MEET THE NEW FACE OF SALCO—LONG BEACH’S LANDSCAPING COMPANY

By John Grossi

Last issue, many of you read our “retirement” tribute to Frank Spina, the man who founded one of Long Beach’s most impactful local landscape companies, SALCO.

But what about the man to whom he handed it off?

Meet John Sarabia, SALCO’s New Owner

When John Sarabia took SALCO over from Spina last April, he was fulfilling a dream first conceived over 30 years prior. Upon graduating high school in 1989, he immediately started his own landscaping business. A one-man-and-a-truck type of gig.

John loved the work. But he realized fairly quickly that he did not want to be just a one-man small business. John wanted his company to be something bigger and better. So, he went to school to learn. He double majored in Ornamental Horticulture and Business at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; then worked at three different major global landscaping companies; earned his MBA; and even joined the California National Guard Reserve Force to learn valuable lessons in leadership. All with one goal in mind. To start his own landscaping company.

Then came 9/11 and a war no one saw coming. Sarabia was deployed to Iraq. Suddenly, he was active-duty army and his landscaping dream had to be put on hold.

After multiple deployments, John was incentivized to serve his country as an officer, ultimately ending with a 26-year military career. Having retired in 2024, just a few months later he bought SALCO, the landscaping company of his dreams.

SALCO’s Roots

“This company is built on word of mouth and referrals,” said Sarabia when asked what he liked most about SALCO.

SALCO is a full-service, licensed and insured landscape company that handles both installation and maintenance for residential, commercial, and municipal clients.

“We excel at building and maintaining landscapes. We can build a custom landscape and we can maintain all of it, from trimming the trees, plants, and shrubs, to the irrigation, to waterproofing walls.”

Ready To Grow

These days, Sarabia arrives at the SALCO nursery on Bellflower Blvd. in Lakewood between 4am-4:30am. He gives his crews their assignments and they’re off. With about 40 men and their trucks, SALCO services all of LA and OC, with much of their business coming from right here in Long Beach. After Sarabia takes care of his office work—emails and quotes—then he’s off too. Off on his mission to meet in-person, not only every new client, but every existing client as well.

Service… that’s how he plans to make an already successful landscaping company bigger.

“I want people to know that there is no landscape problem that we can’t handle,” says John. “There is no job too small, there is no job too big, and there is no issue we can’t fix.”

This spring, John invites you to call SALCO if you’re looking to redo your landscape. Whether you need maintenance, a whole new install, or an emergency irrigation fix, call SALCO.

“When you call us, it’s worry-free,” says Sarabia. “What separates us from smaller companies is that we’re still reasonably priced but we have all the resources. We add value to your home or business and when we maintain your landscape, you know it’s going to be maintained well. We are worry-free landscaping.”

Want to learn more about SALCO’s services? Contact John Sarabia directly!

JMS@SALCOLSG.COM | 562-302-5086 (personal line)