Gentle Giant Moving Company

Gentle Giant Moving Company, Inc. is a national moving company based in Somerville, Massachusetts. The company was founded in 1980 by Larry O'Toole.[1] In its over 30-year existence, it has expanded from a single truck business in Massachusetts to opening offices across the United States, including New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, Washington, D.C., North Carolina, Washington state, California, Chicago, Philadelphia, and its newest office in Miami, Florida. The company won the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year award in 2002.[2] On July 1, 2008, Gentle Giant announced its further expansion by purchasing the Seattle-based residential moving company TempStore Moving Company.[3]

Gentle Giant Moving Company, Inc.
Typeprivate
Industrymoving and storage
Founded1980
HeadquartersSomerville, Massachusetts, United States
Key people
Larry O'Toole, CEO
Websitewww.gentlegiant.com

Community outreach

The company has been a continuing supporter of the Gentle Giant Rowing Club,[4] located in Somerville, Massachusetts. The club was started by former Gentle Giant movers with the financial backing of Gentle Giant Moving Company. The rowing club gives city teens a chance to learn about and compete in the sport of rowing.[5] Additionally, the company supports many causes in the areas they work in including Move for Hunger as well as parades, marathons, regattas, food distribution, and support for those in need.[6]

Connection to rowing

Gentle Giant was founded by Northeastern University rowers and has continued its rich tradition of supporting rowing. In the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, two former giants, Dan Walsh and Wyatt Allen, competed in the Men's Eight event, earning a bronze medal in the process.[7] Another former giant, Matt Muffelman, earned a seat in Lightweight Men's Eight event in the 2008 World Rowing Championships, earning a gold medal in the process.[7] Many other former giants have earned spots on various national teams, including 30 US National Team, 10 foreign national team members, and 14 Olympians, including 1984 Olympic silver medalist and Gentle Giant's crate builder Tom Kiefer.[7] In the company's history, it has employed over 400 rowers.[7]

In 2005, Gentle Giant was selected by Al Roker Productions to be featured in a 10-episode reality TV series on the Discovery Home Channel (recently renamed the Planet Green network) called Make Your Move.[8] This series documented the process of moving one's home or office and the experiences associated with it, from both the customer's perspective and the mover's perspective.

In the movie The Departed, Detective Sergeant Sullivan's girlfriend Madolyn used Gentle Giant boxes when she was packing her old apartment to move into Sullivan's apartment.[9]

References
  1. Shartin, Emily (September 18, 2005). "Pro movers know to expect the unexpected.(Gentle Giant Moving Co.)". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
  2. "GENTLE GIANT TO GET SMALL-BUSINESS AWARD". Boston Globe. September 27, 2002. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
  3. Kooker, Naomi R. (July 1, 2008). "Gentle Giant picks up Seattle moving company". Boston Business Journal. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
  4. "LEARN TO ROW". Boston Globe. May 5, 2005. Retrieved 2008-11-06.
  5. Celaschi, Robert (September 5, 2008). "Gentle Giant rowing program keeping city teens moving". Boston Business Journal. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  6. "Mover of the Month - Move for Hunger".
  7. Springer, Shira (June 8, 2008). "Born to Move". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  8. "Giants Star in New National Television Series, Make Your Move". Gentlegiant.com. July 6, 2005. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  9. "Gentle Giant makes cameo in Academy Award winner "The Departed"". Gentlegiant.com. February 2007. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
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