CHICAGO – The Northeast was the lone bright spot for October dry cleaning sales, posting a 2.6% gain compared to sales for October 2010, according to the latest AmericanDrycleaner.com StatShot survey.
In comparing October 2011 sales to October 2010, the West saw a 0.6% decrease and the Midwest a 1.8% decline. The South was hit the hardest, with sales down 2.6% from a year earlier.
“It’s still scary out there, but we have managed to put together three really good months,” says a Southern operator. Another adds, “Last three weeks have shown a slight but steady increase in laundry and dry cleaning. Household items are about the same.”
“Since our town put in a smoking ban at bars and restaurants, we have been seeing a slowdown in dry cleaning,” reports a Midwestern dry cleaner. But another operator in the region says their sales have been up three months in a row after three years of almost steady decline.
“We used to live on cash flow,” laments an operator from the West. “Now, we are behind.”
