Some Charlottesville residents have been left out in the cold – quite literally – after a chain of dry cleaners in business for more than 70 years closed without warning. All four locations locked their doors before customers had a chance to retrieve their clothing.
Calls to Brown’s Cleaners have gone unanswered since Christmas Eve when customer Deborah McAndrews learned the business was shutting down.
“The management came out and announced to the employees, some of them with over a decade there, that they were bankrupt. They had no more money and they would not reopen," she recalls.
That seemed odd to McAndrews, who had dropped off a favorite skirt and sweater before Brown’s claimed bankruptcy.
“Obviously if we go to pick up our cleaning, we’d pay for it," McAndrews reasons. "They’re not bankrupt. I don’t know if they do storage for the winter. Some furs might be in there. Who knows?”
She called the cops, but local police say this is not a criminal matter. McAndrews disagrees, arguing her clothing was essentially stolen:
“People’s stuff is people’s stuff!" she argues. " They have a reason for owning it. Either that or they would give it away. It’s not up to the dry cleaner to decide!”
Brown’s did leave a note on its front doors, indicating customers should check legal notices in the newspaper for information on how to retrieve their dry cleaning.
Late Thursday, WVIR Television reported that arrangements had been made for customers to pick up their items. Quoting WVIR:
Owner Cary Jackson says the cleaners will only accept cash or credit for pickups, and anything left will be donated to charity.
Here are the pickup details:
- Customers can come over the next two weeks between Monday and Friday.
- East High Street customers can come between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. and Preston Avenue customers can pick up their garments from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- People who use the Ivy or Millmont Road locations must pick up their items at the East High location.
All furs will be located at the Preston Avenue location.
A neighboring business has started a Go Fund Me drive to help 34 former employees pay bills as they look for new jobs.
