Ian P. Murphy
January 30, 2009
Q: With all of the snowstorms this year, we’ve been getting a lot of garments with salt stains. What’s the best way to remove them?
A: Rock salt (sodium...
Ian P. Murphy
January 23, 2009
Outstanding Central Plant: DC Center Cleaners, Woodside, N.Y.
Operator Albert Lee had already consolidated production into a central plant once to handle growth, and his...
Ian P. Murphy
January 21, 2009
Representing the third of four generations of Goldbergs to operate the 125-year-old Cleveland-based chain, Brett Goldberg entered the latest D.O. Summers plant in American...
Tom Grant
January 14, 2009
One of the jobs of a firm is to transform "inputs" of labor and capital into "outputs" of product and service. For most of us, that means using money...
Tom Grant
January 14, 2009
One of the jobs of a firm is to transform "inputs" of labor and capital into "outputs" of product and service. For most of us, that means using money...
Alan Spielvogel
January 9, 2009
Q: What’s the difference between starch and sizing? Can spray starch be used in place of sizing?
A: Starch is used to stiffen fabrics such as shirt collars and...
Hannah Miller
January 2, 2009
SOUTHPORT, N.C. — When Bill and Linda May, proprietors of River Run Cleaners in Southport, N.C., switched to a new hydrocarbon system, they thought they might save...
Tom Lucenta
December 31, 2008
Using a syringe to reglue sewn cuffs and hems eliminates the need to tear out and resew linings. But you can’t see the glue going into the hem, so you should...
Everett Childers
December 26, 2008
When one thinks of haute couture, one thinks of the emaciated models who never smile and walk like they have a displaced hip as they show off world-famous designers...
Martin Young
December 19, 2008
Exceeding customer expectations is about taking the time to do things right. It’s about spending the time necessary to remove the last traces of a stain. It’s...
Bill Lynott
December 17, 2008
When it comes to investing money, human nature likes to play tricks on us. When the stock market is reaching new highs, we can’t wait to jump in. When it stumbles...
Howard Scott
December 10, 2008
Since the end of summer, times have been getting tough. It seems like the financial establishment is collapsing from within. In Washington, our current leaders are running...
John Spomar Jr.
December 5, 2008
Employees are like weeds. They’re usually “green” when I hire them, and unless they’ve worked at another plant, they think they can make up their...
Mark E. Battersby
November 28, 2008
The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA) is designed to solve the credit crunch in the financial markets, but it’s also one of the biggest tax bills...
Mark E. Battersby
November 27, 2008
Talk about last-minute changes to the tax code! The primary purpose of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA) is to solve the credit crunch in the...
Alan Spielvogel
November 26, 2008
Q: How do I stretch out and soften a sweater vest that has “tightened up?” It hasn’t shrunk too badly.
A: From your description, it sounds like the...
Bill Lynott
November 21, 2008
As I write this, the financial world is in turmoil. Consumer confidence is at near-record lows, the subprime mortgage mess shows no sign of letting up, and bank failures...
Howard Scott
November 19, 2008
Most drycleaners take their paperwork to their accountant just before the April 15th deadline and hope for the best. But by being proactive, you can fine-tune the outcome...
Martin Young
November 14, 2008
I’ve always said that if people could hit their mouths, I would go broke. And as we approach the season of family gatherings around the table, I’d like to...
Tom Grant
November 12, 2008
“The world has changed, and not for the better.”
–Tom Brokaw, Oct. 7, 2008
The drycleaning industry has seen tough times lately. We have seen...
Kenney Slatten
November 7, 2008
It is beyond comprehension why anyone would consider buying or selling a drycleaning plant before conducting an evaluation and inspection. And yet, it happens all the time...
Alan Spielvogel
October 31, 2008
Q: Are there any tips for cleaning ties? They always seem to shift during cleaning, and the seams always come apart.
A: Ties must always be cleaned in a net bag. Tube-...
Diana Vollmer
October 29, 2008
There’s been a lot of talk about change lately — especially among the politicians competing to represent us. And for many years, industry leaders have been...
Ian P. Murphy
October 24, 2008
CHICAGO — As perc is slowly phased out of lawful use, the industry’s longtime favorite continues to face sporadic, localized ban threats, recently in New...
Bill Lynott
October 22, 2008
Whether your portfolio is large or small, you must put your money somewhere. You can choose from mutual funds, individual stocks and bonds, or simply stash away your cash...
