The Clean Files by Janet Davis Dry Cleaners

There is more to life than dry cleaning. I'm sure you are already aware of this, but for me dry cleaning is my life. Today I'm going make a bit of a segue (not the two wheel transportation device but rather a transition between topics) from my normal discourse to a list of top Metro Detroit blogs. The blogs listed below are in no particular order and are loosely categorized for your reading pleasure. Most are written about Detroit, but all are written in Detroit. Are there any big ones I missed? Talk about it in the comments section!

Bargains
http://www.bargainstobounty.com/
http://www.freeismylife.com/

Sports
http://www.prideofdetroit.com/
http://detroit4lyfe.com/
http://www.jimbrandstatter.com/brandys-blog.html

Mom Blog
http://www.detroitmommies.com/

About Detroit
http://www.detroitmoxie.com/
http://www.detroitblog.org/
http://www.sweet-juniper.com/
http://www.thepeopleofdetroit.com/

Food
http://thehungrydudes.com/blog
http://www.glutenfreedetroitmetro.com/

Photo Credit: laughlin

The dry cleaning industry has one of the lowest customer satisfaction ratings of any service industry. What I’ve noticed is that there are a few good dry cleaners out there, but unfortunately the number of bad operators outweigh the number of good ones. What is it about dry cleaners that people don’t like?

It takes time

Gone are the days of one hour dry cleaning. Shoot, one cleaning cycle on our dry cleaning machine takes longer than an hour (but we can get your clothes a lot cleaner than those old machines used to). At a quality dry cleaners, there are a lot of steps we have to complete before we can give your clothes back. We have to put a tag on your clothes (to make sure each item makes it back to its respective owner), pre-spot, clean, inspect, press (like ironing), inspect again, assemble, and bag everything before your items are ready for you. Services like free pickup & delivery help take the time issue out of the equation, but you still need to plan ahead to have your clothes ready when you need them.

It’s not free

As outlined above, there are a lot of steps that go into dry cleaning your garments, so unfortunately, dry cleaning isn’t free. At even the most automated dry cleaners, labor is the biggest portion of your final bill. What you are paying for is the personal touch and care when you are using a cleaning service.

Occasionally we make a mistake

Dry cleaners don’t like to admit it, but sometimes we make the occasional blooper or blunder. Usually it’s a simple oversight that can cause a big problem. It’s easy to give out an extra garment or cross a pair of pants. We double check every item before it’s done, but sometimes even the best of us make a mistake. A good dry cleaners will do everything they can do double check everything and use computers to help. A great dry cleaner will make sure if they do make a mistake that they’ll make right on it as well.

What did your dry cleaners do to get under your skin? What did they do to fix the problem? Talk about it in the comments section.

Photo Credit: tracitodd

Here at Janet Davis Cleaners we were recently honored to be selected as one of two best dry cleaners in Detroit in the StyleLine Editors Choice Metro Detroit Shopping & Services Guide.

The guide had this to say about us, "The details translate to great service. That's why garments cleaned at Janet Davis are ready-to-wear and without missing buttons. Janet Davis offers a button guarantee on laundered shirts, cleaning two shirts for free if a broken or missing button is overlooked. Knowing dry-cleaning delivery service is a real time-saver, the business offers the service throughout Oakland and Wayne counties, delivery cleaned garments from casual to couture. The business also is expert at cleaning and preserving wedding gowns and is a member of MILD (the Michigan Institute of Laundering and Dry Cleaning) and AWGS (the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists). Open 7a.m.-7p.m. Monday-Friday; 8a.m-5p.m. Saturday."

Dave Matthews, the President and CEO of Janet Davis Dry Cleaners had this to say about being selected, "We provide the highest level of service to every garment and it shows when we are recognized for an honor like this."

Shopping for the man in your life can often be a daunting task. As I man I can understand, we're simple creatures and if there is something we really want, we find a way to buy it. So what do you buy your dad, husband, or brother this year? Something to make him look great, without having to guess this current size or style. Here are 6 items you can buy for the man in your life this holiday season.


6. A Valet
These can range from a simple 'jewelry box for men' to a free standing piece of furniture that holds a suit and everything you'd wear with it. Some use it to pick their clothes for the next day, others use it to mix and match patterns to create a unique style. Either way, any man that owns a suit will appreciate a suit valet (Note: I do NOT make any money from any of the links contained in this article).

5. Tie Rack
The best way to organize your ties is with a nice tie rack. The best tie racks are motorized and spin so you can really see all of your silk neck fashions.

4. Shoe Shine Kit
Shoe polish has been popular since WWI. As long as your man has dress shoes, why shouldn't he have the tools to help them look their best. The guys in the airport know how to do it best, but that doesn't mean it cant be done at home. Check out these tips from Kiwi for more details.


3.Travel Valet
This simple device is the perfect gift for the man who wears a suit or sport coat on a regular basis. It looks like a hanger that attaches to a seat back so the coat or blazer can hang properly and keep it's fresh from the dry cleaners appearance.

2. Shoe Tree
Although simple looking, shoe trees are instrumental in extending the life of a good dress shoe. Shoe trees help keep that new shoe look going for as long as possible. For best results, use a set of shoe trees for each pair of shoes in the closet.


1. Power Stays

Janet Davis Cleaners is proud to announce their involvement with The Brides Project. The Brides Project is a non-profit organization that sells donated wedding gowns to help fund free support services to those who have been touched by cancer.

How to Purchase A Gown

How You Can Help

Support

Where Does The Money Go?

Are you headed to the tropics for your dream beach wedding but don't know the best way to get your wedding dress there with you? There are a few different ways to get your wedding gown to your destination wedding. You can pack it, carry it, ship it, or buy it there. Depending on where you are going and what style of dress you chose will likely dictate which option is best for you.

Bring Your Dress as a Carry On

The option that will keep your dress the safest will be to carry your dress on with you. This way you'll know where your dress is at all times and you run little risk of somebody else losing it en route to your big day. There are some limitations here, first there is limited storage space to hang your gown up, so always call ahead once you have your airfare booked. Here is what Delta Airlines has to say about carrying on your wedding gown.

Many brides take their wedding dress on the plane as carry-on luggage, but BE SURE it is an approved size, as some airplanes do not have extra room for oversized carry-on pieces. It is advised to make arrangements with the airline in advance. Some airlines allow the large "coat closets" in the first-class cabin area to be used for bridal gown storage.

If you cant use the first class coat storage closet, plan on bringing your gown in a carefully packed, carry on size, suitcase or specially sized carry on box packed by a dry cleaners who specializes in wedding gowns.
Pros: Lowest chance of losing your dress.
Cons: May not be able to hang dress. Dress may not fit in an approved size carry on.

Bring Your Gown as Checked Luggage

The next option is to pack your gown into a suitcase and check it your other luggage. You would pack it the same way as suggested above only now you can use a bigger bag (works better for gowns with multiple layers or a long train).
Pros: Dress will arrive when you do. Can use bigger suitcase than for carry on.
Cons: There is a chance your luggage will be lost. Many airlines charge a fee for checked baggage.

Ship Your Wedding Gown via USPS, UPS or FedEx

With prices that may be less than an additional carry on, shipping your gown to your destination may be an attractive option. My sister got married in Disney World and mailed her wedding gown to my grandparents house two weeks before the wedding. Before she even stepped on the plane she knew the dress was safe and sound hanging in my grandparents guest bedroom closet. Call ahead to your destination to see if you can make arrangements before you ship your gown, you don't want the hotel you staying at the refuse the shipment and have it sent back!
Pros: May be cheaper than checking with airline. Can send ahead of wedding to be sure it arrives safely. Can insure your gown.
Cons: Again, there is always a slight chance the wedding gown may be lost. Your hotel may not be willing to sign for your wedding dress.

Buy The Gown at Your Destination

Unless you are getting married in a destination marriage town, like Las Vegas, I wouldn't plan on buying the dress once your arrive. The exception to this is if you are planning on getting married in a simple dress that could be worn for an event other than a wedding. For instance you could buy a hand made dress in Mexico for use as your wedding dress.
Pros: Zero percent chance of your gown getting lost before you get there.
Cons: You may not find a gown you like or one that fits properly.

Photo Credit: GilbertoFilho via flikr

For more information about Janet Davis Cleaners Wedding Gown Services, click the following link.
Detroit Michigan Wedding Gown Services

 The Woodward Dream Cruise is nothing new to Janet Davis Cleaners. In fact, the Janet Davis Cleaners building on Woodward has been around longer than most of the classic cars in the 2011 Woodward Dream Cruise. The current location in Berkley on Woodward was opened in 1950. As you can see in the picture on the left, the store looked a bit different and was a bit smaller but the classic Janet Davis signature was present even back then.

As you can see from the cars parked in front of the building, they are quite a bit older than the muscle cars most people love at the Woodward Dream Cruise. You will also notice the classic neon sign we have come to be known for hasn't been installed yet.
From the angle, the building is barely recognizable. It has been added on to at least twice since this picture was taken.

Do you have any original pictures of your classic car? What were you driving when these pictures were taken?

For quality that stands the test of time, bring your cleaning to Janet Davis Dry Cleaners.