Dry cleaner closes after six decades
Today marks the final day of operations for a dry cleaner that has been a fixture in the laundry business in Garland County for more than half a century.
ABC Cleaners of Arkansas runs its final shift today. In its time of operation, the gray building located on the corner of Belding Street and Central Avenue not only made a name for itself as a dry cleaner, but also built a community around its practice.
ABC Cleaners of Arkansas began as a business more than 58 years ago under the ownership of Earl and Dorothy LaMontagne. Until 2001, the business stayed in the family, passed down from the LaMontagnes to their daughter, Joyce Piatt, and her husband, Bob, and later to their son, Michael.
The dry cleaner’s current owners, Bob and Debbie Paulk, bought the business from Michael Piatt, whom they had originally met as customers. Debbie Paulk said their first interaction occurred when Michael Piatt had to regrettably inform Bob Paulk that the cleaner had lost his wedding pants.
Following this incident, Michael Piatt became friends with the Paulks. Six months later, in June 2001, the Paulks purchased the business from him after he had expressed a desire to sell it.
The Paulks began bringing it up to the day’s industry standards, moving from a written ticket system to a computerized one. They also bought equipment from Foster’s, a dry cleaner owned by Lila Kay Barnett, which
was closing at the time.
“(Michael) had the equipment that his grandfather had put in the business to begin with,” Bob Paulk said. “When Foster’s went under, I approached Lila Kaye about buying the equipment. … She sold me basically all of the equipment you see in there today.”
ABC has had employees who worked there for decades, including Bessie Turner, an employee of 30 years, Lynda Thacker, more than 20 years, and Sharon Nix, 20 years.
Debbie Paulk also said that the business was made great by its faithful customers, whom she described as friends more than anything else. In recent years, some of ABC’s more prominent repeat customers have included Oaklawn trainers, the former chief of surgery of what is now CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs and Steve Arrison, CEO of Visit Hot Springs.
The dry cleaner also had a visit from actor John Ratzenberger in 2009 when he was serving as the grand marshal of the World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
“We had a lot of friends,” Debbie Paulk said. “People do business for people they like.”
Through their machinery, longtime employees and the bonds they formed with their customers, the Paulks had a practice built on friendliness and efficiency. Bob Paulk said that he and his wife always tried to complete orders as quickly as possible and make accommodations for each customer.
“If it was in by 8:30, it was done that day,” Bob Paulk said. “If not, all of our customers could pick it up the next day. … If someone was in a hurry, we would try to get it done for them that day.”
The Paulks said that the reason they are closing their business is out of necessity. Debbie Paulk, who has had back surgery, finds the work difficult, and Bob Paulk, who is the territory manager for Arkansas and north Louisiana for Pellerin Laundry Machinery, doesn’t have the time to run the business.
Though they feel closing is what they must do at this point, the Paulks are happy with what they have done at ABC Cleaners. Bob Paulk said the business was a lucrative one, and that it was worth their time.
“It’s rewarding,” he said.