IMAGE: ShelfGenie
The home service franchisor is furthering its reach with yet another convenience-focused brand.
Neighborly, the world’s largest home services franchisor and parent company of 27 unique brands, has expanded its portfolio with the recent acquisition of custom glide-out shelving franchise, ShelfGenie.
Founded in 2000 in Richmond, Virginia, ShelfGenie was originally known as Shelf Conversions before a rebrand in 2008. Since then, the franchise concept has grown to more than 50 locations spanning 275 territories across the U.S. and Canada.
“The acquisition of ShelfGenie – the only nationwide franchise known for designing, building, and installing custom pull-out shelving solutions into existing cabinets – furthers our strategy to ‘Own the Home’ through Neighborly’s home services,” said Mike Bidwell, president and CEO of Neighborly. “ShelfGenie’s high-quality service offerings and proven commitment to customer service make it an excellent complement to our existing portfolio of home service brands, providing an ideal opportunity for continued growth of the ShelfGenie franchise network and the Neighborly organization at-large.”
As a result of this acquisition, ShelfGenie will benefit from the tools for growth and exposure that come with being a part of the Neighborly family. In total, the organization serves nearly 10 million customers and helps with their home service needs. The acquisition also puts Neighborly one step closer to becoming “the Amazon of the home and property services sector”; an ambition discussed by Mike Bidwell when he featured on the Global Franchise Podcast.
“As part of our organization’s noble purpose, our ShelfGenie franchise owners are committed to turning the frustration and pain points homeowners have throughout their homes into sources of joy and comfort,” said Andy Pittman, president of ShelfGenie. “It is through this dedication to our customers that we are projecting a record year in 2020 despite the challenges of an ongoing pandemic. Joining the Neighborly network will maximize our potential to achieve success in the years to come. I expect great things are in store for our franchise owners and their clients.”
Barry J. Falcon, board chairman and co-founder of ShelfGenie, concurs: “Since we began franchising ShelfGenie 12 years ago, our goals have always revolved around franchise profitability and continued growth. Now under the Neighborly umbrella, our opportunity to exceed those goals is better than ever before. Through the continued leadership of Andy Pittman and now Mike Bidwell, the future looks bright for the entire ShelfGenie system.”
Across its 27 brands, Neighborly operates a network of more than 4,300 franchisees, serving more than 10 million customers in nine countries.
