Mountain Views News          Saturday, May 26, 2012

13

HOMES & PROPERTY

 Mountain Views News Saturday, May 26, 2012 

One Of A Kind: Featuring unique homes and gardens and the people who create them Story by Chris Bertrand. Photos by C.Bertrand and courtesy of Pink Transfer


PINK TRANSFER: A LOCAL MOVING 
TRADITION 84 YEARS STRONG


When thinking of moving, the big 
flashy names seen on the sides of 53’ 
semi trucks often come first to mind. 
The U-Haul and Ryder trucks for 
the do-it-yourselfers. For the long 
distance moves, those behemoth semis 
with national moving company names 
like United, Allied, Atlas and Mayflower are regularly seen 
powering down the country’s highways. Mayflower’s logo even 
recalls the Pilgrims’ transoceanic moves, instilling confidence 
about the company’s longevity and/or seaworthiness. Until 
recently, it never came up on my radar that there was anything 
in between.

A local, third generation, family-owned and operated mover, 
Pink Transfer Moving and Storage, has twenty trucks you’ll 
likely realize you see frequently around the San Gabriel Valley, 
once you visualize their forest green trucks with bright pink 
lettering. 

In my six years here in the San Gabriel Valley, I always 
thought the Pink name was somehow a contrived gimmick to 
make one remember the company. The brothers Pink, second 
generation movers, lay rightful claim to it as their real family 
name, memorable as it may be.

According to one of the brothers, Jeff Pink, “My grandfather, 
George Pink, settled in Pasadena in 1915. His family arrived 
in the US in the 1830’s from Germany. The Gold Rush drew 
them West, and his family settled in Montana. I have visited 
my great, great, grandparents graves in Silver Star, Montana, 
and still have family that lives within twenty miles of Silver 
Star.”

“The company was started by our grandfather, George Pink, 
in 1928,” he continued. The company was run by our father, 
Howard Pink, and our uncle, Fred Pink. We’re the third 
generation. The four of us boys, Doug, Bill, Matt and I took 
over the company in the late 1990’s.” 

The company’s first office was in George Pink’s garage. 
“Later,” Jeff Pink continued, “he rented the warehouse which 
is the current location of the Ice House Comedy shop in 
downtown Pasadena. That building truly was an ice house 
making deliveries to ice boxes prior to the invention of the 
modern refrigerator. George went on to purchase a Pasadena 
warehouse on Allen Avenue which was the location until 
2000 when we moved permanently to our modern facility in 
Monrovia.”

“Our grandfather started with one, hard tire, open model 
T truck,” chuckled Pink, probably the truck pictured in the 
historic photo. “Most of the work in those days was unloading 
partial rail cars as they came into the Pasadena station located 
near Fair Oaks and Del Mar Blvd. As the San Gabriel Valley 
grew and matured, so did the moving company.”

84 years later, Pink now has 60,000 square 
feet of warehouse space and more than 
twenty vehicles, based conveniently in 
Monrovia. The difference with a locally 
owned company like Pink, according to 
Matt Pink, is that “You always have an 
owner involved. We brothers all grew 
up in the business, and have performed 
every job from estimating to packing and 
loading and driving. We all have Class 
C licenses. If there’s every a need, one of 
us are right there to pitch in. There’s no 
estimator that came out of a thirty day 
training to calculate your move costs. It’s 
our company, and we know every detail.” 

Regarding noteworthy clients, the 
Huntington would be the ultimate 
best reference. Pink was chosen by the 
Huntington to move the famous “Pinkie” 
and “Blue Boy” after an elevator fire smoke 
damaged much of the gallery in the 1980’s, 
requiring a million dollar cleanup and 
renovation. The Pinks were even featured 
on the cover the LA Times, actually carrying the 
legendary English paintings. Since then, Pink 
has been involved in hundreds of move projects 
at the Huntington, a testament to their integrity, 
professionalism and “kid glove” care.

If name dropping is your thing, Pink also 
handled the move of Ronald Reagan’s papers 
and belongings to the state capitol when he was 
elected governor. A photo proudly hangs in the 
office with the Pink truck backed up to the capitol 
building. Other celebrity names remain private, 
though the list is extensive.

Another famous Pink, Pink’s Hot Dogs has 
recently been extensively visible on local media 
with their commercial about their business’ 
banking relationship. The burning question, “Are 
you related to the Pink Hot Dogs royalty, Paul & 
Betty Pink? How many Pinks could there be?” At 
least two unrelated families, it appears. Matt Pink 
laughed, “I have been asked that one question 
more than any other question in my life!!! No relationship, 
but a similar family story!

The Pinks have a few tips for planning a move, whether 
across the street, or across the country. Jeff Pink sums up, 
“On any sizeable move, insist on a written estimate. If a 
moving company will not come out for a visual estimate, I 
suggest you contact a company that will. It is also a good idea 
to check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), California 
Moving and Storage Association (CMSA) or Angie’s List, for 
reviews.”

If your move takes you farther than just the Los Angeles 
Basin, Pink is also delighted to coordinate your west coast 
move, with their National affiliation, as well.

Pink Transfer Moving and Storage survived and thrived 
through the great depression and continues strong today 
in the current economic conditions, through the careful 
management of a family that’s been moving San Gabriel 
Valley residents for almost a century. 

For more information about Pink, contact Doug, Bill, Matt 
and Jeff Pink in Monrovia at 1-888-PinkMove or visit their 
website, www.PinkMovers.com. 

Above, Jeff Pink and one of the Pink Crews; below, an early truck from Pink 
Moving


ENHANCE YOUR GARDEN AND SAVE 

WATER TOO…...AND MORE!

Saturday, June 9th

9:30am - 12:30pm

Palm Room

Laramee Haynes, Instructor

$25 Arboretum members/$30 non-members

For Reservations, please call (626) 821-4623; you may also pay at the door.

Please join Laramee Haynes for a practical talk on saving water in the garden PLUS other 
sustainable practices. Through his years of designing gardens, he has tried many different 
approaches and tactics, and has found through practical experience some of the best ways 
to enhance a garden. Laramee will help you see the science behind the fashion so you can 
make good decisions for saving money as well as helping the environment. Laramee is a 
landscape designer, contractor and former engineer with many years of experience watching 
what works and what does not. www.HaynesLandscaping.com 

DOLLARS VS. DAYS

After you've taken step one to decide to sell your home, step two is usually setting your asking price, 
striving for a balance between generating offers and receiving top dollar.

Your chosen representative will perform a Competitive Market Analysis (CMA) to produce an estimate 
of your home's "fair market value," or that price that educated buyers will pay based on listings 
and sales of homes similar to yours. The agent will not establish the price, but only provide the information 
you need to make that decision yourself.

In a hot market, you have the advantage, but would still want to avoid overpricing, which is always 
unproductive. However, in a neutral or buyers market, you'll have to be particularly cautious in your 
approach to setting a price.

In soft markets, price reductions become more common, as well as fewer offers and longer listing 
periods. You have to first establish your priority: is it more important for you to sell quickly or to get 
the most money possible? Like it or not, one option simply must be more critical than the other.

Have a third party, like your agent, help you see your home as a commodity, with positive and negative 
selling points. Price your home objectively and competitively, be prepared to negotiate to reach 
an agreement with buyers, and exercise patience as you prepare your move.

REALTOR EMILY DUGGAN - 

TOPS IN THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Andy Bencosme, managing broker of CENTURY 21 Village in Sierra 
Madre, congratulated Emily Duggan for her sales production 
through the first 4 months of 2012. "With sales in excess of 5

million dollars not only did she lead our office in real estate sales she 
was also number 1 CENTURY 21 agent in the San Gabriel Valley and 
ranked 7th over all CENTURY 21 agents in the Coastal, Valley and 
Inland Region, which stretches from the 605 Freeway to Bakersfield" 
said Bencosme.

While industry awards are always appreciated, Bencosme has often 
noted that it's the extra effort and personal attention that Emily gives 
her clientsthat makes her among the most sought after agents in the 
area. She personally supervises everything from a home's preparation, 
staging and

photography to guiding a client through inspections, loan and escrow 
requirements. As further proof of her success, Emily has repeatedly 
been voted real estate's "Best of the Best" REALTOR in a 
local newspaper reader's poll.

In today's tough market, pricing a home just right is more important than ever before. Emily believes 
pricing and presenting a home in it's best possible light are the key factors in selling a home today.

A long time resident of Sierra Madre and a real estate agent for over 20 years at C21 Village, Emily 
offers her clients the talents of a smart and savvy realtor who knows the foothill areas thoroughly. For 
both buyers and sellers, Emily also puts her experience and contacts to work. Contractors,

handymen, painters, decorators and landscapers, Emily has all their names and numbers.

If you are buying or selling or just want to explore the possibilities, mily can be reached 24/7 at 626 
355-7201 or 626 695-1206. Why not call her today?