Home
Share |

Content about New York

May 13, 2013
Bridgestone Cleaners Donates Services to Brooklyn’s Operation PROM

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Local business dry cleans more than 50 prom gowns for non-profit organization

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Brooklyn-based Bridgestone Cleaners recently made prom season extra special for local teens by donating the professional dry cleaning of more than 50 prom gowns to Operation PROM’s Brooklyn chapter.

The dry cleaner had previously offered its downtown Brooklyn locations as drop-off points for the non-profit organization to help collect prom formal wear, like dresses and tuxedos, for less fortunate students.

A member of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists, Bridgestone Cleaners has cleaned and cared for gowns of all occasions, the company says. Considering this, owner Ken Kinzer wanted to help the organization one step further this year by donating dry cleaning services.

“We met with the Operation PROM people and instantly recognized this was a good thing being done for Brooklyn’s young people, and we wanted to help,” he says.

Shaniqua Schloss, Operation PROM’s Brooklyn chapter director, was grateful for the assistance, citing Bridgestone as having played a fundamental role in making the organization’s first Free Prom Dress Giveaway a “huge success.”

February 28, 2013
New York City Mandates Dry Cleaners to Disclose Chemicals Used

NEW YORK — DEP will work with affected businesses over next year to implement new rule ahead of enforcement date

NEW YORK — Beginning next February, New York City dry cleaners will be required to disclose to consumers the primary chemicals used in their dry cleaning process, says the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.

About 1,400 dry cleaning businesses throughout the Big Apple will be required to list the chemicals and a link to information about their health effects, so that consumers can access their potential impact.

DEP will work with affected businesses over the next year to implement the new rule ahead of the enforcement date.

“The local dry cleaner is an essential part of life for most New Yorkers, and it is important that information about all the chemicals used by these businesses is available,” says DEP Commissioner Carter Strickland. “At virtually no cost to businesses, this rule will ensure that this important public health information is available to the public.”

February 12, 2013
NCA Webinar: Making QR Codes Work

The National Cleaners Association (NCA) will present a webinar titled Making QR Codes Work.

3 to 6 p.m. EST Feb. 20

For more information, call 212-967-3002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol.com.

January 10, 2013
NCA DEC Certification Course

The National Cleaners Association (NCA) will present its two-day DEC Certification Course on May 5 and May 12 at a location to be announced.

For more information, call 212-967-3002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol.com.

January 10, 2013
NCA DEC Certification Course

The National Cleaners Association (NCA) will present its two-day DEC Certification Course on Sept. 8 and Sept. 13 at a location to be announced.

For more information, call 212-967-3002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol.com.

January 10, 2013
NCA Intermediate Stain Removal and Bleaching Course

The National Cleaners Association (NCA) will present its Intermediate Stain Removal and Bleaching Course on March 24 at a location to be announced.

For more information, call 212-967-3002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol.com.

January 10, 2013
NCA Intermediate Stain Removal and Bleaching Course

The National Cleaners Association (NCA) will present its Intermediate Stain Removal and Bleaching Course on June 16 at a location to be announced.

For more information, call 212-967-3002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol.com.

January 10, 2013
NCA Intermediate Stain Removal and Bleaching Course

The National Cleaners Association (NCA) will present its Intermediate Stain Removal and Bleaching Course on Oct. 27 at a location to be announced.

For more information, call 212-967-3002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol.com.

December 10, 2012
SBA Approves $150 Million in Sandy Disaster Loans; Application Deadlines Near

WASHINGTON — Filing deadline for physical property damage is Dec. 31 in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and Jan. 15 in Rhode Island

WASHINGTON — A month after Hurricane Sandy devastated the East Coast, the U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $150 million in low-interest disaster loans to about 2,500 homeowners, renters and businesses in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

If your dry cleaning business was damaged by the storm, there are several ways to apply for SBA disaster relief assistance:

December 6, 2012
Four Fall Styles That Could Be Problematic for Dry Cleaners — Part 4: Oversized

CHICAGO — Designers opt for some of most difficult constructions and embellishments for this year’s collections

CHICAGO — The fall 2012 couture and ready-to-wear shows in Milan, New York and Paris offered up a variety of elegant, self-assured looks that were, for once, neither shockingly over-the-top nor snoozingly sedate. If anything, designers refined and reiterated the trends of the prior year, putting a pause on the march of style as if to say that these are the new staples, and all hell can break loose next season.

That’s not to say that the new fall styles are easy-care—they aren’t. Designers opted for some of the most difficult constructions and embellishments for this year’s collections, ensuring that what was once the reserve of the fashion revolutionary will soon be the purview of the mall and the middle class.

Fluorescent furs, mannish, matchy pantsuits, and origami-style outerwear are just a few of the trends that are moving quickly from catwalk to street, meaning that dry cleaners will soon face the specific challenges they pose—if they aren’t facing them already.

December 5, 2012
Boyd Named 2012/2013 NAPW Professional Woman of the Year

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. — Owner of Tip Top Cleaners, Chambersburg, Pa., honored by 400,000-member National Association of Professional Women

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. — Donna R. Boyd, owner of Tip Top Cleaners, Chambersburg, Pa., is being honored as a 2012/2013 NAPW Professional Woman of the Year by the National Association of Professional Women, a 400,000-member organization dedicated to helping women develop innovative business and social relationships.

Boyd’s Tip Top Cleaners specializes in expert, affordable dry cleaning and laundry services for the residents living in Pennsylvania’s Franklin County. She has built a reputation for consistently offering convenience, quality, and personal service, NAPW says.

Tip Top Cleaners also offers specialized cleaning of leather and suede, plus preservation of bridal gowns. Besides her work at Tip Top, Boyd is active in the Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce and local charity organizations.

December 5, 2012
NCA Avoiding Claims Course: What You Need to Know About Fabrics & Stain Removal

The National Cleaners Association will present its Avoiding Claims Course: What You Need to Know About Fabrics & Stain Removal on Jan. 27 in Nanuet, N.Y.

For more information, call 212-967-3002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol.com.

December 5, 2012
NCA Webinar: Understanding Good Cleaning and Drying for Alternative Solvents

The National Cleaners Association (NCA) will present a webinar titled Understanding Good Cleaning and Drying for Alternative Solvents.

3 to 6 p.m. EST Jan. 23

For more information, call 212-967-3002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol.com. 

December 4, 2012
Four Fall Styles That Could Be Problematic for Dry Cleaners — Part 3: Baroque

CHICAGO — Designers opt for some of most difficult constructions and embellishments for this year’s collections

CHICAGO — The fall 2012 couture and ready-to-wear shows in Milan, New York and Paris offered up a variety of elegant, self-assured looks that were, for once, neither shockingly over-the-top nor snoozingly sedate. If anything, designers refined and reiterated the trends of the prior year, putting a pause on the march of style as if to say that these are the new staples, and all hell can break loose next season.

That’s not to say that the new fall styles are easy-care—they aren’t. Designers opted for some of the most difficult constructions and embellishments for this year’s collections, ensuring that what was once the reserve of the fashion revolutionary will soon be the purview of the mall and the middle class.

Fluorescent furs, mannish, matchy pantsuits, and origami-style outerwear are just a few of the trends that are moving quickly from catwalk to street, meaning that dry cleaners will soon face the specific challenges they pose—if they aren’t facing them already.

December 4, 2012
NCA Basic Spotting 101

The National Cleaners Association will present its Basic Spotting 101 Course on Jan. 13 in Bronx, N.Y.

For more information, call 212-967-3002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol.com for more information. 

December 4, 2012
NCA Basic Spotting 101

The National Cleaners Association will present its Basic Spotting 101 Course on June 9 in Bronx, N.Y.

For more information, call 212-967-3002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol.com for more information.

November 29, 2012
Four Fall Styles That Could Be Problematic for Dry Cleaners — Part 2: Fur

CHICAGO — Designers opt for some of most difficult constructions and embellishments for this year’s collections

CHICAGO — The fall 2012 couture and ready-to-wear shows in Milan, New York and Paris offered up a variety of elegant, self-assured looks that were, for once, neither shockingly over-the-top nor snoozingly sedate. If anything, designers refined and reiterated the trends of the prior year, putting a pause on the march of style as if to say that these are the new staples, and all hell can break loose next season.

That’s not to say that the new fall styles are easy-care—they aren’t. Designers opted for some of the most difficult constructions and embellishments for this year’s collections, ensuring that what was once the reserve of the fashion revolutionary will soon be the purview of the mall and the middle class.

Fluorescent furs, mannish, matchy pantsuits, and origami-style outerwear are just a few of the trends that are moving quickly from catwalk to street, meaning that dry cleaners will soon face the specific challenges they pose—if they aren’t facing them already.

November 27, 2012
Four Fall Styles That Could Be Problematic for Dry Cleaners — Part 1: Patterned

CHICAGO — Designers opt for some of most difficult constructions and embellishments for this year’s collections

CHICAGO — The fall 2012 couture and ready-to-wear shows in Milan, New York and Paris offered up a variety of elegant, self-assured looks that were, for once, neither shockingly over-the-top nor snoozingly sedate. If anything, designers refined and reiterated the trends of the prior year, putting a pause on the march of style as if to say that these are the new staples, and all hell can break loose next season.

That’s not to say that the new fall styles are easy-care—they aren’t. Designers opted for some of the most difficult constructions and embellishments for this year’s collections, ensuring that what was once the reserve of the fashion revolutionary will soon be the purview of the mall and the middle class.

Fluorescent furs, mannish, matchy pantsuits, and origami-style outerwear are just a few of the trends that are moving quickly from catwalk to street, meaning that dry cleaners will soon face the specific challenges they pose—if they aren’t facing them already.

November 8, 2012
Family Matters: Solving the Toughest Family Business Problems

NEW YORK — Sibling rivalries, parent-child conflicts and charges of nepotism by non-family staff can interfere with any family enterprise

NEW YORK — Family businesses enjoy many advantages: a shared joy of success, a common pride in tradition, and a stability and loyalty that’s the envy of their clan-free competitors. Even so, there’s a flip side to the coin. Sibling rivalries, parent-child conflicts and charges of nepotism by a non-family staff can interfere with the smooth running of any family enterprise.

Has your dry cleaning business encountered such issues? Let’s discuss how to solve three of the most common problems.

THE LEADERSHIP BATTLE

The time has come to select a leader from the next generation. Several sons and daughters, now in their 40s, want to take charge. How do you avoid creating hurt feelings among the siblings?

“The transition to a new leader can be extremely difficult in a family business,” says Stacey A. Lundgren, a former family business owner and now a consultant in Howell, Mich. “The decision needs to be made on job performance and on the duties that each sibling has taken on over the years.”

October 25, 2012
The Numbers: Lower Unemployment Boosts Consumer Confidence

CHICAGO — Unemployment rate dropped to 7.8% in September, the lowest since January 2009

CHICAGO — STUNNING FORECASTERS, the unemployment rate dropped to 7.8% in September, the lowest rate since January 2009.

“Our nation's labor market added 114,000 non-farm payroll jobs in September,” Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis said in a statement. “Additionally, 86,000 more Americans found jobs in July and August than had been previously reported.”

SHOWING MODEST ECONOMIC GROWTH, the 12 Federal Reserve Districts of the Federal Reserve Bank reported consumer spending was generally good for the October report. Only the New York, Chicago and Kansas City districts reported flat or soft sales. Existing home sales were stronger in most districts, with prices steady or increasing, and overall loan activity was steady to stronger in most districts.

October 8, 2012
Settlement Announced in Stanton Cleaners Superfund Site Cleanup Lawsuit

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Defendants to pay approximately $2.7 million for EPA's cleanup costs

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — A civil environmental lawsuit stemming from the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) cleanup at the Stanton Cleaners Area Groundwater Contamination Site in Great Neck, N.Y., has been settled, authorities report.

The lawsuit was brought against the estate of Lillion Wiesner, John P. Maffei, and the property at 110 Cutter Mill Road in Great Neck, where hazardous substances were disposed of by former dry cleaning operations, according to Loretta E. Lynch, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Judith A. Enck, regional administrator, EPA Region 2.

The complaint alleged the Wiesner estate was liable for EPA's response costs under the “Superfund law” as a current and past owner at the time of disposal of hazardous substances. Maffei was liable, authorities assert, because he is a de facto current and past owner of the property.

October 3, 2012
The Numbers: Economic Activity Improves While Unemployment Rate Drops

CHICAGO — Some indicators continue to show economic improvement, with consumer confidence gaining slightly

CHICAGO — ECONOMIC ACTIVITY CONTINUED TO IMPROVE in July and early August, according to the 12 Federal Reserve Districts in the latest Beige Book report from the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

Nine districts report modest economic growth, with two reporting slow growth and the 12th indicated mixed reports with some slowdown.

Retail activity, including car sales, had increased since the previous report, although the districts showed only slight increases. Several districts – Boston, New York, Richmond, Atlanta, Minneapolis and San Francisco – indicated that tourism was on the upswing.

The tourism increase was backed by a report from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. International visitors, according to the commerce report, have spent more than $82 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related products since the first of the year, an increase of 11% from this time last year.

September 24, 2012
California’s Kelleher Equipment is Newest Columbia/ILSA Distributor

WEST BABYLON, N.Y. — Distributor is industry leader in sales, distribution, service and support: Langiulli

WEST BABYLON, N.Y. — Kelleher Equipment is Columbia/ILSA Drycleaning Systems’ newest distributor in the Greater Los Angeles area, Columbia/ILSA reports.

“We are quite thrilled to have Kelleher Equipment as part of our elite dealer network,” says Stephen Langiulli, Columbia’s president.

Kelleher Equipment has always been an industry leader in the area of sales, distribution, service and support in the United States, according to Langiulli, who adds that the company, founded by John Kelleher Sr. in 1974, is a time-proven testament to hard work and ethics.

“It was indeed an honor to stand next to John Sr., Kelly, his daughter, and John Jr. at the recent Fabricare Show in Long Beach, Calif.,” Langiulli says.

Show visitors eagerly expressed their enthusiasm for the Kelleher/Columbia affiliation, he adds.

September 20, 2012
Filing an Insurance Claim

RONKONKOMA, N.Y. — In a catastrophic situation, dry cleaners aren’t like every other business

RONKONKOMA, N.Y. — Ever wonder what it would be like to sell something that no one wants to use? Insurance is something that the customer hopes (and usually believes) they will never use. Unfortunately, disasters happen, and that’s when we need our insurance most.

The hours following a disaster can be stressful and heartbreaking, but your insurance company is there to help you get through it quickly and with as little loss of business as possible.

What should you do if you have to file an insurance claim? The procedure is similar no matter what type of claim: property, bailee, sign, auto, etc. But in a catastrophic situation, dry cleaners aren’t like every other business. Most businesses, at time of loss, are not dealing with customers’ claims in addition to their own needs.

Here are some tips to working through your insurance claim:

Document the Damage — Take photos of the damaged property immediately, even if it’s with your cell phone. The key in dealing with any insurance claim is documentation. Document everything from the very start.

September 19, 2012
Customer Service: Roll Out the Red Carpet (Part 2 of 2)

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Nothing is more integral to a service-oriented business than pleasing customers

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Providing good customer service was a common theme among the dry cleaning professionals presenting educational sessions during the recent Fabricare convention in Southern California. And Cleaner’s Supply’s Trudy Adams, the New York-based dry cleaning supplier’s director of customer service and sales, believes nothing is more integral to the health of a service-oriented business.

MAKE A CONNECTION

Adams recently visited a dry cleaner to provide customer service training at his request. As she sat in the lobby that day, this is what she heard from the CSR working the counter: “Phone number. … When do you want it? … OK, you’re all set.”

The CSR was missing prime opportunities to connect with customers and continue to build on their relationship. “I hear this excuse all the time: ‘They’re in a hurry. They don’t want to talk to me.’ OK, maybe 95% of customers really want to stand there and talk, 5% are in a hurry. You can monitor your conversation with the pace of the customer. We train that with our reps.”