Dry cleaners folds

LEONGATHA’S Best Dry Cleaners officially closed its doors last Wednesday after a confusing couple of weeks.
The Peart Street business has long served the town of Leongatha which will now rely on dry cleaners from other towns to send for dry cleaning.
While the shop was set to shut last week, clients found the facility locked up and vacant when they went to retrieve their garments in the weeks prior.
Wonthaggi’s John Betts said he had curtains at Best Dry Cleaners which were supposed to be ready for pickup on Tuesday, February 16, however when he attended the business the doors were shut.
“I tried to contact the operators and I did not get a response,” Mr Betts said.
“There were a number of people outside who wanted to get their things. It worries me that people have got our goods. They should have told us they could not do it in the first place.”
Mr Betts was later contacted on Tuesday, February 23 with a last minute opportunity to collect his goods before the business closed its doors for good.
“I was very relieved. I was concerned that I may not have had my things returned to me,” he said.
Inverloch resident Liz Blain was also concerned about her garments when she attended the shop earlier on Monday, February 15.
“I rang both of the business’ phone numbers and they were disconnected. I later attended the business and found there were people inside,” she said.
“When I asked them about the disconnected phones and lack of communication, they acted like they knew nothing about it.”
Business owner Narelle Stephenson said she did all she could to get in touch with clients before the store’s closure.
“I have now rung all customers twice over the last couple of weeks and left messages. However we do still have some things that need to be picked up,” Ms Stephenson said yesterday (Monday).
The Star received a report of one customer who went to collect pants that were not ready for a funeral on Tuesday, February 16, despite the fact they were handed in weeks beforehand. The customer attended the store to find the doors shut.
Dry cleaning Institute of Australia chief executive officer Brian Tonkin said such events of miscommunication are not a trend in the dry cleaning industry.
“I have been working with the institute since 1986 and this is the first instance of something like this happening,” he said.
“It does give the industry a bad name and we are unhappy to hear of anything like this. It is a weird situation. I have been trying to contact the owner but I have been unsuccessful and they have not returned my calls.”
Leongatha’s Best Dry Cleaners was not a member of the DIA and was not obligated to uphold its guidelines and requirements.
Traralgon Dry Cleaners is looking to source two stores in Leongatha for a drop off and pick up point for dry cleaning garments.
Korumburra Newsagency, Pulham Furnishing and Carpet in Foster, Inside Out Clothing in Foster, Victoria Secret Gallery in Inverloch, Mirboo North Newsagency and Wonthaggi Newsagency will currently service residents who do not live close to a dry cleaners.
Anyone who is yet to retrieve their garments is asked to contact Narelle Stephenson on 0429 946 896.

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Posted by Sarah Vella on Mar 1 2016. Filed under Business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry