Bellevue Cleaners at the corner of Brook Road and Bellevue Avenue. The business has been in operation under different owners for 50 years. (Photos by Jonathan Spiers)
A Northside mainstay dry cleaner has left the city and its namesake neighborhood to set up shop in nearby Lakeside.
Bellevue Dry Cleaners, which had been at 1201 Bellevue Ave. for decades, moved to its new home at 5522-B Lakeside Ave. last week. The company had been on Bellevue Avenue for 60 years, said Stephanie Ahn, company president. Ahn bought the business in 2006, and is its fifth owner.
“After weathering a difficult few months, we were afforded an opportunity to continue to serve our community and patrons in the new location,” Ahn said in an email.
Ahn said the pandemic had been a challenge for her business specifically and the dry cleaning industry at large. Bellevue decided to move when the lease was up on its Bellevue Avenue space, but Ahn didn’t elaborate on what factors were in play.
The company currently operates on limited hours and anticipates returning to its prepandemic hours this summer, assuming the state’s reopening plan continues to allow the further lifting of restrictions on businesses. The state recently kicked off phase two of the reopening plan. Bellevue, which has eight employees, offers pickup and delivery services.
Bellevue leases its new Lakeside space from Franco Ambrogi, who owns Franco’s Fine Clothier, a men’s clothing company with locations in Lakeside and Short Pump Town Center. Located in a small strip shopping center, Bellevue leases about 1,200 square feet of space. The shopping center is also the location of Bryan Park Bar & Grill. Bellevue’s previous location was about 5,000 square feet.
In addition to dry cleaning, Bellevue Dry Cleaners offers tailoring, insurance restoration and other services.
Bellevue Cleaners at the corner of Brook Road and Bellevue Avenue. The business has been in operation under different owners for 50 years. (Photos by Jonathan Spiers)
A Northside mainstay dry cleaner has left the city and its namesake neighborhood to set up shop in nearby Lakeside.
Bellevue Dry Cleaners, which had been at 1201 Bellevue Ave. for decades, moved to its new home at 5522-B Lakeside Ave. last week. The company had been on Bellevue Avenue for 60 years, said Stephanie Ahn, company president. Ahn bought the business in 2006, and is its fifth owner.
“After weathering a difficult few months, we were afforded an opportunity to continue to serve our community and patrons in the new location,” Ahn said in an email.
Ahn said the pandemic had been a challenge for her business specifically and the dry cleaning industry at large. Bellevue decided to move when the lease was up on its Bellevue Avenue space, but Ahn didn’t elaborate on what factors were in play.
The company currently operates on limited hours and anticipates returning to its prepandemic hours this summer, assuming the state’s reopening plan continues to allow the further lifting of restrictions on businesses. The state recently kicked off phase two of the reopening plan. Bellevue, which has eight employees, offers pickup and delivery services.
Bellevue leases its new Lakeside space from Franco Ambrogi, who owns Franco’s Fine Clothier, a men’s clothing company with locations in Lakeside and Short Pump Town Center. Located in a small strip shopping center, Bellevue leases about 1,200 square feet of space. The shopping center is also the location of Bryan Park Bar & Grill. Bellevue’s previous location was about 5,000 square feet.
In addition to dry cleaning, Bellevue Dry Cleaners offers tailoring, insurance restoration and other services.