When Collegiate Cleaners originally opened its doors in 1947, the local roads in Houston, TX, were covered in oyster shells — a byproduct of the Gulf Coast fishing industry. The shells were crushed down and processed into products that were used in construction, fertilizers and roads.
While few drycleaners need a reminder that Clean Show 2025 is just a couple of months away, there will be three other notable industry events taking place between July and November, as well
Initially launched in April, the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute’s (DLI) latest social media campaign has already showed outstanding engagement and follower growth in its first month.
The Southwest Drycleaners Association (SDA) and the California Cleaners Association (CCA) have announced the return of the Drycleaning and & Laundry EXPO West. Next year’s event is scheduled for March 27 to 29, and will be held at the Irving Convention Center in Irving, TX.
Textile Care Allied Trades Association (TCATA) recently hosted its 2025 Management & Educational Conference at The Ritz-Carlton Tiburón in Naples, Florida..
I admit it. I am the world’s biggest Columbo fan. Surely you must remember the bumbling Los Angeles homicide detective in the crumpled raincoat. Why did he always wear that in L.A.? My fondness for Columbo has nothing to do with his style or his mannerisms, although those traits never annoyed me.
Success for high-end drycleaners hinges on more than just superior cleaning techniques. It necessitates building robust, mutually beneficial relationships inside luxury fashion with designers and their sales teams. These connections can elevate your business, enhance your reputation, and drive a steady stream of discerning clientele.
If there’s one place where drycleaners may need a mindset shift, it’s how we think about same-day service. Too often, we treat it like an emergency option, a hassle, or a burden only requested by difficult customers. But, what if we’ve been thinking about it all wrong?
Does your drycleaning business differentiate itself through a higher level of service? If so, you may be feeling the disproportionate impact of economic disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
In order to properly wetclean it is necessary to customize loads you are running. This means adding the proper detergent with the proper additives in a specific formulation for that particular load. There is not one detergent that can specifically handle all loads equally.
Fans of classic detective television shows may recall Columbo (played by Peter Falk) often saying, “The truth has a way of revealing itself.” That may be true, but sometimes it needs a little help.
Rusty Smith, president and partner of Forenta, recently announced that Rothrock Supplies & Distribution has been added to Forenta’s strong network of equipment distributors. Located in Broken Arrow, OK, Rothrock Distribution was formed in 2017 by brothers John and Jim Rothrock to fill a void in drycleaning supply distribution in the greater Tulsa area.
Twelve students graduated the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute’s School of Drycleaning Technology’s Introduction to Drycleaning Course, March 24 to 28 and eight graduated DLI’s Advanced Drycleaning Course, March 31 to April 11. DLI’s introduction course consists of five days of in-person, hands-on instruction and the advanced course runs for 10 days.
In late April, America’s Best Cleaners (ABC) held its Spring 2025 Accelerator Live meeting in Tulsa, OK, hosted by affiliate Fox Cleaners. The theme of the event, “Implementation,” emphasized the critical leap from strategy to execution — highlighting how leading cleaners are applying tools, systems, and leadership models to generate real, measurable business impact.
Last month featured the opening of North Carolina’s first ZIPS Cleaners at 4115 Monroe Rd. (State Road 1009). Arrival of the ZIPS Cleaners brand brings homes and businesses in Charlotte low-cost, quick-turnaround dry cleaning as well as equally economical Wash N Fold laundry, pressed laundry, alterations, cleaning of bedding and other household items and commercial cleaning services for uniforms, linens and other items.
Mulberrys Garment Care recently announced that its franchisee CBK Management LLC has secured space for a new location in McLean, VA. The 1,400-square-foot space is situated in McLean Square, an upscale shopping center featuring a Balducci’s gourmet supermarket, Bach to Rock Music School, Citibank, Yves Delorme bedding store and other distinctive retailers and service providers.
Fresh off the heels of its Cooper City opening, Tide Cleaners is set to open its newest full-service drycleaning store in Boynton Beach, marking its 20th location in South Florida. The store is operated by Consolidated Cleaners, Inc. (CCI), a local franchisee headquartered in Naples, which now manages 33 locations, 37 delivery routes and 199 locker sites across South Florida; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Cincinnati, Ohio -- cleaning and pressing over 4 million garments a year.
R.R. Street & Co. Inc. (Street’s) is pleased to announce new trichloroethylene-free formulations of Picrin, Puro and Semi-Wet that are compliant with US EPA Final Risk Management Rules for Trichloroethylene. Picrin was introduced to the drycleaning industry over 80 years ago and has been an incredibly important product for the industry. It has gone through multiple iterations over the years as the regulatory environment changed.
The Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI) recently announced the newly formed Heartland Fabricare Association (HFA) following the merger of the Illinois Professional Drycleaners Association (IPDA), the Mid-West Drycleaning & Laundry Association (MWDLA), and the Wisconsin Fabricare Association (WFI), along with cleaners from Minnesota, into a single, unified organization.
ZIPS Cleaners recently announced that Leda Peterson and Diego Osorio, a mother-in-law/son-in-law team each with ongoing ties to the chain, have signed a new franchise agreement to open in Lancaster, PA. Operating as KATLEX LLC, the franchisees expect to open later this year
Tide Services recently signed a 50-unit franchise agreement with CMG Companies, one of the nation’s top multi-unit franchise operators. As one of the largest franchise commitments in the out-of-home laundry sector — alongside another major Tide deal announced last year — this agreement significantly accelerates Tide Laundromat’s expansion in the Southwest U.S.
Members of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists (AWGS) met recently in Fort Worth, Texas. In addition to the traditional tour of the host member’s plant, Kite’s Cleaners and Pinstripes, owned and managed by Nathan Kite, guest speakers included designer Callie Tein of Luna d’Miel Bridal, Emily Foster of Emily Foster Creative, Tracy Aaron of Wedding and Party Network, Kayla Fogarty of TheKnotWW.com, and Michael Tungesvick of Sankosha-USA.
Puritan Cleaners has again been selected as one of America’s Best Cleaners, marking its 18th consecutive year achieving certification. The recognition follows a comprehensive evaluation by Chris White, executive director of America’s Best Cleaners, who assessed the company’s garment care quality, stain removal expertise, customer service, and business practices through rigorous testing, inspection and secret shopping visits.
Tide Services, a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble, is expanding its footprint in Chicago with a new Lakeview location. Located at 2934 North Ashland Ave. next to Jewel-Osco, the laundromat is now open. The fourth Tide Laundromat in Chicago, this location is part of an ambitious expansion led by US Laundry LLC, which signed a 51-unit franchise deal in late 2024.
On Feb. 20, Ronald Gene Herson, founder and owner of Herson Supply of Gaithersberg, MD, passed away at the age of 72. Born on April 30, 1952, Ron would go on to live a life of purpose, love and ambition.
Jim Cripe — a longtime industry leader and owner of Valet Cleaners and Laundry —passed away on Feb. 27, 2025 at the age of 81. Born in South Bend, IN, on Aug. 2, 1943, Jim later made Louisiana his home and eventually graduated from Northwest Louisiana University in 1965.
Huntington Cleaners, which operate multiple retail drycleaning locations and an insurance restoration service franchise, CRDN of Michigan and Northwest Ohio, has promoted Jennifer Budzinski to vice president of operations. Budzinski has spent her 33-year career, starting in 1991, with Huntington Cleaners. She joined Huntington Cleaners as a front counter associate when she was just 15 years old.
ZIPS Cleaners recently announced that Abisoye “Abi” Ajibade and Mikhel Adun have signed a development agreement to open five locations in southwestern Houston and its surrounding suburbs. Operating as Garment Care Partners LLC, the husband-and-wife team plan to bring the garment care franchise as well as its high-end sibling, Mulberrys Garment Care, to the area beginning later this year, and to have all five locations open within three years.
Girbau North America recently welcomed Aly Auchtung of Oshkosh, WI, as sales solutions associate. In her new role, Auchtung will nurture new construction leads and support special sales projects
Mulberrys Garment Care opened its 7th franchise site in Minnesota in Eden Prairie, MN. The new site, the chain’s 15th overall, will offer Mulberrys’ full menu of high-end, high-touch drycleaning and laundry services.
America’s Best Cleaners (ABC) recently partnered with Retold Recycling in support of the #NoLandFill movement to reduce textile waste and drive a more sustainable future for fashion.
Kelly’s dry Cleaners of Farmington, NM, recently joined the ranks of the Certified Restoration drycleaning Network (CRDN) seeking to solidify its position as an industry leader.
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