Dry cleaning chain pressing into local market

Shalaby at his Zips location in Stafford. Photos courtesy of Zips Dry Cleaners.

Samer Shalaby at his Zips location in Stafford. Photos courtesy of Zips Dry Cleaners.

A Fredericksburg businessman hopes to zip through Richmond’s dry cleaning market.

Samer Shalaby has plans to open six Zips Dry Cleaners franchises in Richmond over a period of about five years. While he has not found any locations yet, he said he is looking for storefronts of around 3,500 square feet, with hopes of opening the first in 2016 somewhere in Short Pump.

A Zips location in Alexandria, Virginia.

A Zips location in Alexandria, Virginia.

Shalaby struck an agreement with Zips last month for the right to develop six stores in the Richmond market. He also owns the Zips location in Stafford, Virginia, as well as three Salad Creations franchises in Fredericksburg and a real estate development company.

“Aiming for expansion in the Richmond area seemed like the next logical step,” Shalaby said in a release.

He said Short Pump’s mix of business professionals and daily shoppers is an attractive demographic for Zips.

Zips is a Maryland-based company that launched in 1996 with eight locations in the Baltimore-Washington area. It began franchising in 2006 and has 40 stores open in the mid-Atlantic.

The Richmond Zips locations will look to set themselves apart by charging a flat fee of $2.29 to dry clean any garment.

“It covers everything from a sock to a wedding dress,” Shalaby said.

He said it will cost between $750,000 and $850,000 to open each location. He is financing the venture with his own money and with bank financing.

Broker Jim Ashby of Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer is representing Shalaby in his search for Richmond real estate.

Shalaby at his Zips location in Stafford. Photos courtesy of Zips Dry Cleaners.

Samer Shalaby at his Zips location in Stafford. Photos courtesy of Zips Dry Cleaners.

A Fredericksburg businessman hopes to zip through Richmond’s dry cleaning market.

Samer Shalaby has plans to open six Zips Dry Cleaners franchises in Richmond over a period of about five years. While he has not found any locations yet, he said he is looking for storefronts of around 3,500 square feet, with hopes of opening the first in 2016 somewhere in Short Pump.

A Zips location in Alexandria, Virginia.

A Zips location in Alexandria, Virginia.

Shalaby struck an agreement with Zips last month for the right to develop six stores in the Richmond market. He also owns the Zips location in Stafford, Virginia, as well as three Salad Creations franchises in Fredericksburg and a real estate development company.

“Aiming for expansion in the Richmond area seemed like the next logical step,” Shalaby said in a release.

He said Short Pump’s mix of business professionals and daily shoppers is an attractive demographic for Zips.

Zips is a Maryland-based company that launched in 1996 with eight locations in the Baltimore-Washington area. It began franchising in 2006 and has 40 stores open in the mid-Atlantic.

The Richmond Zips locations will look to set themselves apart by charging a flat fee of $2.29 to dry clean any garment.

“It covers everything from a sock to a wedding dress,” Shalaby said.

He said it will cost between $750,000 and $850,000 to open each location. He is financing the venture with his own money and with bank financing.

Broker Jim Ashby of Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer is representing Shalaby in his search for Richmond real estate.

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George Myers
George Myers
9 years ago

There are already discount dry cleaners in the market. Shameful that you completely ignore the fact he will be competing against existing discounters and are writing this with the implication that it is somehow a completely new concept. Yes, his plans are news, but he will not be alone. You couldn’t even be bothered to get a comment from the strongest dry cleaner, Puritan. As a result, all this story amounts to is free advertising for a a new business. Did he pay you or has he agreed to do some of his marketing with you? It reads like there… Read more »