While I'm sure many have had a fine experience at 5 Corner; for what it's worth, I had a very disapointing experience and the owner was rude and insulting. I'll never return.

A view from the Satisfied Customer side...

Our family has been using this second- and third- generation family-owned and operated community resource since the 50s.

(Fun Fact: Their drive-up window was one of the first in the nation, and pre-dates McDonald's or any bank.)

Anyway, we've always been delighted with the quality of their work, their customer service, and the many time they've gone “the extra mile.'

Sorry you had the opposite experience. —Ted E.

I go to J&S Cleaners....and I am treated like the celebrity that I am. I think they are very nice to me because the GE ladies see me there and immediately bring in their dry cleaning. I'm an attraction.

Speaking of cleaning....a young man in the office showed up in a tan poplin suit today. I told him to take it off when he got home, send it off to the dry cleaners, and store it in the back of the closet until next June.

Don't parents teach these kids anything these days? Sheesh.

quote:

poplin suit

why? because that is a no-no after labor day?

In a sense....correct. It is a summer suit meant for 90+ degree days with an equal amount of humidity. Would still be appropriate in Charleston, SC. Bit of a push up here.

At least it wasn't seersucker or linen...

quote:

Originally posted by Clamato:
I go to J&S Cleaners....and I am treated like the celebrity that I am. I think they are very nice to me because the GE ladies see me there and immediately bring in their dry cleaning. I'm an attraction.

Funny last time I saw someone from the Calmato Family at J&S it was Parker picking up your stuff. Jan looked relieved to see her.

Never had a problem at 5CC.

Ditto on good service...been using them since we moved here.

I can't afford Five Corners Dry Cleaning. In my experience, the average cost per garment was about $5.00 each! As much as I want to support local companies first, sometimes the locals charge too much. Actually, I'm wouldn't be surprised to find that the franchise owners of the Cleaners Depot on Roosevelt are local area residents.

I sure I would enjoy a glass of wine with the owners of CD....but I would never send my clothes there.

I'm very picky about wear I send my dry cleaning. I tried nearly every one within a mile of my house and they all disappointed.

My first drop off at Five Corners was returned to me cleaned and perfectly pressed. So I've been going there ever since. I did have one instance that one of my pencil skirts wasn't cleaned properly (I had spilled coffee on myself). I took it back in a couple of weeks later (couldn't find time sooner) and they kindly offered to give it another try and have to me the next day. It was returned to me in perfect condition.

The biggest test was my white winter coat... it came back to me beautifully cleaned, all marks gone.

"I sure I would enjoy a glass of wine with the owners of CD....but I would never send my clothes there."
Why not? I've never had any problem or complaint, and I've saved a bundle. Not only have I been using them ever since they opened, but I had been using the CD on Ogden in Naperville for about a year or so before they opened up in Glen Ellyn. I'm curious as to why you'd sit down and socialize with them, but not trust them with cleaning your clothes. What do you know that I/we don't?

Thank you for your questions, GEWheatie...perhaps you misunderstood my post. For that, I apologize.

I only know of one or two people who go to your store. I have never heard them say, one way or another, whether the service or quality of cleaning is any better or worse than....say.....my own cleaner....J & S Cleaners. My comment was meant to convey this....from the price list that I have seen, there is little to no savings over the local mom and pop cleaners. Especially for someone like me...one who will wear a cut and sewn shirt that requires laundering and ironing (the vast majority of my personal dry cleaning needs and use revolve around Brooks Brothers button downs). IIRC, there is a sign that states that shirts are washed and pressed for $1.19. I believe that I pay $1.25, but I have mine boxed. I wonder if that service is even available at C.D. Is it? Sweaters....what would I save? $1 per sweater? So....the 10 sweaters that I clean in any given year would net me an annual savings of $10. Suits....rarely wear them any longer...but what man cleans his suit more than once a month or less? And what would you save at C.D......one or two bucks per cleaning? So....if you are a suit wearer and owned four of them.....you might save $25-50 per year. Do they still have that interesting pre-pay policy? Or did they never have that?

Now I know what you are thinking. This guy is so well-off that he doesn't care about the quarters and dollars flying out the door. Just the opposite. There are many, many factors to what an item costs other than what you are paying for the item and service itself out of your wallet. As a man who lives in the coveted Lake Ellyn area, I would have to drive roughly 8-10 times farther to utilize the services of C.D. One Price than my local cleaner (BTW, a man who knows my name...my wife's name and my kids....and will pick up and deliver for.......F....R....E....E). Any alleged or assumed savings would be burned up in gas, depreciation, and....the big one....time wasted. Time wasted. It takes me roughly 6-7 minutes to make my way to Roosevelt Road and Park from my home on any given day. Then I would have to contend with Roosevelt Road itself. I would then be obligated to go to Flip's....or McDonald's. Neither good for my heart or waistline. Add to that the FACT that I would have to make a couple of left hand turns onto and off of Roosevelt Road for these "savings"....and that's enough for me. C.D. One Price Cleaner...not for me. Regardless of their most likely awesome quality of cleaning.

So, to summarize, any savings that may be gained by my small amount of cleaning would be gobbled up by several other factors that we...as idiot consumers....fail to recognize. Sometimes cheaper isn't cheaper.

It did take me roughly 6-8 minutes to bang that out. Not as fast as I once was. All the more reason to do my dry cleaning locally.

Another thumbs up for 5 Corners. Living in the SARC area, I have no idea why my husband started going there, since it's kind of out of the way. Probably a coupon in the "welcome wagon" packet we received when we moved here - he loves coupons.

Regardless, I've never had a bad experience in the four years we've taken our clothes there.

The average cost of getting a garment dry-cleaned at 5 Corners for me and my spouse was $5.00. The cost at CD one-price is $2.29. (Note: not to be confused with the cost of shirt laundering of $1.19) The difference in price over the year has saved us plenty enough to put up with driving a few extra minutes on Roosevelt Road. And one can even avoid making left-hand turns (UPS drivers do it), too. And I have enough will power to resist stopping at Flips and McD's, etc. I don't think it really matters which I choose as they're both local service businesses, each with a Glen Ellyn address. So why wouldn't I choose the one that cuts my family's dry-cleaning expense by almost 60%?! Dry-cleaning costs for two professional adults add up to quite a bit over time. And, as they say, watch your nickels and dimes and the dollars will take care of themselves.

You sound as though you could be a paid spokesperson for C.D. One Price Cleaners!!

Most people don't understand the concept of the true cost of driving. This is completely understandable. My mother used to drive two miles out of her way to save $1 on a gallon of milk (perhaps still does). I have never explained the economics of that type of activity to her, but suffice it to say, that gallon of milk is probably the most expensive thing in her fridge.

Listen, if C.D. is in your neighborhood...I say go for it. Probably do an awesome job. If you live near Lake Ellyn and pass the 30-50 mom and pop cleaners in the CBD to get there...you ain't saving a dime when you add your time and travel expenses to the true cost of the service.

Personally, after reading some of the rules of service, I'd have a tough time going to any business that operated that way. Cash up front...no one gets my cash upfront if I can avoid it. Garments dispatched after 30 days? God forbid you are out of town or forgot about that rarely worn suit that you had cleaned. Lastly...people inside and doors are locked 4 minutes after closing time and they will not give you your cleaning? Nice customer service if true. How are the employees inside any more at risk than they were 5 minutes ago? Ridiculous policy for a neighborhood business. Not to mention that it appears that I cannot take all of my cleaning needs there.

I'll leave you with one inspirational story of the local business man. I was running late for a dinner one Saturday when I realized that I had not picked up my lone BB navy blazer from J&S. When I got there the doors were locked...nobody home. I was driving past SBUX when I noticed Jan's Jeep. He is in there often enough that I parked and went in. He was there talking to someone. I asked him if he could follow me back as I needed the jacket. He must have seen that I was in need of a shower (I usually am) and said, "Go home and get ready, Mr. B., and I will drop the stuff off." He left all of my cleaning on the front porch (we don't have a doorbell so I probably didn't hear him knocking from upstairs) and left...without even collecting what I owed him (bill was settled on the next visit). Brings a tear to my eyes just retelling that tale. So, my question is...would the franchisee do that for me?

FWIW, I think we have beaten this subject to death.

This is me crying....admittedly, it was back in the late 80's.

If you look closely, you can see Jan's van in the background.