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New Dry Cleaning Business To Take Over in Macomb

TSPR'S Emily Boyer
Macomb Dry Cleaners will be housed on the right side of the Macomb Auto Parts Business

The only two dry cleaning businesses in Macomb both announced plans to close at the end of the month. But there won't be a loss of dry cleaning services in town because someone else decided to fill the gap.  Eric and Karen Blakeley plan to open Macomb Dry Cleaning on Monday. “It’s going to be a busy weekend, but we are really shooting for Monday just to have a seamless transition,” said Eric Blakeley.

The couple already owns the Macomb Auto Parts store on W. Jackson St. That business will be a year old in July.  The dry cleaners will operate out of a retail space attached to the auto parts store.

“We have been looking for a renter for the past ten months. We’ve been very selective with what we want to put in here. With the retirements of the two dry cleaners in town, we saw an opportunity to open a really nice business,” Blakely said.

The space still needs to be painted and the Blakeleys must install dry cleaning equipment including clothing racks and laundry bins.

As Tri States Public Radio previously reported, both the dry cleaners currently operating in Macomb, Apollo’s and Sweeney’s, plan to close at the end of the month.

Blakeley is mimicking those companies’ business models -- Macomb Dry Cleaning will also operate as a drop off site with garments sent to Quincy to be cleaned.

Mayor Mike Inman said the Blakeleys are intervening to fill a void in the community.

“Two already established business folks in the community who are stepping up one more time to help the community in a business endeavor,” Inman said.

Emily Boyer is a former reporter at Tri States Public Radio.