St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1947-02-28
Dear Joe
A LESSON IN TACTICS
By JAMES L. HICKS

The best defense is a good Of
Tense - at least that's what the
Army said, wasn't it, Joe?
Well, why don't you remember
your army training? If you are
broke, beaten, down and out and
on the defensive after less than
two years of this so-called peace"
that you fought for, why not take
the offensive awhile? Why not go
into business for yourself? Why
not go into the dry cleaning bust
ness, for instance? Here's how.
THE DO RE MI
The Commerce Department esti-
mates that to establish a new dry
cleaning plant capable of handling
enough business to provide the
owner with reasonable income will
require about $4,000 cash. Under
the CT Bill, a bank will lend you
that amount with little difficulty
because the government will repay
$4,000 of the money if your bust
ness fails.
This cash will cover the down
payment on major items of
equipment, outright payment of
installation costs, supplies and
small items Of equipment on
which terms are not available
and still leave you an adequate
cash working capital of about
$500.
The Commerce Department esti-
mates that if you are a shrewd
buyer you can purchase a dry
cleaning machine for $4,000, two
presses for $500, a boiler for 5000,
a steam spotting board for 5000,
office equipment for $3.50, and de-
livery equipment for 5000. As
Stunning that you are still a good
bargainer, the Department says
you should be able to buy all this
for a $500 cash down payment.
Other equipment, such as solvent,
dry cleaning soaps, spotting sup
plies, bags, hangers, and miscel-
laneous supplies, will run about
$3.50. Toss in 5000 more for wet
cleaning equipment, tables, tubs
and bleach jars and add $500 for
installation costs and freight. Now,
add about 1925 for paints, coun-
tiers, garment racks and removal
tions to make your place look
pretty for the people and you owe
about $500, but you still have
that $1,000 cash for working capt.
tai and you are all set to go.
DRY CLEAN WHAT?
To keep from being taken to the
cleaners yourself, you now must get
out and get some business. Don't
be content to clean just suits and
dresses - clean everything. The
war opened up a number Of new
fields in the dry cleaning business.
A number of dry cleaning firms
are at work developing water re-
pellents. 1t is reasonably certain
that water-proofng will make a
new and profitable source of addi-
tional business for dry cleaners.
Also during the war new chemi-
Gals were developed which make
cotton and wooden fabrics prac-
tically mildew proof. This develop
ment will add another special serv-
ice for dry cleaners.
The upholstered furniture clean
ing business has never been ade-
quately exploited. The future de-
mand for the cleaning of uphol-
stored furniture will be great. Such
services will require trucks and a
lot Of floor space to do the job but
it's good to know the market exists.
Furniture covers and automobile
seat covers offer another market
which a good business man in the
dry cleaning business might well
explore. The cleaning and repair
ing of awnings and the cleaning of
venetian blinds also appear as new
fields to the dry cleaning business.
One thing is certain: To the
alert dry cleaner everything that
a person wears and most Of the
fabrics used in the home offer
possibilities for business.