CHICAGO — In StatShot surveys covering 18 months, drycleaners nationwide reported small average declines until the first quarter of 2008, anticipating the generalized economic meltdown experienced in the third quarter.
In the first three months of 2008, the StatShot panel — a group of industry operators who provide financial and cost data anonymously for use at AmericanDrycleaner.com — reported an average 14.6% drop in sales from the same period in 2007. In the second quarter, operators again reported a double-digit decrease of 14.2%.
