A local high schooler is operating his own business in Mercer County

PRINCETON, WV (WVNS) — Chase Murray isn’t your typical 18-year-old. In fact, this 18-year-old operates his own window cleaning business – CM Exterior Cleaning.

“Before that, I was working two jobs, one at Big Lots and a little BBQ spot here in Princeton. I just kind of started it up as a ‘why not’ and certainly making a lot more money than doing the other stuff,” Murray said.

Murray started operations in March of 2023. By January of 2024, Murray knew he had to change some things around.

“I was doing pressure washing and January in West Virginia is a little cold. I was doing both for the month of March but then by the end of March, window cleaning was going pretty good, so I just decided to keep going with that,” Murray said.

When he first started, Murray said he had the bare minimum. Since then, he has seen his business reach new heights.

“Between Princeton and Bluefield, we do just over 80 commercial store fronts and we’re trying to get into more houses,” Murray said.

Murray has also become the talk of the town, including at his own high school. Students and teachers alike often ask him about his business ventures.

“A lot of people know I do it. We do just about all the active businesses on Mercer Street in Princeton and it’s a pretty known thing. I don’t try to hide it at all,” Murray said.

When asked about post-graduation plans, Murray hopes to continue growing his business. He hopes to spread his business across all corners of both West Virginia and Virginia.

“At the end of the day, I’ve always wanted to do my own thing. I really don’t want to be stuck behind a cash register or doing something that I don’t like. But this is something I enjoy doing, and I plan to do it for a long time,” Murray said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.