UPDATE 10/12/17: One week after closing, a number of customers of Martinizing Cleaners of West Chester tell 9 On Your Side they still have not received their clothing,
Cindy Powell said, "He's got my bedspread that's worth $300. I want some answers."
So we tracked down owner Deon Mack, who said customers still waiting for items can stop by the cleaners Saturday October 14, 2017, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
He says staffers will be there to assisting people in finding their dry cleaning items.
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ORIGINAL REPORT:
WEST CHESTER TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- A popular Butler County cleaner has shut its doors without warning, leaving customers scrambling to find their valuable clothing.
Actually, though, the West Chester business didn't exactly "shut" its doors.
Customers pulling up to the state Route 747 business on Tuesday found Martinizing Dry Cleaning in shambles, clothing hanging everywhere, washing machines removed, and the front doors unlocked.
Danielle Simpson of West Chester told 9 On Your Side, "The door was open, so I walked in and saw two ladies in there and said 'I am here to pick up my husband's clothes.' And they said, 'We don't work here; we are also looking for our clothes.'"
Simpson says the place was a mess, and she had no idea where $200 of her husband's work clothing was.
She describes a scene of chaos. "All the washing machines are out. The rack that runs the clothes has been dismantled. Ladies were climbing up on ladders to find their belongings. There were wedding dresses hanging there waiting to be claimed," Simpson said.
Employees surprised, too
An employee who showed up around 11 a.m. to secure the store said the closing was a surprise to workers, too.
The employee, who would identify himself only as "Dewuld," says Mack told workers the day earlier that the business was closing and that they would be out of work.
We were able to speak with owner Deon Mack over the phone, who said customers can call 513-257-9258 for more information.
Mack told us the cleaner is not going out of business, but rather is closing its storefront and converting to a "home delivery" model. He said the washing and dry cleaning machines are moving to a warehouse, where they will be used for the new home delivery business.
BBB reviews can be a red flag
The Better Business Bureau, meantime, gives the cleaners an F rating for unanswered complaints. It is a franchise of the national Martinizing chain and appears the owner owns just this one location.
This is another reminder to check reviews and BBB ratings for any company you do business with, whether it is a roofer, driveway paver, or -- yes -- a dry cleaner. Poor ratings can be a red flag to upcoming problems.
We will continue to update this story as we learn more.
As always, don't waste your money.
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