Marine veteran expands College HUNKS service area in North San Diego County

College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving franchise owner Destrian Vallejo is adding North San Diego County, including Poway and Del Mar, just three months after tripling his Southern California footprint. The expansion comes as fuel costs squeeze the moving industry and demand for moving and junk removal services stays strong.

Why it matters: - The expansion shows demand for moving and junk removal services is still outpacing higher fuel and operating costs. - Vallejo is adding more local coverage and jobs in Southern California as many households and businesses still need moving, cleanout and hauling help. - The move also underscores how franchise growth can continue even in a cost-pressure environment when service demand remains steady.

What happened: - Marine veteran and College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving franchise owner Destrian Vallejo expanded his business into North San Diego County. - The new service area includes Poway and Del Mar. - Vallejo said the expansion is meant to meet growing demand for moving and junk removal services. - The expansion comes just three months after Vallejo tripled his Southern California service area. - Vallejo opened his College HUNKS location in Murrieta four years ago after investing in the franchise.

The details: - Vallejo served more than 20 years in the United States Marine Corps. - He retired during the early days of COVID-19 and was doing home improvement and decluttering projects at home. - A friend in graduate school at the University of Tampa suggested College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving after studying the company’s financial model. - Vallejo said fuel costs affect every moving and junk removal company, but customers still need the services. - Vallejo said families are moving, businesses are relocating and homeowners are taking on renovation and cleanout projects. - In March, Vallejo expanded from Temecula into Encinitas and San Jacinto. - That March expansion tripled his footprint across Southern California and added roughly a dozen jobs. - College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving has nearly 200 locally owned franchises nationwide. - The brand’s name stands for Honest, Uniformed, Nice, Knowledgeable, Service. - The company donates two meals to U.S. Hunger for every job completed. - The company has donated more than five million meals to date. - Items collected during jobs are recycled or donated whenever possible. - The recycling and donation efforts are meant to reduce landfill waste and support local nonprofits and community organizations. - More information is available on the company’s Murrieta location page.

Between the lines: - Vallejo is positioning the business around leadership and service, values he says were shaped by his Marine Corps career. - His growth strategy suggests the franchise is leaning into local demand while investing in staffing and operations despite economic headwinds. - The social impact angle is part of the brand’s broader identity, not just a side program.

What's next: - Vallejo said the company will keep investing in its team and operations to handle demand while maintaining service levels. - More expansion could follow if the North San Diego County addition performs like the earlier Southern California growth. - The business will likely continue using reuse, recycling and donation pickups as part of its core offering.

The bottom line: - Even with higher fuel costs, Vallejo is betting that local demand for moving and junk removal will keep his business growing.