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For dry cleaners, business is drying up in pandemic By Laura B. Hayden
Friendly’s founder, noted philanthropist dies S. Prestley Blake, who founded the Friendly’s restaurant chain with his brother Curtis in 1935, died Feb. 11 at the age of 106. Along with being known for his work at Friendly’s, Blake, a Somers resident, was noted in this area for his philanthropic interests, ranging from area colleges to the currently under construction S. Prestley and Helen Blake Ambulatory Care Center in Enfield. See story, page XX. Photo by Julie Cotnoir
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While much has been made known about the debilitating effect COVID-19 has had on the restaurant industry – closing 16% of eateries nationwide – the same percentage of dry cleaners has closed or gone bankrupt since the start of the pandemic a year ago, according to the National Cleaners Association. Enfield’s E-Jay’s Cleaners posted signs before the holidays indicating the business was closing. The phone number of the once-popular venue on Hazard Avenue, founded in 1999, remains out of service, as does the phone number to the Somers Cleaners located on Main Street in the neighboring town. Even Swiss Cleaners, a larger family chain of dry cleaners spread throughout the North Central Connecticut area, closed its Coventry location last month. The loss of one of the Swiss Cleaners’ six stores matches the 16% loss in the industry nationwide. The remaining five stores — in East Windsor, Ellington, Manchester, Rockville, and Vernon — have modified
Shawn, an account manager at Swiss Cleaners & Uniform Services, loads his truck for next day delivery of uniforms, a service that has helped keep the business afloat during COVID-19. Photo by Jessica Matton hours since the beginning of COVID-19 and have been forced to reduce staff. “It is never easy to make the decision to remove ourselves from a physical presence in a community,” said Jessica Mattson, brand and marketing manager
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