By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A new cleaning business on the city’s west side aims to inspire people to take pride in their homes and their community.
G’s Maid Service, 607 W. State St., celebrated its ribbon-cutting Friday on the west end of downtown. The company was founded in 2019 and has now moved its headquarters here from Sycamore.
Owner Giovanni Mikaelson said his focus is on giving back to the community where he lives. The 29-year-old entrepreneur said his house is about a six-minute walk from his office.
“The west side really needed G’s Maid Service, not only to bring revenue back and keep jobs here, but to really keep it clean and to offer a semblance of hope to the next entrepreneur,” he said. “We’re dedicated to staying here.”
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G’s offers cleaning services to residential and business customers, but Mikaelson and his team have also volunteered with community cleanup efforts and they gave their time during winter to clear residents’ driveways of snow. During the holidays, he worked with the nonprofit Helping Families in Rockford on its toy giveaway and G’s provided free cleaning services through a raffle. The goal was to help people in low-income neighborhoods or those on fixed incomes or with a disability.
“We’re not just a cleaning company, we’re an outlet for the community,” he said. “We really want to keep the focus off of profit and more about what we can do to give back.”
The ribbon-cutting was celebrated Friday with Mayor Tom McNamara and Democratic precinct committeemen Tamir Bell.
“Gio’s pride for this community is unique. I think if we had more people like Gio in this community, we’d move forward a lot faster,” Bell said. “I’m hopeful that Gio’s story will get to people in our community and inspire them to do what it is they feel they’re called to do for the community.”
Mikaelson hopes his focus on cleanliness and pride will be contagious. He hates seeing litter strewn about in the city. That’s part of why he’s helped in community cleanup efforts in the past.
“You cannot expect a community to thrive if it’s littered with trash,” he said. “It’s kind of an oxymoron to own a maid service and then step outside your house and there’s trash everywhere.”
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Bell said he was glad to see a west-side resident decide to run his business on the west side.
“He is committed to serving his community, but we also have to be serving him as well,” Bell said. “That’s going into business with him, (and) that’s supporting and sharing the things that he’s doing to give back.”
About | G’s Maid Service
About: G’s Maid Service provides cleaning services to residential and business customers in the Rockford area as well as St. Charles and Sycamore.
Location: 607 W. State St., Rockford
Contact: 630-334-8791
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas