by Staci Giordullo

If you had to list the most disgusting jobs available, you might think a career spent working with septic tanks would rank at the top. But spend five minutes with the Schlomka family and they'll prove you wrong. "It's not as gross as it seems, and it doesn't smell that bad," says Larry Schlomka, owner of Schlomka Services LLC in South St. Paul. Although the family business involves carting away his neighbors' poo, Larry insists it's a great way to make a living. "I'm not strapped to a desk, and I meet some really nice people," he says.

Larry comes from a long line of folks willing to do the job no one else would touch. His grandparents, Carl and Villa, started Schlomka Cesspool Services in 1939, and their son Hank assumed ownership in 1968. Hank's primary goal was to offer more than just cesspool maintenance. Over the years, services such as cleaning the traps at car washes and restaurants quickly made their way into Schlomka's repertoire. "If you've got something good, then try to make it better," he says.

Yet Hank's most vivid memories come from the day-to-day maintenance of septic systems. "I went out to this farm, and when I pulled the lid off the septic tank there was a dead pig in it," he says. "The guy threw a pig carcass in the tank thinking the bacteria was going to help the system. Of course, that didn't work."

After working four decades in the famiy business, Hank was ready turn over the reins to his nephew, who had been working by his side for 20 years.. "I still talk to Larry every day," he says. "But now I can spend my day woodworking and canning produce from the garden. I don't miss work one bit!"
Larry remembers exactly when he was tapped to join the family trade. After serving in the Army for two years, the now 43-year-old planned to go to college and become an engineer. But Uncle Hank came calling instead. "He asked me to come work until the work was done," Larry says. "When I questioned how long that would be, he said he'd 'let me know.' And I've been in the business ever since."

People often underestimate the job skills required in the septic business. Andrea Schlomka, the company's office manager and Larry's niece, says most potential employees are taken aback when they discover it's more than just driving a truck. "If I were to call the driver with an emergency, they're on their own to solve that customer's problem," she says.

Poised to be the fourth generation owner, Andrea spends her days juggling graduate studies and managing the drivers' schedules. Undeterred at the thought of being a woman in a man's world, she's looking forward to the day when she takes the reins. "I couldn't imagine selling the business," she says. "Not after all the hard work my grandpa put into it."