From Door Hangers to 35 Years Strong: How Century Chimney Built a Legacy in Cleveland

Nobody wakes up wanting to be a chimney sweep. That's what Gary Spolar told me, and honestly, it might be the most honest thing anybody's said on this show so far. Gary is the owner of Century Chimney, a Cleveland-based chimney service company he's been building since 1988. We're talking 35-plus years in the same city, the same trade, the same commitment to doing things right. That is not a small thing. His origin story is exactly the kind of zig-zag I love talking about. He started at Cleveland State in computer science and figured out pretty quickly that programming would drain the life out of him. After spotting a want ad in the Plain Dealer for a chimney sweep, he signed  up and never looked back. In those early years, the bar was low: show up, do it sober, and Gary cleared that minimum with room to spare. He saw the opportunity and took it. What followed was two decades of solo work. A cell phone, paper roadmaps, and a reputation as the guy everyone called in the fall. The growth came slowly and deliberately, which is exactly how Gary wanted it. Letting go of the micromanager in him was the real turning point, learning to trust that a different approach could still deliver great results. Today Century Chimney has Theresa, a CSIA-certified office manager who came in wanting to sweep chimneys and ended up running the office. It has Patrick, the operations manager who according to Gary runs around with his hair on fire so Gary doesn't have to. It has retirement matching and healthcare. It has a culture where employees come first, because Gary understands that happy people take care of customers. And it has Gary's full-throated frustration with the lead generation companies gaming Google Maps with fake addresses and impossibly low bait prices. He's been documenting them, reporting them, and getting some of them removed. Not for spite, but because it protects customers and legitimate local businesses at the same time. His approach to sales is worth lingering on: no pressure. Not low pressure, no pressure. They do the inspection, give you a real report with actual photos, quote the repairs, and leave the ball in your court. No follow-up call. No manufactured urgency. If you need to shop around, please do, just make sure the next company is actually CSIA certified. The goals for Century Chimney going forward aren't about aggressive scaling or franchise deals. Gary is focused on efficiency, tightening the slow season, and building out internal systems, maybe finally implementing a CRM. He'd sell the business someday only to someone who would keep it local and keep the culture intact. Givers gain, Gary said. He's been living it for 35 years. Find Gary at centurychimney.com or on Facebook at Century Chimney Sweep and Repair. You can also reach him Monday through Friday, 8am to 4pm at 440-871-7707.