Long-time Valparaiso residents Tricia and Steve Farrell opened their first 1-800-GOT-JUNK location in the town they love.

With a service area of 330,000 potential customers, the September opening was one of the strongest in “recent franchise history,” a press release said. 1-800-GOT-JUNK removes unwanted household and commercial items for its customers.

The Farrells have focused on building relationships in the community, including charities like Goodwill and the Salvation Army. They donate gently used items to the organization.

The first-time franchisees also participated in Valparaiso's annual Popcorn Festival in September.

“It was an incredible day,” said Tricia Farrell in the release. “Everyone was so welcoming, it really touched my heart. We can't wait to grow our partnerships and make a positive impact in this amazing community.”

The Farrells said they decided to open their own business so the could spend more time together. Steve Farrell was a national sales manager for a beverage company, and Tricia Farrell was a hairstylist for more than 30 years.

“In his sales role, Steve was traveling a lot, and we didn’t get to spend as much time together as we would have liked to,” Tricia Farrell said on the company's website. “We decided to start our own business so we could work alongside each other every day.”

The couple said they joined 1-800-GOT-JUNK because of the values they share with the company: hard work, great customer service, and a commitment to their workers and communities.

“What we enjoy most is seeing the opportunities grow for our team as our business continues to evolve,” the website said. “We believe that a strong team is the reason for our success, and we continue to invest in the personal development of all our employees.”

The junk removal company, which opened in 1989, says it focuses on its customers first, and recycles and donates what it can. It has more than 160 locations in North America and Australia. The Valparaiso location is at 689 W. U.S. Highway 30.