About Shine My Glass

Mike Savely, owner of Shine My Glass, was an Austinite until his parents got hold of an old school bus and drove the family up the Al-Can Highway to Alaska, where he spent his high school years — earning the nickname "Mike Alaska."

After graduation, Mike led a gypsy-like experience playing drums and guitar, traveling up and down the coast with stays in Montreal, New York, and Mexico. His musical talent took him to places as big as Madison Square Garden, where he performed at halftime for the Knicks and other teams.

That free-wheeling lifestyle came to a halt when Mike, then in his early thirties, came back to Austin to help his elderly grandparents. Needing a steady income and finding himself living next door to a handyman well-known in the Lakeway area, Mike asked his neighbor to show him the secret to being a great window washer.

With a craftsman's instinct, he spent hours practicing the art of squeegeeing and mixing organic cleaning solutions until he had a marketable talent. At only his third house, the homeowners gave him a $700 tip — enabling him to purchase safety gear, business cards, and advertising that got him to the next level.

Mike went on to learn from other experts how to clean windows and soft wash properties. You really get a sense of his pride, his eye for detail, and his dedication to the craft when he talks about his work.

— By Penny Levers, The Oak Hill Gazette