The ribbon cutting for DRYmedic Restoration Services of Homewood on Nov. 1 brought out the people closest to its new owners, cousins Charles Cathey III and Lance Jones II.
Family, in-laws, and neighbors filled the new space at 1131 175th St., Suite B, to celebrate two men they’ve watched grow up and build something of their own.
Cathey, who serves as chief operating officer, said the moment was bigger than opening day.
“This is more than just a business for us,” he said. “It’s love, it’s legacy, it’s for the next generation coming up behind us.”
Charles Cathey III, chief operating officer of DRYmedic Restoration Services of Homewood; his wife, Jordan Cathey; their daughter; his sister, Ashley Cathey; his brother, Austin Cathey; and his parents, Julia and Charles Cathey Jr. (Nuha Abdessalam/H-F Chronicle)
Helping on People’s Worst Days
The Homewood DRYmedic location began taking calls in October after more than a year of planning, securing licenses, and signing on with the national franchise. The company handles water, fire, and mold damage for both homes and businesses and offers emergency response.
“When people call us, it’s not for something good,” Cathey said. “Our job is to make a terrible situation feel a little less terrible.”
Jones, co-owner, said the point is to be local and reachable. “We wanted to do something that actually helps people,” he said. “We live here. We’re not a call center. We want people to know us.”
A Business That Comes Out of Work, Not Luck
Both men come from families where working for yourself wasn’t unusual. Cathey’s father, Charles Cathey Jr., is a longtime State Farm agent in the area. Family members at the event said that’s where he picked up his marketing sense and consistency.
Jones’s father, Lance Jones Sr., said he wasn’t surprised to see them open a business together. A former McDonald’s owner-operator, he explained that both men grew up around entrepreneurship and hard work.
“They’ve been around it all their lives,” Jones Sr. said. “They did the training, they did the work, and now they’re getting calls already. That’s how it’s supposed to go.”
Jones’s mother, Beverly Jones, called the day “wonderful” and said it was emotional to see her son take this step. “We’re very excited,” she said. “This is his second business, but this one feels special because it’s rooted in family and community. I just hope people give them a chance to show what they can do.”
Community First
What came up again and again in conversations at the ribbon-cutting was the business’s local roots. Both owners grew up in the south suburbs, in and around Matteson, and still live nearby in Orland Park and Flossmoor.
“The village has been supportive since the beginning,” Jones II said.
Because restoration work often follows a flood, burst pipe, or fire, several relatives said they were glad it would be handled by community members rather than an out-of-area company.
Jones’s brother-in-law, Cedric Sallis, put it plainly: “They put 10 toes in. Both of them. You’re not calling corporate. You’re calling family. They care about people.”
Contractor Robert Terry, who’s licensed in Homewood and across the state, said their focus on doing things right will carry them far. “Quality over quantity,” he said. “You do a good job, people call you back.”
Backed by Family
Cathey’s parents, Julia and Charles Cathey Jr., said they were proud but not surprised.
“They come from good stock,” Julia said. “They work hard, and they give back. To see them do it here, where we live, that means everything.”
Jones’s wife, Jennifer, said she watched the long days that led up to the opening.
“It was a lot of work to get here,” she said. “But what I want people to know is DRYmedic is here for families when something goes wrong. They’re going to show up.”
Jordan Cathey, Charles’s wife, said the milestone felt personal for everyone in the family. “They both grew up together, and now they’re building something for the community they came from,” she said. “They both have daughters, so this also means a lot for our family – for our girls to see their fathers go after a dream they had and just crush it.”
The family prayed together for strength and steady work. Cathey said that’s what the business is about: helping people and staying grounded.
“The phones are already ringing,” he said. “We’re grateful to be here and ready to work.”
