Spokane snow removal companies adapt to slow winter season

SPOKANE, Wash. — Several snow removal companies were out on the streets of Spokane this morning, shoveling sidewalks and clearing parking lots before businesses opened for the day, but business owners say this winter has been particularly challenging for the industry.

Jerie Olynyk, owner of All the Elements, a landscaping and snow removal company, says he tries to take advantage of any opportunity to do snow removal work during what has been a difficult season.

“It’s been a rough year so far as far as snow, but there’s lots of money out there with snow removal if it actually snows. I’m an entrepreneur so I just do other things when it’s not snowing to fill the gaps,” Olynyk said.

Olynyk has noticed the more mild winter conditions, saying they’re similar to the last two years. The impact has been significant for his business – last year, he only cleared snow 6 or 7 times throughout the entire winter season.

For many of these companies, work starts very early in the morning. All the Elements started at 4 a.m. clearing snow from sidewalks and parking lots around the city.

Olynyk operates with two trucks to plow snow for commercial jobs and uses shovels for residential work. The business serves different types of customers with varying needs.

“There’s residential and then there’s commercial. A lot of old people will call and ask us to de-ice their stairs and their sidewalk and shovel their driveway,” Olynyk said.

When snow does start picking up, Olynyk says his phone will start ringing with requests for service, demonstrating the demand that exists when weather conditions are right for snow removal work.

Until the next snow falls, Olynyk says he’ll be working on remodeling projects around the city, like installing drywall to make money and bridge the income gap during the slow winter season.

Despite the challenging conditions this winter, Olynyk remains hopeful he’ll be able to break out his plows and shovels again soon as the winter season continues.