Mammoth Moving and Storage Turns 50

In the heart of Santa Barbara, amid the ceaseless flurry of motion that characterizes the city, Mammoth Moving and Storage stands as a steadfast monument to perseverance and reliability. For five decades, Mammoth Moving and Storage has been witness to countless transitions, subtly playing a crucial role in the lives of countless residents of the Santa Barbara area.

Officially celebrating their 50th anniversary this month, here’s a look at the journey of Mammoth Moving and Storage and an homage to a company that may have started with a simple promise to move belongings but has gradually evolved into something so much more. 

Mammoth Moving was launched by founder Chris Eberz in 1974. The business began modestly, with an emphasis on smaller-scale delivery services. While initially focusing on the delivery of appliances and other items from house to house, Chris slowly expanded over the years, and Mammoth started to assist with larger house and company moves.

“The company started when I was 21 years old with a loan I took out for $500 from Santa Barbara Teachers Credit Union and bought a GMC one-ton stake bed for furniture delivery,” Chris recalled. “I focused on appliance delivery, antiques and pianos at the time. It then evolved quickly to nationwide dedicated shipments [see photo of Chris with his son Sean Eberz hoisting a piano through a two-story window in Upper East Side Manhattan, above] There was no functional elevator at the time, and the staircase was too narrow to install on the second floor. Sean and I decided that we’d use a level lift gate ramp to the second-story window and smoothly install from there.”

As Mammoth is a family business, Chris’s son Sean has been involved with the company since he was a young teen of around age 14. Sean took over the business in 2010, when Chris stepped down to retire, and has played a huge role in growing and opening new avenues for Mammoth.

Sean explained that, since assuming control more than 10 years ago, he has broadened the types of moves that Mammoth is able to accomplish. Now, in addition to household moves, Mammoth has the capacity to handle more complex moves. For example, Mammoth can move large equipment and machinery and has even recently gotten into doing hotel installations, which involves moving bulky and expensive gear that can weigh upward of 20,000 pounds and is often valued in the millions of dollars. 

Chris proudly described how he has taken over the Mammoth legacy.

“Mammoth Moving has a completely different mindset than most moving companies as they consider themselves moving engineers. Fast-forward 50 years, and Sean is installing the most expensive, complicated tools for some of the largest corporations and [is] considered the top rigging company in all of California.”

Because Mammoth has its own van line, Mammoth Van Lines, and a full storage facility in Santa Barbara, every step of the moving process is completed by Mammoth — it’s all done in-house; no work is farmed out.

Sean emphasized that, while Mammoth has transitioned to doing massive industrial moves, household moves remain an integral part of the business. Regardless of the particulars of the move, he explained, Mammoth employs a consistently impressive level of attention to detail and coordination that aims to keep stress levels down and costs low, no matter who the customer is.  

Sean and his wife, Ashley, are currently the sole owners of Mammoth. He said that being a family business has contributed to a unique close-knit feel that characterizes the workplace environment. While not all employees are members of the Eberz family, everybody is considered to be practically family and treated as such.

“We run our business by treating everyone here as a family,” said Sean. “And, you know, it’s not an easy job for our guys that are out in the field, carrying stuff upstairs. So we really appreciate all sides of all sides of the business model and every employee here….”

Mammoth is based out of Santa Barbara but can provide moving services to anywhere within the United States. Fifty years later, the company is continuing to broaden its scope, expanding within the Santa Barbara area but also throughout California. Sean noted with pride that Mammoth has begun to do household and machinery moves as far north as San Jose and as far south as San Diego.

Looking ahead, Mammoth Moving and Storage remains steadfast in their mission to go the extra mile for their customers, to offer moving services that are marked by care and passion. This is a core value that has set Mammoth apart for half a century and, undoubtedly, will define this local company for years to come.

See mammothmoving.com for more information.