Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Left High and Dry (Cleaner)

Sad to say that the dry cleaners who replaced Drive/International Cleaners on Lawrence, next to Dib, has vacated the premises.  A reader saw a truck removing all the laundry equipment last week, and although it's hard to see from this photo, the storefront is completely empty.  Hope to see it filled soon.

16 comments:

  1. This was a good addition to our neighborhood. Sad to see it go.

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  2. It's disappointing to see them go. I had been taking sweaters & jackets there regularly over the last so many months. I noticed the empty storefront when I came home from a recent trip up north.

    Last time I had chatted with a manager, I was told that they were planning on bringing in additional equipment to handle things like comforters on-site, so it was surprising to see them disappear.

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  3. The owners of the plaza are BAD neighbors though. They NEVER cut their grass on the Kenmore side of the street and leave it up to neighbors to call the police for all the loitering that goes on in front with all the gangbangers...

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  4. I'm always amazed when a laundromat or dry cleaning facility that is located in a strip mall with PARKING ATTACHED cannot make a go of it! So much more desirable than the "corner mom & pop" where you have to park on the street and drag everything inside.
    Only thing I can think of was that maybe the services were over-priced or the customer service was bad?

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  5. Dry cleaners come and go. This one isn't coming back, good 'ol fashioned liquidation.

    The equiptment when it was loaded-up on a flatbed looked shiney and new, I'm sure it will find a new home.

    @ Superhero

    Why don't you plant a garden there, that's what a REAL superhero would do.

    As far as calling in loiterers perhaps that would fall on the tenants who are actually on the site. The landlord may have an office there in which case I stand corrected.

    DIB is a nice place...good food I recommend it.

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  6. I know it was cheaper than average dry cleaners, but you had to pay in cash up front. I went there once to drop stuff off, but once I found that out I just went somewhere else. Something about paying first made me think I wouldn't have recourse if my clothes came back screwed up (which I've had happen before).

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  7. I think in todays age most of the clothing you buy is wash and wear. I hardly see any clothing thats dry clean only. Todays junk from China, mexico, India & Vietnam is wear it twice and throw it out anyway. The cleaning cost more then what you paid for it anyway. Ever have a leather jacket cleaned?

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  8. I will side with Uptown Superhero on this one. It is ultimately up to the Owners to stop the loitering. No one else will care or SHOULD care more about a property than the OWNER.

    There is a new law on the books that if the owner cant manage his property and allows loitering it can be shut down.

    http://www.cityofchicago.org/dam/city/depts/bacp/general/publicnuisancebrochure2222012.pdf

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  9. Your right Jeffo...we should shut that place down. Let's shutter that medical office and the Thai restaurant.

    That will end loitering and get the grass cut.

    Besides, we could use more empty storefronts.

    Brilliant contribution, I stand corrected.

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  10. "Graphic" T's, White T's and ripped jeans don't require dry-cleaning. I'm sure it was a smart business decision akin to the one on the "up and coming" Bryn Mawr "Historic District" strip that lasted all of about a year.

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  11. Yep, littleton if the people cant control the property it should be shut down.

    Effectively this then forces the people who are there AND the OWNER to stop the loitering. IT HAS TO COME FROM THE PEOPLE THERE. The police arent going to proactively take care of business, if the businesses there and the owner dont care.

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  12. Its a medical offfice and a Thai restaurant not a bodega. Any loitering has nothing to do with them or their patrons and occurs in the public way.

    Its hard enough to run a business in the city without confronting people on the street. The police drive up and down Lawrence all day and night. If there is a violation of any kind in a public way, highly visable whose job is it to be proactive?

    A lot of business owners don't like confronting strangers anymore then anybody, yet they pay the price in lost revenue when loitering happens. They also pay taxes for people trained and hired to preserve order. ......proactively.

    Maybe they do call it in like the neighbors...who is qualified in these comments to say they don't? Beyond that what is a Thai place and medical office to do?

    With that said they could cut the grass.....

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  13. Okay Littleton :), I have to disagree with you. Its hard enough to do business and PUT UP WITH gangbangers. Its just so much easier to tell them to leave or JUST call 911 each time, no matter how many times it takes. Because the resultant gunfire and danger they bring doesnt outweight any inconvenience it would take to get them to move on NO MATTER WHAT.

    Yes Mowing the Parkway would help tell people, HEY WE CARE!!!!
    Because not mowing tells people we dont care AND tolerating the gang loitering also tells people WE DONT CARE.

    If these businesses were right down the corner from me, I would be talking to them alot about THEM calling the cops and see what could be done to hold PL events there. I hope someone there picks up the slack, because when the owner and tenants arent proactive someone has to step in and MAKE them be proactive. Glad I dont live anywhere near these businesses.

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  14. Jeffo for cryin' out loud.....

    I can't think of another hood, including your RP that wouldn't mind another tasty Thai option like DIB grass or no grass.

    Your right about what upkeep says, same goes for graffitti and such.

    Howevah...how can you, me our superhero know if they do or don't call it in? If the neighbors call and nothing happens then....? Do restaurant owners have more clout with the CPD or something.

    We can't expect them to confront people. Can we?

    I know its hard to believe....but everything commented on the internet isn't true. I'll leave it at that.

    G' Nite

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  15. Littleton there is no defense for tolerating gangbanging loitering. The End.

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  16. Jeffo

    Do you even read what people say before commenting?

    Enlighten me please.

    How do we know if the Dib thai calls in or not?

    We do NOT.

    The CPD does not release incoming caller identities, particularly when they ask to remain anonymous, if I am wrong bac-up the contrary with a citable facts please or leave it alone.

    Rightly so.

    I would think the majority of commentors and this blog would respect peoples right to be anonymous in reporting crime.

    Litter. Are we in Uptown prepared to shut down business with litter in front?

    And who besides Jeffo is talkin gangbangers at this location? Nobody that is who.

    Nearby yes, there no. Is that nuanced enough?

    Kindly lighten up on the hyperbole and escalating words please and thank you. Some of us actually live here and accuracy matters.

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