HANOVER, Mass. — Lapels Dry Cleaning recently announced it has opened its first drycleaning store in New York State at 696 New Loudon Road in Latham, N.Y.
In addition to being the first Lapels location in New York State, the Latham plant represents the first location for the company’s first Development Agent (DA), Niral Patel. Lapels of Latham will be the first of as many 40 locations in Patel’s territory in New York State, the firm adds.
“We introduced the DA program a few years ago. Essentially, it enables entrepreneurs to run two business models at the same time within the Lapels Franchise Program,” says Kevin Dubois, CEO of Lapels.
“In one business, they will operate much like a franchisor within the territory in which they operate,” Dubois relates. “The second business model begins with the opening of their Lapels plant location with retail front like Niral is doing in Latham.”
This, he notes, “enables the DA to earn income from the store operations as well as then being able to offer our satellite store program at a much lower capital expense to perspective franchise partners.”
Patel, owner of several Golden Corral locations and resident of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., is looking forward to the first of what he hopes will be many Lapels locations in New York State.
“People in New York State are in for a drycleaning experience like no other and we’re extremely excited to bring a sustainable, non-toxic way of dry cleaning clothes to Latham,” says Patel.
“Based on the success of Lapels Dry Cleaning in its other 100 locations,” says Patel, “I feel confident that New Yorkers will also enjoy our drycleaning services, as well as the assurance that their clothes are getting cleaned with a nearly 100 percent environmentally non-toxic cleaning solution.”
Lapels notes it has pioneered its eco-friendly drycleaning experience over the past two decades in a partnership agreement with GreenEarth®, the drycleaning industry’s only non-toxic cleaning alternative for its newer locations.
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