LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - We know that throughout the pandemic, small businesses have been doing everything they can to stay afloat, including Lincoln dry cleaners.
During the months of March and April, Hangers Cleaners on 21st and G streets tells 10/11 they saw an 80 percent drop in business with the cancellation of things like weddings, conventions, proms and concerts. The staff tells 10/11 barely anyone was bringing their clothes in to get cleaned.
One of the other major impacts hitting the dry cleaners is that many people are still working from home.
In Carl Rohman’s 35 years of working at Hangers, he’s seen the company take its biggest hit during the pandemic. After the mask mandate was put in place, Rohman says the company saw a slight increase in business.
With the weather changing throughout September and October, Hangers would normally see a boost in business, but staff says they don’t see that happening any time soon.
“People didn’t get those clothes as dirty. They didn’t wear them as much during the summer. I just don’t expect it to be very strong. I assume we’ll still stay behind last year, and it’ll stay that way for a while,” said Rohman.
Many small businesses have said it. If it weren’t for their regular customers and dedicated employees, there’s no way some of them could have survived. Management at Hangers Cleaners tells 10/11 that’s the case for them too.
Being a small business with only 13 employees, making sure they all keep an income flowing in is important to management.
Through the Payment Protection Program, employees were able to keep their normal earnings for about eight weeks. When that ended, no employees were furloughed, but hours were cut down by ten a week.
“Every aspect: the delivery people, the store people, the plant people, the managers have all been wonderful. They all understand that we’re all in this together. I’m doing what I can to help everybody get through it,” said Rohman.
Staff tells 10/11 they appreciate having employees who understand business may stay this way for months to come. Rohman says he’s also thankful for any and all customers who walk through the doors, whether that’s with one shirt or an entire arm full.
With having such few employees, they say they’re beyond grateful none of them has tested positive for COVID-19.
Hangers was impacted so much that at the end of May, they were forced to close their southeast location on 70th and Van Dorn but say that was a win for another small business, Valentino’s, that now uses that space for their buffet.
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The Link LonkSeptember 10, 2020 at 07:33PM
https://www.1011now.com/2020/09/10/lincoln-dry-cleaners-hit-hard-during-covid-19-pandemic/
Lincoln dry cleaners hit hard during COVID-19 pandemic - KOLN
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