HANOVER, Mass. — Lapels Dry Cleaning, which describes itself as “an innovative, environmentally friendly drycleaning company,” headquartered here, recently opened a drycleaning plant at 855 Gold Hill Road, Suite 106, in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
More recently, the franchise reports, it also opened a satellite store at 4815 Berewick Town Center Drive, Suite H in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The plant and satellite store represent the first Lapels Dry Cleaning locations in the greater Charlotte area, the firm notes.
“The York County area is vastly underserved, so opening Lapels Dry Cleaning serves one need,” says Todd Huston, owner of the Lapels locations in both Fort Mill and Charlotte.
“Yet it’s how we clean clothes,” he adds, “our passion for customer service and the end result that residents of Fort Mill and the greater Charlotte area are going to love.”
Married, Huston resides in Lake Wylie with his wife of 25 years Christine and their daughters Grace and Bella.
“I have a degree in fashion design and had a long and successful management career in retail, specifically in apparel design, development and sourcing,” says Huston. “The Lapels cleaning processes clean and extend the life of clothing like nothing else and do it in a truly environmentally friendly way.”
Lapels says it has pioneered its eco-friendly dry-cleaning experience over the past 18 years and adds it has a partnership agreement with GreenEarth® Cleaning, the drycleaning industry’s only non-toxic cleaning alternative for its newer locations.
Using these kinds of solutions, it says, and the latest technology in equipment, the company notes it is one of the few dry cleaners able to boast that there is no hazardous waste in their process. Their environmentally-friendly cleaning process has no odor and is gentler on clothes, thus lengthening the life of clothes, it points out.
The company’s customers, it describes, are greeted to a warm and inviting reception area, with friendly customer service representatives, and alteration services. The firm also offers customers Automatic Rewards earning them credit towards free dry cleaning, Loyalty Programs, and more.
“Lapels Dry Cleaning has also set itself apart with its customer service,” says Huston. “And that’s another area where we are focused on delighting our customers.”
Huston spent nearly three decades in the fashion retail industry, Lapels writes, in nearly all facets of the business — sales, marketing, merchandising and operations.
Looking for a new challenge, the firm notes, Huston began researching franchise opportunities where he could best utilize his sales, marketing and organizational skills.
“Lapels Dry Cleaning has more than 80 locations nationwide and we’re delighted to be entering the Charlotte market,” says Kevin Dubois, CEO of the company.
“We care about the communities where we have our stores. That starts with going the extra mile to be sensitive to the environment. Yet it also has to do with being active participants in the local community and business community. We look forward to Todd and Christine accomplishing great things in their market,” says Dubois.
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