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December 20, 2012
The Structuring of Dry Cleaning Pricing

TORONTO — The cost of production starts at the cleaner’s front counter

TORONTO — There are dry cleaners that are confused about what to charge for their services, where that pricing structure places their operation within the industry, and how the consumer perceives them.

It is important to explain what goes into the pricing structure used when charging customers for their dry cleaned items. There are a number of ways to do this.

A cleaner could play a continuously looped video at the counter that illustrates how a garment is processed (including as many different processes as are used), place signage at the counter, or use various advertising mediums.

The cost of production starts at the cleaner’s front counter. When a customer drops off clothes, they should consider what system is in place to create the invoice and receipt they receive and how the cleaner identifies their items so what they brought in will be returned to them.

Proper identification includes a complete description of each article, indicating the type of item, color, label identification, and any stains or tears that may be on the garment at the time it was marked in.

February 9, 2012
Clean Canada Returns to Toronto

TORONTO, Ontario, Canada — Clean Canada, The Canadian Launderers and Dry Cleaners Exposition, returns this spring with more than 100 exhibitors showing products and services to more than 4,000 laundry and dry cleaning professionals.

The Toronto Congress Centre will play host to the April 13-15 event sponsored by the Canadian Cleaners & Launderers Allied Trades Association. Visit www.cleancanadashow.ca for more information.

January 19, 2012
Right to Represent

LOS ANGELES — Those who know I spent 25 years in show business often ask why I’d ever leave show business for dry cleaning. And they get one of three answers.

Some I tell that I’ve been to the Cannes Film Festival, to Sundance, to the Toronto, London and Telluride Film Festivals, and the nicest people I’ve met were at the Long Beach dry cleaners convention.

And that’s true: in Sundance, everyone looks both ways before saying hello; they don’t want to engage you and miss Harvey Weinstein or George Clooney coming their way. But dry cleaners have spent 12 hours a day for years being nice to the customers who walk in their stores and, as a result, they’ve just become nicer.

Others I tell that I wanted to represent a product instead of a person, especially after having clients who wanted me to complain to the studio and network of the series they were starring in that they wanted DirecTV, not Dish TV, wired into their dressing room. No matter how successful our business gets, I doubt one will ever demand premium cable channels.

October 26, 2011
Finding What Works for You

LOS ANGELES — I have shopped all over the world: in Toronto, I shop at Rochester Big and Tall. In New York, Rochester Big and Tall. In London, Rochester; Chicago, Rochester. Being 6-foot-4 with 37-inch sleeves, my choices in clothing have been pretty limited. At most big and tall men’s stores, Nehru jackets are just coming into style.

That was a bit of a problem when I was a personal manager and knew that there’d be some “Hollywood” people judging me on my “look.” Though I love dressing well, most clothing stores are fashion museums to me, and stylish clothes the artifacts.

I compensated with ties. I became known for having an amazing tie collection: thin, wide, vintage and new. While designer threads were out of the question because they weren’t made in my size, I got people to focus on the one fashion accessory where I could compete.

Instead of accepting my limitations, I concentrated on the positives.

August 16, 2010
Canadian Chain Introduces Plastic Suit

TORONTO — Tip Top Tailors, Canada’s No. 1 men’s specialty store, launched its high-tech EcoGir collection last week, the world’s only line of tailored suits made from recycled plastic bottles.

Sold under the Belissimo label, the wash-and-wear suits come out of the dryer ready for the office, the company says. “The money saved on drycleaning will virtually pay for the suit.”

May 18, 2010
Toronto Operator Stabbed to Death

TORONTO — A local drycleaner was found dead in her store last week, the victim of a brutal midday stabbing. Police pronounced Li-Yuan (Rose) Liu, owner of Top A Cleaners, dead on the scene at about 1:00 p.m. last Monday; the attacker is still at large.

After being alerted that the store was open but apparently empty by a courier, the owner of a neighboring business discovered Liu on the floor of the plant’s bathroom suffering from multiple stab wounds to the neck.

April 20, 2009
Parkers Custom Clothing Care Installs Canada’s First Solvair Systems

TORONTO — Parkers Custom Clothing Care, headquartered here, has installed Canada’s first Solvair drycleaning machines.

“We are the first drycleaner in Canada, and among the very first in the world, next to the U.S. and Japan, to use this new, environmentally friendly Solvair Cleaning System,” says Gary Fine, president of Parkers.

March 25, 2009
LCI Affiliates Recertify Couture-Level Quality

LOS ANGELES — Leading Cleaners Internationale (LCI), a marketing consortium of high-end drycleaning operators, reports that seven affiliates have recently been recertified as Five-Star Certified Couture Cleaners.

August 20, 2007
Wetcleaning Replaces Perc in Toronto Plant

TORONTO, Ontario — Toronto-based Glenforest Cleaners is converting entirely to wetcleaning this week in advance of a recommended phase-out of perchloroethylene use. The city’s Board of Health asked Environment Canada to allow it to seek a full phase-out of perc in May, and is likely to ban perc use in colocated facilities soon.

July 23, 2007
Canadian Drycleaning Giant Files for Bankruptcy

TORONTO — Canadian drycleaning giant DoveCorp Enterprises — parent of more than 100 drycleaning and commercial-laundry plants under Dove, Cadet, Meena and other names — has filed for bankruptcy protection.

June 20, 2007
Dove Converts to GreenEarth Solvent

TORONTO — DoveCorp Enterprises, a retail drycleaning conglomerate with more than 100 stores in the Toronto metro area, announced Monday that it will convert its entire operation from perchloroethylene to GreenEarth’s silicon-based solvent.

May 21, 2007
Toronto Floats Local, Nationwide Perc Bans

TORONTO, Canada — Toronto’s Public Health department voted last week to seek a gradual phaseout of perchloroethylene use in drycleaning throughout Canada from the federal government. The city is also exploring a localized ban on perc use in condominium and office buildings, or “colocated” facilities.