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.
Peterson and Osorio co-own ZIPS of York, PA, in partnership with several other investors including Osorio’s wife, Michelle (Peterson’s daughter), and Peterson’s ex-husband, Carlos Cadenas.
Osorio had been manager of that location before he and Michelle became co-owners in 2013. He also worked at Cadenas’ Falls Church, VA, ZIPS Cleaners store in the past. In Lancaster, he and Peterson will share the manager role.
“I love it. It’s the perfect partnership,” Peterson says about going into business with her son-in-law. “It’s good to have someone you know you can trust as a partner.”
Osorio echoes the sentiment about teaming up with someone he has known for so long. “We know we’re capable of doing this,” he says. “We’ve been working at ZIPS for more than 20 years combined; we have a lot of experience, and we know the market and the area. This has been something we’ve been thinking of doing for years but we never really took the plunge until now.”
Peterson and Osorio are looking forward to opening their first location as sole partners and to adding more sites to their portfolio in the future.
“I think it’s good timing,” Osorio says. “I can’t wait to start.”
Franchise opportunities with ZIPS Cleaners are available in select markets throughout the U.S. for qualified investors. For information, visit www.321zips.com.