Apollo Plumbing & Heating

Renovating Fire-Damaged Building in Ensley

“The building is superb. It’s absolutely beautiful. I’m just so excited that I was able to put it back to the condition it was in.” -John Bimbo Owner, Apollo Heating & Plumbing

The new home of Apollo Plumbing & Heating, Inc. was on the verge of extinction. Damaged by fire, the Ensley building was condemned by the City of Birmingham when John Bimbo found it.

During 30 years in business, Bimbo has worked mostly from the basement of his North Birmingham home. When he decided to move into commercial space, he says he drove all over town looking for a building he could afford before stumbling upon 2221 Avenue E in Ensley. Before Bimbo could move in, however, he had to build a new roof, new walls and do extensive masonry work.

Bimbo not only found a home for his business, he found a market he had not previously been targeting. He plans to use his new location as a platform to market to new customers in Ensley, Wylam and Pratt City. “I felt like I could capture this area and grow business in this area, because there’s really no [residential] plumber out here.”

Main Street Birmingham, Inc. helped Bimbo identify and secure a $15,000 loan to complete his renovation project. “I was at a stopping point because I had run out of money,” said Bimbo. “I can’t put a price on that. It saved me.”