For the second time in recent months a local dry cleaner is closing its doors. But this time the establishment is shifting operations to a nearby location.
New owner Jeff Wenger told the Echo he took over Family Cleaners at 34 Hempstead Avenue with the intention of closing it, to move the business to Tiffany’s Cleaners, at 1623 Merrick Road in Merrick. All garments currently at Family will be available for pickup at the new location or delivered, free of charge.
Many customers were unaware of the pending closure, having found out suddenly earlier this week and posting queries on local Facebook groups.
Wenger, whose late brother Bruce Wenger was well known in West Hempstead and has a local Food Bank named in his memory, has taken over a total of 16 cleaning establishments in order to centralize operations from the Merrick store, with free pickups and deliveries all around the area.
Wenger, who lives in North Woodmere, says his business is environmentally friendly and that he donates a substantial portion of profits to local charities, including the fund for his brother, a lawyer who died suddenly in 2016 at age 49.
Wenger noted that while the dry cleaning industry has suffered substantially from rising costs and decreased customers due to the pandemic-induced work at home trend, with about 15 percent of stores closing, his business has increased due to acquisitions.
Another local cleaner a few blocks away from Family on Hempstead Avenue, Tops, closed its doors in August. The property at press time is still vacant.
The Family Cleaners property is also listed for sale, and may be of interest to developers as several apartment projects in the vicinity break ground in coming months.
To arrange a drop-off of your garments, call Jeff at (718) 309-5222.
