imaging camera that can find water in ceilings and other places you can’t touch and is a tool that is needed.”
Buuck concluded by saying he will do this job as long as he is capable.
“We just do what we do. There is nothing better.”
Mr. B’s Cleaning and Restoration can be found at mrbscleaning.com or by calling 260-622-7070.
