American Drycleaner - October 2018

© Copyright 2018 American Trade Magazines All rights reserved.

® October 2018

■ DIME UP! ■ THE WIND READER

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GOOD NEWS! SPOT Business Systems and CompassMax have come together

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drycleaner drycleaner A M E R I C A N

October 2018

Vol. 85, No. 7

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS Pre-Inspection We’re Chill

(Photo: Tim Burke)

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He’s Greening to Grow How do you grow your business? One way is by growing your name and reputation in your town, like Tom O’Brien did. He’s a second-generation owner of O’Brien The Cleaner, located in Berwyn, Ill., a near-west suburb of Chicago. He’s been working with his local arts initiative group, and a local Chicago graffiti artist, to develop the eye-catching mural on the east side of his drycleaning business. Finished in July, it has brought neighborhood pride to his town and business. Locals love it. Customers talk about it! Read his story. You might find yourself getting all greened-up with delight — and a new idea!

Tim Burke, Editor

6 Dime Up!

If anyone came to tell you a mere stack of dimes could change your revenue outlook, and bring you a whole new pathway to profit, you’d laugh. But a drycleaning operator in Owosso, Mich., is going to tell you just that, and more. Meet Bob Marks, owner of Ruthy’s Cleaners. He has a secret to impart to you. Learn about his little ups — and other things.

Tim Burke, Editor

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American Drycleaner, October 2018

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Management Strategies Season-ing (Part 1) Diana Vollmer

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Owner’s Office Be Bold, Think Fresh Dan Miller

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Special Feature Don’t Get ‘Wigged-Out’ About ’Nups Chantale Suttle

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Spotting Tips The Wind Reader Martin Young

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Around the Industry

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Classified Advertising

38

Advertiser Index

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Wrinkle in Time Ready... Aim... Fire!

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NEED HELP FINDING THE HIDDEN HANGER? Scan this QR Code for help in finding the hidden hanger on this month’s cover.

Good luck!

www.americandrycleaner.com

9/20/18 11:48 AM

“Business has never been “Business has neverbetter.” been better.”

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They havemoving helped better. our team “We’re faster.

We’re We’re become more efficient.” moving more efficiently. That means profitability” Brent Ramenofsky Phil Landauer, Cleaners Owner of Boston Pierce Cleaners

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12/11/14 9:05 AM

P RE - I N SP E CT I O N

We’re Chill C

hill.

No, I mean, “Can you feel the chill in the air?” It’s autumn. Leaves turn color and fall. Prices might be on your mind, but they would be something to raise, not fall.

Maybe it’s time you looked at raising yours? In this issue, we visit with Bob Marks, owner of Ruthy’s Cleaners located in Owosso, Mich. He shares his pathways to profits, aka learning what works to increase revenue at his business. One way he describes is what he calls “little ups” of 10 cents at a time in price increases. Check out the feature. It’s called — what else? — Dime Up! The cover story, He’s Greening to Grow, is about Tom O’Brien, a second-generation drycleaning owner of O’Brien The Cleaner, located in Berwyn, Ill., a near-west suburb of Chicago.

He got involved with his town’s art initiative group to have comTim Burke missioned a mural on the entire length of the east side of his building. I visited with Tom. Talked to him and his team, and the graffiti artist, and a couple customers who stopped in. And took photos! The mural’s vibrantly green hues have brought him attention, put grins on people’s faces, and made for lively conversation — and that’s what we’re talkin’ about: all the ways you grow.

The first of a two-parter by columnist Diana Vollmer, Season-ing, is all about visually engaging your customers using the changing seasons to connect in an upbeat way. Columnist Dan Miller is out to tweak your senses again with Be Bold, Think Fresh, asking you to put a new spin on old adages. Next, savor industry veteran and longtime columnist Martin Young’s thoughts and become, just for the moment, The Wind Reader, realizing, fully, our changing garment-care world. And there’s a special feature about prenuptials (’Nups) for small-business owners.

Enjoy this fall season. I’ll be in Milan, Italy, at EXPOdetergo Oct. 19-22, but be back, just in time (and probably jacked up on espresso), to write a (if somewhat jittery) show wrap-up story for the Nov/Dec issue. But for now, remain calm, go kick some leaves around. It’s October, life is good, so enjoy the — wait for it — chill.

ADC American Drycleaner (ISSN 0002-8258) is published monthly except Nov/Dec combined. Subscription prices, payment in advance: U.S., 1 year $46.00; 2 years $92.00. Foreign, 1 year $109.00; 2 years $218.00. Single copies $9.00 for U.S., $18.00 for all other countries. Published by American Trade Magazines LLC, 566 West Lake Street, Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661.

Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER, Send changes of address and form 3579 to American Drycleaner, Subscription Dept., 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Volume 85, number 7. Editorial, executive and advertising offices are at 566 West Lake Street, Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661.

Charles Thompson, President and Publisher. American Drycleaner is distributed selectively to: qualified dry cleaning plants and distributors in the United States. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertising for any reason. © Copyright AMERICAN TRADE MAGAZINES LLC, 2018. Printed in U.S.A. No part of this publication may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher or his representative. American Drycleaner does not endorse, recommend or guarantee any article, product, service or information found within. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of American Drycleaner or its staff. While precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the magazine’s contents at time of publication, neither the editors, publishers nor its agents can accept responsibility for damages or injury which may arise therefrom.

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American Drycleaner, October 2018

Publisher Charles Thompson 312-361-1680

cthompson@ATMags.com

Associate Publisher/ National Sales Director Donald Feinstein 312-361-1682

dfeinstein@ATMags.com

Editorial Director Bruce Beggs 312-361-1683

bbeggs@ATMags.com

Editor Tim Burke

312-361-1684

tburke@ATMags.com

Digital Media Director Nathan Frerichs 312-361-1681

nfrerichs@ATMags.com

Production Manager Roger Napiwocki Advisory Board Mike Bleier Steven Dubinski John-Claude Hallak Mike Nesbit Herron Rowland Fred Schwarzmann Beth Shader Ellen Tuchman Rothmann Contributing Editors Howard Scott Diana Vollmer Martin Young Office Information Main: 312-361-1700 Subscriptions 630-739-0900 x100 www.american drycleaner.com

www.americandrycleaner.com

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DIME UP! One particular profit pathway can be achieved through subtle price increases, as implemented in thin doses

by Bob Marks, owner of Ruthy’s Cleaners, located in the small, scenic town of Owosso, Mich. His tip: If you are planning to raise your prices, do it in ‘little ups’ of maybe 10 cents.

By Tim Burke, Editor

It’s Dime Time! A tower of 10-centers can add up. Or as one dry cleaner in a small Michigan town puts it, these “little ups” of price increases work best for him and his customers. (Photo: Tim Burke)

B

ob Marks and his wife Ruth bought a Laundromat in Perry, Mich., population 4,000.

Then they bought some used drycleaning equipment and, as he tells it, just started dry cleaning in 1990.

“There was no dry cleaner in Perry so I started one. I saw a need,” he relates by phone recently.

There’s the sudden sound of a customer talking to him in the background and he excuses himself a moment to chat briefly. His friendly voice echoes through his store behind a hand over the phone, and then he’s back again,

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picking up right where he left off.

“Then we bought Stoner’s Cleaners in Owosso, Mich., in 2000. This became our main drycleaning plant in this town of once about 40,000. It’s located between Lansing and Flint in the middle of the state.”

Marks is the owner of Ruthy’s Cleaners. Ruth does all the bookkeeping while Bob runs the operation and, he mentions, “also serves as vice president of MILD.” That stands for the Michigan Institute of Laundering & Drycleaning.

According to MILD’s website, (continued on page 34) (continued) www.americandrycleaner.com

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Growing your business is more than profits, it’s growing your name and reputation within your community, like O’Brien The Cleaner did!

By Tim Burke, Editor

S

eeing green?

Yes. You are. Lots of it. And beautiful.

But it’s not money green. It’s the multigreen hues and shapes of a stylish, modern new mural.

Beyond the green of profits, one drycleaning operation found out that growing green also comes in the form of local community involvement.

Meet Tom O’Brien, the owner of O’Brien The Cleaner, a drycleaning business located in the near-west Chicago suburb of Berwyn, Ill., population 55,000.

“Since January 2018, I have been working alongside the Berwyn Public Art Initiative (BPAI),” O’Brien says. (continued) Tom O’Brien, owner of O’Brien The Cleaner, says the public art initiative group in his city of Berwyn, Ill., a near-west Chicago suburb, picked the east wall of his building as the canvas for a locally based graffiti artist to create the stunningly eyecatching green mural. “When they came to me and explained it was for the community, I was all-in,” he relates. (Photo: Tim Burke)

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Tom O’Brien poses with the graffiti artist Miss Merlot, who wears her spray paint safety mask to protect her identity in photographs.

They are standing in front of just a small portion of the building-long mural, done in shapes and patterns involving many shades of greens. (Photo: Tim Burke)

“They have just completed a mural on my drive-up window side of the building. I have felt passionately about this mural to add to the beauty of Berwyn.”

According to its website, the BPAI writes: “The Depot District functions in many ways as the center of community life in Berwyn. Adding vibrancy with public art is vital.”

The BPAI already had another artist install a mural in May a few blocks away on the other side of the commuter train tracks. O’Brien The Cleaner was next for a mural to be completed in summer. It was completed on July 23.

“When BPAI representatives came to me in the winter and explained it was for the community, I was all-in,” the owner of the drycleaning business says.

He adds with a grin: “We were going to turn a sow’s ear into a silk purse.”

The artist picked for the job was a Seattle native, currently based in Chicago, who goes by the name Miss Merlot, a young woman in her 20s. This author asked her to be invited back to pose with O’Brien for a photo for American Drycleaner and she accepted. She wore her spray paint safety mask, however, to protect her identity.

On a bright fall day, they stood in front of the sea of greens of the wondrous graffiti artwork adorning O’Brien’s east wall of his drycleaning plant. It’s a long 12

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building. The green is soothing, calming.

“It took her three days to install,” O’Brien notes. “Miss Merlot showed me designs and ideas on (her) computer at first, and we worked with her. She was wonderful.”

BPAI board member Rob Kowalski and his wife Melissa, also a member, came by for the photos as well and were beaming about the mural. “Commuters see it, residents come by, it’s great,” Rob Kowalski relates.

They express plans to do a future graffiti art project, possibly right across the big parking lot eastward, as they eye another space on a long, brick building.

O’Brien grins in the autumn sun. “Ninety-nine-pointeight percent of people love it, and tell me so, and that’s pretty good,” he laughs with an Irish twinkle in his blue eyes.

He continues: “I am a father of three beautiful daughters and I reside in Berwyn as well as work here. O’Brien The Cleaner has been in this town for 50 years as of this past spring. My father, Joseph O’Brien, originated this cleaning business in 1947 in Chicago.”

He notes that the Chicago location burned down during the riots of 1968. “After the devastating loss, my parents decided to relocate the business to Berwyn, which is about 15 minutes west. My father chose the Berwyn location because it was one of the first (continued) www.americandrycleaner.com

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Tom O’Brien (at left), who owns O’Brien The Cleaner, stands with Berwyn Public Art Initiative board members Melissa and Rob Kowalski.

(Photo: Tim Burke)

stores to include a drive-up window.”

Being involved in the art project and living in the city makes him feel more involved in his community and more connected to his local customers, who are

neighbors, too.

“Ultimately,” he says, “I have found that talking with customers, learning their first names and genuinely listening to them has been the best way to build longlasting relationships. In this way you learn more about yourself, others, and the business. Customers feel open to express their thoughts and opinions and trust you with their garments.”

The learning portion comes with growing in your local community, something many drycleaning owners and operators share. Community is a big part of many operations. It’s shown in participation in clothing and dress drives, charitable works, and so many other ways.

O’Brien’s also sports a large bulletin board just inside the front door, covering almost an entire wall of the store, and it is overflowing, festooned you might even say, with town event notices, colorful posters, bulletins and handwritten notes of all manner, from dog-walking to bake sales to music in the park and more. It’s another way of showing that the community is vibrant and active — and so is the cleaners!

Murals on local buildings is yet another highly visible way to show support in the community. And there are still other ways to grow a cleaning business, too.

O’Brien has grown up in his family business, and that’s a key part of it, too. Growing, or greening, a family business; making it thrive.

“Starting in 1974, I began working full time alongside (continued) my father, Joseph, my mother, Mary,

Tom O’Brien (at left), owner, O’Brien The Cleaner in Berwyn, Ill., stands behind his front counter with his team. (Photo: O’Brien The Cleaner) 14

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www.americandrycleaner.com

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The patterns and shades of green catch the eye and hold it at O’Brien The Cleaner’s east-facing wall. (Photo: O’Brien The Cleaner)

and my brother, Michael,” he explains.

“I started out as a pants presser and skilled my way up to 60 pants an hour. I also pulled clothes out of the drycleaning machine and hung them up. Towards the end of the night, I worked the counter until closing.

“Nowadays,” he says, “I am still working full time. I do everything in the plant but sew. My brother, Kevin, helps out on the weekends. I also have two finishers and a tailor.”

Today, O’Brien insists, he finds that “growing my business works the best through my excellent rating on Yelp. I believe everyone, young or old, looking to try a new cleaner heads straight to the Internet for their research.

“These excellent Yelp ratings stem from the relationships built though my previously stated customer service tactics,” he points out.

“I am also a UPS Access Point. This is great because I am on the UPS website. It also gets people into the door

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and ensures they know I am here. People who never knew I was here have now discovered me,” O’Brien adds.

There’s no doubt that with the bright green mural helping to enliven the look of the town, it has brought a nice amount of attention to this business celebrating its place in the community.

A recent mural dedication ceremony for the O’Brien The Cleaner graffiti art brought out local residents and officials alike.

On the early autumn day this editor visited to take photos and stood just inside the front door of O’Brien The Cleaner, a customer walked in with the typical clothing draped over his arm to be dropped off and cleaned.

Owner O’Brien said with a grin: “Good morning, Mr. Smith.”

With a big smile, Mr. Smith’s first words in reply: “Hi, Tom. Love that mural!”

That really says it all. Greening in the community, greening in business, greening to grow.

ADC

9/12/18 1:12 PM

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9/20/18 11:38 AM

MAKING CENTS OF THE DOLLARS COMPARING WET CLEANING & DRY CLEANING COSTS New technologies allow wet cleaning to significantly improve throughput production over traditional dry cleaning. This makes a strong case for the eco-friendly wet cleaning process.

But what about the costs associated with wet cleaning versus dry cleaning? When compared — dollar for dollar — wet cleaning is thousands less.

INITIAL INVESTMENT First, let’s evaluate the initial cost of each system. This is the amount required to purchase new alternative-solvent dry cleaning machines versus similarly sized Poseidon wet cleaning systems.

When the numbers are crunched, there’s a $67,000-$72,000 cost differential in favor of Poseidon wet cleaning. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Let’s dig deeper.

machine. From there on, there is not a huge difference.

Water — Water usage can vary. On the dry cleaning side, when a chiller is utilized to recycle water through a dry cleaning machine, very little water is used. But, a chiller costs between $15,000 and $30,000.

In general, a 60-pound wet cleaning machine uses 40 gallons of water per load, and over the course of a year, would go through as much water as a dry cleaning machine hooked to a water tower. A dry cleaning machine hooked to a chiller is the most water efficient. The only problem is that this scenario requires a costly initial investment.

Electricity — When it comes to electricity, wet cleaning comes out ahead.

This is because a dry cleaning machine requires 60-90 amps to operate, whereas a wet cleaning system requires just 15.

Natural Gas — The boiler needed to operate a dry cleaning machine uses 670,000 BTUs, which dwarfs the wet cleaning requirement of 118,000 BTUs. Plus, a boiler will run until all plant production is completed for the day. A wet cleaning system dryer operates in 15-20 minute increments a dozen times a day. Again, wet cleaning wins.

Labor — When compared, labor costs are very similar in both dry cleaning and wet cleaning.

1) Additional Capital Expenditures en, there are additional costs associated with operating a new dry Often, cleaning machine, including upgrading boilers, chillers, air compressors and electrical. If you have to upgrade any of these because of your new dry cleaning machine, you’ll fork out considerably more. Whereas, if you go with a wet cleaning system, you won’t.

For example, a customer is installing an 80-pound capacity dry cleaning machine at a cost north of $100,000 list price. It’s going into an existing facility. To operate correctly, the dry cleaning machine will require the purchase of another chiller ($16,000) and an 80 amp breaker. Additionally, the new chiller will require another 70 amp breaker. In the end, the new dry cleaning machine not only requires a new chiller, it demands a costly electrical upgrade. All this adds up.

By comparison, an 80-pound capacity Poseidon wet cleaning system, which operates on 15 amp breakers, doesn’t require anything extra. So, if you add a wet cleaning system, you’ll likely not have to purchase or upgrade anything else.

2) Operational Costs We know now that the minimal initial investment of a 60-pound capacity dry cleaning machine is at least $67,000 greater than that of a similarly sized wet cleaning system. We also know other capital expenditures and upgrades are also part of the installation and operational equation. Now, let’s compare labor, chemistry/solvent, regulatory/licensing fees and utility costs.

Chemistry — Initial start-up costs for chemistry for a 60-pound wet cleaning machine is around $2,000. It’s $6,000 for a 60-pound dry cleaning

3) Regulatory & Waste Disposal Fees Finally, regulatory fees and waste disposal costs are not uniform across the country because each state has its own set of laws. Typically, it costs hundreds per drum for removal of dry cleaning still-bottom-solvent wastes.

On the flip side, there are never disposal or regulatory costs for wet cleaning.

WET CLEANING — A THIRD OF THE COST OF DRY CLEANING At the end of the day – when all factors are considered – wet cleaning costs are thousands less than those of dry cleaning. Plus, wet cleaning delivers 50 percent more throughput. That’s a one-two punch that’s hard to reckon with.

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M A N A G E M E N T S T RAT E G IES

Season-ing

(PART 1)

Visually engage your customers and use the changing seasons to help connect both socially and emotionally!

T

here is a season (turn, turn, turn), sang The Byrds.

Customers must be reminded when it’s time to get things cleaned. Seasons help. Draw attention by stressing the benefits to the customer. Visuals are vital. So is interacting with your customers.

Interaction with customers is a proven way to increase loyalty, sales and profit. Examples from experts: First example (from inc.com): (Customer engagement) “is paying off: Companies that engage with their customers via social media have more loyal customers. Better yet, customers who engage with a brand Diana Vollmer online report spending 20% to 40% more on that brand, or on that company’s products. Customers decide if and when to communicate.

“Your job is simply to give them the tools that make the interaction and communication easy and natural. Not only should these tools be easily accessible and highly visible, but they should also offer options for different types of conversation.” (https://www.inc.com/wendy-lea/new-rulesof-customer-engagement.html) Second example (from allroads.me): “Engaged customers spend much more time and money with their favorite business. Data shows that when businesses offer something valuable to their customers, those customers are willing to give back — that is, spend more — in spades. Engaged customers provide businesses, on average, a 23% premium in share of wallet, profitability, revenue and relationship growth. Conversely, disengaged customers represent a 13% discount in those same metrics.

Here are some samples of how engaged customers behave in several industries: • Consumer electronics: Engaged customers visit their favored retailers 44% more often and spend an average of $84 more per visit; • Retail banking: Customers who are engaged provide 18

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(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

37% more annual revenue to their primary bank; • Casual dining: Engaged customers visit their favorite spots 56% more often; • Hotels: Engaged guests spend an average of 46% more per year; • Insurance: Engaged policyholders buy 22% more products.” (http://www.allroads.me/customer-engagement/thebusiness-benefits-of-investing-in-customer-engagement/) VISUAL CLUES FOR CUSTOMERS The results of interaction with customers sound great and you can achieve similar outcomes with a simple approach: Use visual cues in all your media, both in-store and out, to communicate and engage your customers and prospects in a way that prompts them to take action.

Customers often need to be reminded that it’s time to do something.

Seasonal changes provide the perfect opportunity to remind them. Use these changes to your advantage to engage the customers by reminding them it is already time to do the right thing. Choose an approach that fits you and your business, so the message will be entertaining for your target audience. (continued on page 23) If you are into music, take www.americandrycleaner.com

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At SMRT systems

We Get it At the heart of SMRT, we are a dry cleaner. It’s the reason we created our software in the first place: To solve the everyday problems we ran into at our own business.

We’ve stood in your shoes -- pressing, cleaning the button trap, filling in when the driver is sick, making payroll, and replacing equipment.

And with a dry cleaner’s perspective, we’ve built, from the ground up, the best dry cleaning software in the marketplace.

We understand that dry cleaners are dynamic, high-performing entrepreneurs. It’s no small feat to run both the factory and the dealership every damn day.

You deserve a software partner that knows your business and is there for you 24/7.

You deserve SMRT. SMRT Systems • (415) 612-9885 • SMRTSystems.com • sales@smrtsystems.com • 1844 Belles St. San Francisco, CA 94129

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SMRT is t e com lete ac a e. T e eo le, t e ro ct, t eir ri e an t eir oc s ma e my siness etter an my li e easier.

- at y Ben in er,

ner Ben in er s Cleaners

There’s never been a better time to

Get SMRT

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Next-level customer service to match their next-level technology. The SMRT team is passionate about solving problems and supporting their users.

SMRT is light years ahead of the competition!

We’ve never been so on top of our business and in tune with our customers.

Wayne Edelman Owner: Meurice Garment Care

Jason Yerby Vice President: Crest Advanced Dry Cleaners

There’s more to SMRT than great software. They really know the business, bringing a new dimension to customer support.

Daniel Cha Owner: Orchid Dry Cleaners

Robust KPI’s, easy customer access, instant Metalprogetti integration, text messaging... in one simple-to-use package. All I can say is, get SMRT! Richard Aviles Owner: Bridge Cleaners & Tailors, King Garment Care

CALL SMRT Today AT 415•612•9885 AND LET’S EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITIES

SMRT Systems • (415) 612-9885 • SMRTSystems.com • sales@smrtsystems.com • 1844 Belles St. San Francisco, CA 94129

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M A N A G E M E N T ST RAT E G I E S

(continued from page 18) the theme from songs. If humor suits you better, incorporate comedy. If traditional is your approach, use calendar events to trigger action.

Whatever your approach, display action-inducing visual cues in your stores, on your windows, on your vans and, most effectively, in your print and digital communication.

Whatever your style, remember to draw attention by stressing the benefits to the customer to prompt the desired action. From analytics firm eyeQ: “According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, the average customer’s attention span is eight seconds, down from 12 seconds in 2000. That is officially less than the attention span of a goldfish (nine seconds).

“Our capacity to focus on one thing is diminishing, making the initial impression all the more valuable. It’s important to catch their attention quickly. If it takes the human brain less than a second to interpret a single image or video, that leaves the brand more than seven seconds to engage with the customer (and) push the customer further down the path to purchase.” (https://www.eyeqinsights. com/power-visual-content-images-vs-text/) Which makes your point quicker? The slogan, “It’s time to clean your rugs,” or a visual image of a baby and a dog sitting on the living room rug, captioned, “Rugs need cleaning?”

How about: “Let us store your winter clothes,” or a visual image of an overcrowded and messy clothes closet, captioned, “Need more closet space?”

Visual messages work in-store, online, and in the great outdoors on vans and billboards, reinforcing when the customer needs the service. From consulting firm bain.com: “Cutting-edge companies create a different kind of marketing organization, one that is less siloed, more interactive, and more collaborative, and that increases marketing’s value and effectiveness.” (http://www.bain.com/ insights/decision-driven-marketing-hbr; note: Full article is on the Harvard Business Review website.)

Seasonal giveaways can be effective triggers, helping staff overcome their reluctance to cross-sell services.

Example: A complimentary Koozie in your company color with your logo imprinted can reinforce the message, “It’s summertime – are your patio cushions ready?”

Flowers are affordable and easy to display. A bucket full of daisies to hand out to customers reminds them of www.americandrycleaner.com

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spring cleaning. Huge mums say, “It’s homecoming season — time to clean winter coats.”

If you are sports-minded, use the sport(s) of the season and hand out wrist sweat bands while mentioning that you can keep their tennis whites (and colors) looking like new.

Lesser known holidays can promote special services, too, and they don’t get lost in the deluge of advertising that happens on the major holidays. For instance, Feb. 20 is Love Your Pet Day, so it is a good time to hand out pet treats and promote pet bed cleaning or doggy sweater cleaning.

National Grandparents Day is celebrated on the first Sunday after Labor Day and is a good time to let customers know you clean heirloom quilts.

Traditional holidays provide plenty of opportunities for selling extra services because hosting family gatherings entails showing the home to best advantage.

It is a particularly good opportunity if you have ultrasonic cleaning capabilities for household items beyond textiles, like baskets, silver, blinds and toys.

Seasonal vinyl banners are inexpensive and offer the benefit of being reusable year after year, so the expense can be spread over time if the design is kept relatively ageless. Choosing a more contemporary theme will grab attention but may be appropriate for only one season.

The vinyl banners are usable on store windows, inside stores, on vans, on company cars, at events, on billboards, and on staff badges. The design and message can be duplicated in all your print and electronic media to reinforce the message again and again.

Three-dimensional displays, such as before and after samples, will provide another visual cue to show potential results of using your services.

Many of you have used this approach with your wedding gowns and it works for other services as well.

Seasons keep turning (and turning, and turning). So, in my next column, we will explore specific tactics for your ADC seasonal promotional calendars.

Diana Vollmer is a managing director for Methods for Management, which has served dry cleaners and launderers with affordable management expertise and improved profitability since 1953. For assistance with your seasonal promotional planning, contact her at dvollmer@mfmi.com or call 415-577-6544.

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O W N E R’ S OF F I CE

Be Bold, Think Fresh New twists on old adages are in the air: Assessing the true power of technology is one; another is refiguring your build-out costs as a percentage of profit

T

he drycleaning and laundry industry has been around a long time.

Over the decades, owners of dry cleaners have gained tremendous wisdom concerning how to run a great drycleaning and laundry business. Most of the conventional wisdom is truly valuable and too rarely followed.

I remember one of the first pieces of advice I received was from a cleaner who said, “Never forget about quality. You can have all the bells and whistles, but if the clothes come back with stains, wrinkles, or broken buttons, your customers won’t come back.”

That was great advice that should be followed every day.

While most of the conventional wisdom in the industry is spot on (no pun intended), there are a couple of pieces of advice you’re likely to hear which can lead you astray. Here’s a pair of quotes you’ll hear in the industry that you might want to reDan Miller consider before following.

The first one goes: “Don’t worry about technology, focus on the cleaning.”

Owners who have been in the drycleaning industry for years can give you a seemingly endless list of “revolutionary” technologies that were supposed to change the industry forever but ended up fading into oblivion.

New delivery methods were going to make stores obsolete. New solvents were going to make traditional cleaning a thing of the past. Home products were going to eliminate the need for dry cleaners.

It is certainly true that a number of drycleaning technologies have failed, but dry cleaners that ignore the opportunities presented by new technology do so at their peril.

The key is to focus on the technologies that add value to your customers and expand the reach of your business.

A great case study for the power of technology in a mature industry is Domino’s pizza. In the early 2000s, after nearly 50 years in the pizza business, Domino’s 24

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sales were declining and there was concern that the pizza industry as a whole was in decline.

To counter this trend, Domino’s pursued a new technology strategy that focused on improving pizza quality and making pizza fun again. Domino’s developed the Heatwave bag, which kept pizzas hot during delivery.

They created a Domino’s pizza app that allowed customers to order with the tap of a button. The app and website featured a pizza tracker that enabled customers to “watch” their pizza being made, and showed how long it would be before their driver arrived.

The company also created a virtual assistant called Dom that accepted voice orders. They even allowed users to tweet their pizza orders by tweeting a pizza emoji.

As a result of these and other innovations, Domino’s revenues doubled from $1.4 billion in 2009 to $2.8 billion in 2017. Traditional pizza customers can still go to a Domino’s store and pick up a pizza in the same way they could 50 years ago, but using technology, Domino’s has broadened its customer base dramatically.

By using technology in your drycleaning business, you can expand your reach in the same way that Domino’s has.

For customers who don’t live near your store, you can offer pickup and delivery service through a website. For customers who like to see the status of (continued) www.americandrycleaner.com

9/20/18 1:45 PM

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O W N E R’ S OF F I CE

Because Starbucks leases great spaces, its stores their order, you can bar code your garments and update attract many more customers than your average coffee their location on a mobile app. shop. In addition, because the company spends so much For customers who want to visit your stores afteron building beautiful stores, its customers spend more hours, you can offer lockers or automated kiosks. All time and money per visit. of these technologies can broaden your customer base As a result, the average and increase your revenue if Starbucks store makes $1.3 implemented properly Instead of keeping your million per year in revenue.

The second quote to reContrast that with the averconsider is: “You have to rent and construction costs low age coffee shop that makes keep your store rent and in dollar terms, you should think $215,000 in revenue, or build-out costs low.” about the same as an average If you are opening a new of keeping them low in dry cleaner. store and ask for advice, you percentage of profit.

This huge gap in revenue will often hear that the most between Starbucks and the important thing you can do typical coffee shop far outis to keep your rent and your weighs the additional rent it pays for its space. Counterconstruction costs as low as possible. intuitively, with all that it does, Starbucks is spending a As a result, many drycleaning owners tend to find lower percentage of its revenue and profits on rent and inexpensive locations in the middle of strip malls and construction than the typical coffee shop. build the store out with a couple of counters and a conThe same lesson applies to your drycleaning store. veyor.

If you spend $30,000 per year on rent and spend While this strategy certainly keeps rent and build-out $30,000 to build your store out, you’re keeping your costs low, it also can keep revenue and profits low bestore costs low, right? Wrong. Because chances are, your cause it fails to provide a pleasant experience for your store is doing around $200,000 and you’re breaking even customers. It’s a classic example of penny wise, pound after paying yourself a salary. foolish.

That means that your return on your build-out cost is Instead of keeping your rent and construction costs 0% and your rent is gobbling up all of your profit. low in dollar terms, you should think of keeping them But what if you spent $60,000 per year on rent at a low in percentage of profit. The Starbucks approach is a better location, spent $60,000 on the build-out of your perfect example of this mindset. store, and made $400,000 in revenue?

As you can see from driving down any major street in Your profit would probably be at least $60,000 after America, Starbucks has incredible (and expensive) locapaying yourself, so your return on your build-out cost tions. The vast majority of their stores are on the would be 100% and your rent as a percentage of your corner of Main and Main, have drive-thru locations, and profit would be 100%. are easily visible.

Now, that’s what I call keeping your costs low.

The rent at Starbucks stores averages over $60 per ADC square foot. Not only that, their average store build-out cost averages $380,000.

Dan Miller is the chief executive officer of Mulberrys So, how is Starbucks so successful if it isn’t keeping Garment Care, a premium drycleaning and laundry its rent and build-out costs low? The answer is that it is, business with 17 locations in Minneapolis, in fact, keeping its costs low, just in profit percentage San Francisco, and Dallas. You may contact him at dmiller@mulberryscleaners.com or 866-473-0798. terms instead of dollar terms.

To find past Owner’s Office columns or share this month’s with your friends, visit AmericanDrycleaner.com.

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“Not only did I reduce my assembly staff from 2 people to 1, I also noticed significant reduction in mark in labor costs as well.The opportunity for human error has been vastly reduced. I should have switched years ago when Brett first spoke with me!!”

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Owner, Valet Cleaners and Coin Laundry

“I can honestly say that the QuickSort is the single best item I’ve ever purchased. The direct labor saving payback was less than one year. The increased efficiency from barcoding at the mark-in counter coupled with the complete elimination of assembly mistakes makes this the smartest business decision I’ve ever made, and one that is paying daily financial dividends. “ Brian Robertson

Owner, Comet Cleaners of Corinth

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Don’t Get

‘WIGGED-OUT’ About

’NUPS Prenups and postnups protect your business; think of them as another form of security

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

A

prenuptial or postnuptial agreement can save your business.

Consider two dry cleaners, Ricky and Fred.

Both thought they would be married to their wives until “death do they part.” Unfortunately, they both ended up divorced.

Ricky walked out of divorce court personally and professionally ruined. Fred, while emotionally drained, was able to maintain and grow his successful business.

RICKY Ricky owned a drycleaning business with Lucy, his wife of 19 years. Ricky was in charge of all aspects of the business, but Lucy did manage the company’s payroll and vendors part-time. For the most part, Lucy raised the children and cared for her elderly parents.

When they decided to divorce, Ricky and Lucy were still civil and wanted their divorce to be amicable. Ricky and Lucy worked together, without lawyers, to craft a plan for sharing time with their teenage sons, and for sharing the family’s expenses. They also agreed to sell their house after their youngest son graduated high school.

After a few months, and at the urging of a well-intentioned friend, Lucy hired a lawyer to write up the couple’s plan. Lucy’s main goal was to make sure the divorce ended fairly for her children.

The lawyer, however, believed that since any smallbusiness owner could hide income, assets, or a company’s true value, then Ricky must be doing that, too.

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By Chantale Suttle Even though Lucy had a base of knowledge of the business’ finances, she trusted her lawyer and figured that he knew better. So, she agreed to his “scorched earth” strategy to protect her children.

What is a “scorched earth” strategy? This is a common tactic to squeeze a business owner into a large and early settlement.

The lawyer hires an accountant, and they go after every scrap of information and document pertaining to the company’s assets and liabilities, and they question it all — every argument and angle of attack is fair game.

Much of the cost of providing the information and documents, and defending business decisions, must be paid by the business. Desperate, Ricky “lawyered up,” too.

Unfortunately, Ricky’s law firm couldn’t advise him on the settlement terms proposed by Lucy’s lawyer without conducting its own analysis of the company’s records.

Much of the paperwork involved in operating a drycleaning business was foreign to him, and the stringent environmental regulations and reporting was overwhelming.

Ricky’s law firm had to hire its own accountant to help value the business for the divorce.

Ricky and Lucy were now far from civil with one another, and the mud began to fly.

Faced with dueling accountants, complicated and conflicting arguments about the business’ finances and value, and accusations against Ricky of financial wrongdoing, the family court judge appointed an independent forensic accountant to advise the court. (continued) www.americandrycleaner.com

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The independent accountant saw that the business, to a provision that she and Fred put in the agreement to which was the couple’s biggest asset, was crumbling beencourage a quick resolution. cause the ugly divorce was keeping Ricky from focusing Within a month, Fred and Ethel’s divorce was finalized, on the business. The accountant was also worried about with minimal attorney and accountant fees, and with no the accusations of financial wrongdoing. interference or intrusion into the drycleaning business.

So, on the independent accountant’s recommendation, How could two similarly situated businesses and famithe court appointed a receiver to operate the drycleaning lies leave divorce court with such different results? business. Ricky and Lucy were now paying six different The first story is horrifying, but exceedingly common. professionals, and trial was still months away.

Many states have onerous disclosure requireThe receiver discovered that the company’s ments that unnecessarily burden the time and records did not comply with drycleaning waste finances of a small business. disposal regulations, and reported the nonUnscrupulous divorce lawyers are trained to compliance to government authorities. Ricky hone in and target a business owner’s fear of and Lucy blamed each other for the missing having the business’ confidential and financial paperwork, and the sour relationship between information exposed to the world. them stalled and prevented joint efforts at an Fair and careful divorce lawyers will also amnesty program and damage control. want extensive company records, because they The business began to accrue daily statutory fear being liable for giving bad advice if they fines, employees were laid off, debts mounted, make recommendations without investigating and the business eventually shut its doors, while Chantale Suttle the whole picture themselves.

Ricky and Lucy continued to fight in court.

Either way, good lawyer or bad, smart judge A year later, with no business to provide income for or not, a case involving a small business can be very costRicky or Lucy, Ricky agreed to settle by paying Lucy ly. One way to avoid being a Ricky is to get a prenuptial more than half of his share of the house. Lucy accepted the or postnuptial agreement like Fred. offer, even though it was smaller than what she expected A good prenuptial or postnuptial agreement can render originally, because her share of the house was pledged to the most intrusive and damaging financial disclosures unpay her lawyer’s fees. necessary, and can limit or attribute the related costs away from the business. In some situations, as explained, they FRED can save the business itself.

Fred was married to Ethel for 22 years, and they have a If Ricky had a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement in daughter. place, maybe a receiver would not have been necessary, Like Ricky and Lucy, Fred ran the business while Ethel and Ricky and Lucy could have resolved the business’ was involved part-time in just certain aspects. But unlike regulatory problems confidentially without going out of Ricky and Lucy, when Fred bought his drycleaning busibusiness. ness nine years earlier, Fred and Ethel signed a postnuptial Ricky and Fred were not wrong to believe in their maragreement to protect each other in case of divorce. riages. A lifelong commitment is not fanciful; it is a hopeThe attorney-drafted agreement laid out a strict structure ful and beautiful goal. Most couples think they will reach for evaluating and dividing the business, and for determinthat goal and that other couples will fill our country’s deing Fred’s true income for spousal and child support. pressing divorce statistics.

It identified and limited the financial information and But consider this, we buy life insurance, install security documents that the business would have to disclose. systems, and wear seat belts “just in case.” They give us It also required that the couple use a single, neutral security even if we think that odds will always be in our accountant, who would be paid from marital property favor. and not by the company.

A careful and thorough prenuptial or postnuptial agreeEarly in the divorce, Ethel agreed that the postnuptial ment can provide you, your spouse, and your business agreement was valid. with security that all will be protected in a divorce.

ADC She waived any right to ask the court to force the company to disclose more information or documents than About the author: Chantale Suttle has been a family law described in the postnuptial agreement. This entitled Ethel attorney for more than 21 years and founded the Miamito an immediate, fair, and higher award of support, thanks based DADvocacy law firm (www.dadvocacy.com).

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www.americandrycleaner.com

9/20/18 11:28 AM

35 YEARS, 2 GENERATIONS, AND FLOURISHING, 35 YEARS, 2 GENERATIONS, AND FLOURISHING, . . . BY WAY of GREENEARTH CLEANING . . . BY WAY of GREENEARTH CLEANING

Zach Kinzer and Dad, Ken Kinzer of Bridgestone Cleaners in Brooklyn, working as aKinzer team,ofhave shifted the 35 yearin Zach KinzerNY, and Dad, Ken Bridgestone Cleaners old business double growth, all 35 of the Brooklyn, NY,into working as adigit team, have utiliziing shifted the year tools available from GreenEarth – including twoallmachines old business into double digit growth, utiliziing of the using GreenEarth’s safe branded products as well as social tools available from GreenEarth – including two machines media,GreenEarth’s email/print safe marketing, and technical When using branded products as support. well as social Ken started the business as a laundromat, hesupport. got helpWhen from media, email/print marketing, and technical Zach’s Grandma Arlene. They used to call her the help “Queen Ken started the business as a laundromat, he got fromof Clean”Grandma and she laid the ground work quality product of Zach’s Arlene.

They used tofor callaher the “Queen and service everlaid since. sayswork his move 100%product Clean” and she the Ken ground for a to quality GreenEarth in 2010 wasKen thesays besthis move hetocould have and service ever since. move 100% made for hisinemployees, customers, andhebusiness!

GreenEarth 2010 was the best move could have made for his employees, customers, and business!

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S P OT T I N G T I PS

The Wind Reader This is for those wondering what’s next (Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

in fabricare, told by someone who knows

C

heck the “weather.” Look to the horizon. Learn to read fabricare’s “signs.” Be the wind reader!

The way we do business is changing.

From point of sale (POS) systems to wet cleaning to social media marketing, the options available to the fabricare industry are expanding. If you are still doing business exactly as you did just five years ago, you are losing ground to your competition.

Take time to consider your POS system. You don’t have to understand it all, just consider what it can do for you. Versatile in tracking orders, tracking customer visits, handling Martin Young discounts and upcharges, POS can retain contact information, addresses, phone numbers, social media and e-mail.

If you are not using true wet cleaning to some extent, you are doing yourself a disservice. But, wet cleaning is not going to the supermarket and buying the cheapest detergent. Wet cleaning is using specialized detergents, conditioners, and texturizers to clean and restore drycleanonly textiles.

It is strict control of water temperature, water/detergent pH, mechanical action, and drying. Wet cleaning can improve your productivity, quality, and bottom line.

Association membership gives the opportunity to network with other professionals. It offers information from your computer, tablet, or smartphone. You can get stain removal advice at the touch of a button, in real time.

You now have the ability to market on social media, just by supplying a little information about your plant.

WHERE WE’VE COME FROM In 1990, dry cleaners were in great shape. This manifested itself in having a financial magazine declare that dry cleaning was one of the 10 best ways to become a millionaire.

But, this was also about the time that environmental interests began taking a hard look at chlorinated products, 32

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including perchloroethylene (perc), the solvent of choice for about 80% of the dry cleaners nationwide.

The knee-jerk reaction to get to no environmental impact has turned into a headlong rush to mediocrity, leaving the customer believing that he or she can do it at home.

The growth of casual attire in the business sector began a slow decline in office dress that required professional care. A growth in turnkey plants lead to oversaturation, with each cleaner getting a smaller slice of market.

All these factors softened the market for dry cleaning.

When we look around today, we see a continuation of this trend. Home appliances are coming to the market preprogrammed for the “dry-clean-at-home” products and tout microprocessor controls that allow the user to get (at the touch of a button) a specialized cycle in a home washer based on fiber, construction, and staining material.

There has been an increase in plant operators who settle for only processing garments. The attitude: Let the machine do all the work. With no follow-up stain removal or touch-up finishing, these operators are working overtime to perpetuate a negative stereotype of the industry.

While the fad of home dry cleaning seems to have faded, the stigma of the possibility of “doing it at home” has remained.

When the buyer of a cleaners fails in the area of gaining knowledge of the profession, they don’t differentiate themselves in the marketplace, with the exception of price.

The spiral continues downward to a level that will not support a return on investment, maintenance and repairs, or reinvestment in up-to-date equipment.

Management is more than having a set of keys and www.americandrycleaner.com

9/20/18 1:48 PM

making payments on a bank note. Management is overseeing the effective use of all assets: employees, equipment, utilities, supplies, even the cash flow.

Many drycleaning owners are trying to maintain piece count at the expense of profit. While many large corporations have downsized over the last 10 years, many dry cleaners have reduced their prices to try and maintain piece counts and poundage.

Cross-training good employees to split time between two departments can reduce your payroll. An example would be having an employee spend six hours in shirts and two hours on the counter.

Making sure that equipment is being used, and used properly, can increase cash flow. If the shirt washer is idle, it can be cleaning comforters, at a profit.

If a department is finishing early, cut the utilities to that department. You don’t need 110 pounds of steam pressure if the shirt finishers are gone.

Order supplies from a master list, with a “par” for each item. Take the time to know what you are using and order only that amount. Excessive stock slows cash flow.

WHERE WE’RE GOING The pressure from environmental interests and regulators will continue as rules and procedures are refined.

Companies recognizing this will try to cash in by bringing new products and equipment to market. Cleaners will need as much information and insight as possible to separate true advances from smoke and mirrors.

Home appliance manufacturers will continue to aggressively pursue a share of the consumer’s fabricare dollar. Plant operators will have to prove to the consumer that their product is superior to anything that can be done at home.

Managers will have to apply tighter controls to maximize quality and productivity, while maintaining or reducing overhead.

The best place to meet these current and future needs is through publications, association benefits, meetings/ networking, and continuing education through seminars.

That’s reading the wind and being ready for what’s next.

Success in fabricare is yours for the taking. Increased knowledge leads to better preparation and that preparation allows you to take better advantage of each and every ADC opportunity that comes your way.

Martin L. Young Jr. has been an industry consultant and trainer for 20 years, and a member of various stakeholder groups on environmental issues. He grew up in his parents’ plant in Concord, N.C., Young Cleaners, which he operates today. Phone: 704-786-3011, e-mail: mayoung@ctc.net.

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(continued from page 6)

its mission is to “Establish and maintain excellence prices. So we maybe raise them 10 cents or 15 cents. and uniformity in commercial drycleaning and laundry We’ll do it every six months,” he relates. service.”

Marks explains the shift in population in their town It also writes that it is the “voice for the laundering and and the adjustment he and Ruth had to make to deal with drycleaning industry since 1913, the challenges. and is a state trade association “About 11 years ago when things representing hundreds of retailers were changing and numbers were operating in Michigan.” down, cleaners were closing, so I The Markses’ business, bought their equipment,” Marks Ruthy’s, is right in the center of says. “There wasn’t enough business Owosso on Main Street, just east to build a new plant.” of the Shiawassee River.

“We did do pickup and delivery, “Profits today are steady,” but it wasn’t exactly a route,” he Marks says. continues. “We delivered after 5 “When I bought this store, there p.m., when people were home. But Ruthy’s drycleaning business logo. were five cleaners, but now it’s now, our retired customers will just just us. Our population is down to well under 20,000 and bring us their clothes.” falling. It’s becoming a sleepy retirement town.”

This small-business owner shares how he does busiIn this scenic town, there’s a castle and a steam railness in his town today, showing how he has adapted, roading institute, according to Wikipedia. found out what works, and where his niche lies.

This resilient owner offers a tip he learned about rais“We now serve courthouses, police departments, small ing prices in his small-town market, which he passes business offices. We go right to their businesses as it’s along: “Our price raises are small. I don’t like to raise such a small community,” Marks says. It’s busy again

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where he is and there’s another brief pause. But only for a moment.

“We wanted to keep our business revenue growing,” he says. “We got into fire restoration. Now we have two Laundromats and we bring fire-damaged clothing and work overnight to separate clothes and use the ozone room.”

He found out another new pathway for his business to thrive. And he went with it. Ever the opportunist.

“Fire restoration,” Marks exclaims, “is the most profitable thing I’ve ever done. But things are feast or famine, as many drycleaning owners know. The price of the restoration cleaning is set by the insurance company. I don’t set prices.”

HIS DIME, HIS DANCE There is brief chit-chat again on his side of the phone line. But he’s right back again.

“I’m busy but I still want more.”

Is it hard to be profitable today?

“It is.”

Staff is an issue, he points out. “To have people working for you who show up, who care, you pay

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a premium for them.”

Marks talks price again, a factor in his profits, as with any business owner, that must be delicately maintained.

He gauges his customers carefully. He knows what competitors get, but he knows his customers so well.

“For the setting of prices, I’m doing shirts at $2.50 and making money but we don’t want to price ourselves out of our market,” he notes. “The bigger towns of Grand Rapids and Lansing are getting more per shirt.”

One last bit of advice from the owner of Ruthy’s before another customer demands his attention and he has to get going: “If you are planning to raise your prices, do it in ‘little ups’ of price increases.”

He says that by doing it that way, customers barely notice.

“That’s the way I’ve learned my lesson,” Marks advises. “Maybe twice a year, do small, incremental price raises, a dime or so. You can’t just jump up 50 cents.”

That’s one pathway to profit, pointed out by one drycleaning owner. No doubt there are many more ways dry cleaners go about it. But for this Midwestern cleaner, it’s ADC all about those little ups!

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A R O U N D T HE I N D U S T RY

Banner year for Hilltop Cleaners Ben Kohan, owner of Hilltop Cleaners, Encino, Calif., has advice for any cleaner with a big space to fill: “Be bold. Be creative. But, mainly, do something!”

Hilltop Cleaners is right around the corner from an upscale supermarket, Gelson’s, freelance writer Larry Siegel reports for Hilltop.

For a long time, Siegel writes, Kohan had pondered how to get the market’s customers to drive half a block farther to his cleaners.

The answer that came to Kohan was to get right into the market’s customers’ faces. He commissioned four huge ban-

Ben Kohan, owner of Hilltop Cleaners in Encino, Calif., stands in front of one of the large banners he had installed on the back of his store.

His bold, creative idea has brought attention from customers who call them “cute.”

(Photo: Hilltop Cleaners)

Meet new FabriClean team FabriClean Supply has promoted several people to its executive management team, including Trevor Hericks, who has been promoted to president. Hericks has served in numerous operational and management roles since joining the company in 1998.

Jeff Joyce has been named vice president, administration. He has extensive distribution management experience and currently serves as the company’s controller, FabriClean reports.

Canessa Hericks joined the company in 2001 and has experience managing administrative functions. She has been promoted to chief information officer, a role that includes “managing computer Trevor Hericks Jeff Joyce and communication systems as well as human resources and internal audit,” FabriClean says.

Joann Sheridan has been named director of purchasing. Sheridan “has been involved in industry purchasing 36

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ners to hang on the back of the cleaner’s building.

“We use lots of posters and banners inside our plant to promote our services and some of them are up to 5 feet tall since we have high ceilings,” says Kohan.

“But filling a 95-foot-long wall is on a whole different scale … literally,” he adds.

The banners, installed in late May, are definitely having an impact, according to Raquel Toledo, Hilltop’s office manager.

“Nearly every day, our customer service reps tell me comments from customers relating how the banners are ‘attention-getting’ and ‘cute.’ Definitely the desired result,” she says.

for Dallas Tailor, Phenix Supply and FabriClean Supply for the past 24 years,” the company relates.

Other key members of the senior management team include Hoppy Williams, who has served as vice president, operations for more than 20 years, and Orville Johnson, a 30-year industry veteran who serves as vice president, sales and marketing.

Drop anchor on Five Stars Speakers are set for Brainstorming & The Five Stars conference, scheduled for Jan. 17-20, 2019, at Sonesta Ocean Point Resort, St. Maarten, co-hosted by the National Cleaners Association (NCA) and the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI), the organizations report.

Persuasive Communication is the Only Superpower You Need will be presented by keynote speaker Jeff Tippet. John DiJulius will speak on How to Attract and Retain Millennial Employees and Clients. Finally, Arthur Greeno, long-time Chick-fil-A employee-turnedowner and author, will present The Secret of Chickfil-A’s Success: From Attracting & Training the Best Minimum Wage Employees to Attracting and Optimizing Media.

ADC www.americandrycleaner.com

9/20/18 11:53 AM

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American Drycleaner, October 2018 www.americandrycleaner.com Sell your stuff at American Drycleaner online classifieds

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A.L. Wilson Chemical Co. . . . . . . . . . 1

Maineline Computer Systems . . . . .IFC

Cleaner Business Systems . . . . . . . . . . 3

Mustang Enterprises. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Cleaner’s Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

My Shoe Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Clean Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Newhouse Specialty Co. . . . . . . . . . . 39

Columbia/ILSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC

Olin Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Commercial Coils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Parker Boiler Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC

EzProducts International . . . . . . . . . . 39

Poseidon Textile Care Systems . . . . . 17

PolyPack

Fabricare Management Systems . . . 8-9

Realstar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Unipress

Garment Management Systems . . . . . 27

Royal Basket Trucks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Global Business Systems . . . . . . . . . . 34

SMRT Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-22

GreenEarth Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

SPOT Business Systems . . . . . . . . . . . 7

In The Bag Cleaners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Transworld Business Advisors . . . . . 38

Iowa Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Trevil America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Luetzow Industries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Union Drycleaning Products . . . . . . . 13

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American Drycleaner, October 2018

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W R I N KL E I N T I M E

Ready... Aim... Fire!

10 YEARS AGO. Cincinnati-based consumer-products giant Proctor & Gamble teamed with GreenEarth Cleaning to open three Tide-branded drycleaning stores in the Kansas City metro area this month. Testing the market for branded, “environmentally friendly” drycleaning services, P&G says it will work with an existing operator to convert two plants to the Tide Dry Cleaners flag, and has built and opened one new store. …. A drycleaning clerk suffered a gunshot wound to the head during a robbery in August and survived to tell the tale on NBC’s Today show. According to police reports, the man walked into an East Coast cleaners at 11:30 a.m. and fired a shot into the ceiling and told the clerk to give him the money in the register, then lie facedown on the floor. He then fired a shot — execution style — into the back of her head before fleeing the scene. The clerk regained consciousness after 20 minutes and was able to call 911.

35 YEARS AGO. Danny Eisen, NCA’s garment analyst, went to market to see what is being shown for fall 1983. He reports that there are racks and racks of knitted garments. He warns that some of them may be problems. Some of the knits are finished very poorly with loose yarns. Again, some are very noticeably snagged. These snagged yarns are susceptible to unravel-

ing, creating large holes. Many knits are trimmed with angora, suede, and fur. Care labels on some ignore the trimmings and suggest washing. The Neighborhood Cleaners Assn. offers this timely advice: When accepting a knitted garment, examine it for snagged or broken yarns. Broken yarns can develop into holes — sometimes large holes. Measure knits before drycleaning them and record measurements so the garment can be blocked to its former size after dry cleaning.

50 YEARS AGO. Ready... Aim... Fire!

Christmas is coming, and here’s a suggestion for a gift you might give to your employees. An executive of a Chicago corporation recently sent a dart board targeted with his photograph to 70 of his subordinates. Get the point? ….

An early-rising stick-up man tied up two employees of a Detroit drycleaning plant, and then sat down to wait for the boss to come in and open the safe for him. Meanwhile, several customers came in while he waited. And to avert suspicion, he waited on them at the counter. He did a pretty fair job of it, too. He worked for well-under minimum wage because his two-hour wait netted him a haul of only $1.50 in the safe’s cash box. Now, let’s see... How do we word that help wanted ad? “Only ex-burglars need apply...”

October 1968

75 YEARS AGO. Taking Off the Heat.

In their third advertising campaign of the year, Michigan Plant Owners Association members have been sponsoring a series of ads designed to “take off the heat” — in other words, to avoid a fall cleaning jam. Spread over six weeks and costing around $500 a week, the series started in August. The first ad urged mothers to “Get Those School Clothes Cleaned Now,” and subsequent ads advised sending fall clothes “before the grand rush starts.” The ads are also calling attention to a new Michigan law whereby unclaimed articles left with the cleaner for over 90 days may be disposed of to pay charges.

ADC — Compiled by Tim Burke, Editor

To read more of American Drycleaner’s chronicling of the industry over the years, visit www.americandrycleaner.com.

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