Zero stars. Zero stars. Zero stars. Zero stars. Zero stars. Zero stars. Zero stars. Z
I've been coming to this dry cleaner for a little over a year. My philosophy with these discount dry cleaners is probably like most - and that is - I'm willing to sacrifice a little bit of quality in turn for significantly cheaper dry cleaning prices.
Over the year, I'd say quality was average to below average at times (shirts have recently been coming back looking pressed, but still really wrinkly). Until this recent visit I haven't had an issue with damage to any of my items.
That brings me to today. My wife picked up dry cleaning / dropped off dry cleaning a few days ago. When she picked up, they gave her the dry cleaning, plus 2 of my shirts they didn't clean - stating that they were ripped (by me) and so they didn't clean and wouldn't assume responsibility. I've had shirts like this come back from the dry cleaner ripped before - always in the same place - in the middle of the arm. I'm certain the rips weren't me, I would have noticed when I was wearing them last. And this place checks every garment pretty closely before they accept them and would have flagged it then. At this point, I'm weighing if I'm going to go in there and try to deal with this. The shirts weren't super old, but not new by any means. Total current value today is probably $40. So that's issue #1 & 2.
Issue #3. I'm getting ready for work yesterday and I pull out one of the recently dry cleaned shirts (this was in the batch of clothes they did clean). I put it on and notice two small rips and a stain / looks like maybe an iron burn. It's in the sleeve. This is a brand new shirt that I was sending for dry cleaning for the first time. I take it in today to talk to someone about it and to pick-up the batch of clothes we dropped off earlier this week. I talk to the cashier about it, and she says she has to get her manager to handle it. Manager comes out to discuss.
I explain the situation (A. it's a new shirt, B. this is the 3rd shirt in a single batch of dry cleaning we just picked up w/ a tear in the sleeve C. I'd like you to take care of (at a minimum) this shirt). I didn't bring the other 2 shirts with me. Just didn't feel like digging them out.
He looks at it, and say's (paraphrasing) - "looks like some chemical spilled on the shirt and ate a hole in the fabric" BS. He goes on..."we don't have any chemicals in our shop that would do this - we purposely avoid using such chemicals". BS. He goes on.." I suggest you write a letter to the shirt manufacture telling them you received this shirt this way" I tell the guy I disagree with his assessment and explain the "stain" has very defined edges (meaning doesn't look like a spill) and has rips on either end of it. He essentially ignores and repeats his bit about chemical spilling; he doesn't have those chemicals, etc. etc. Clearly a canned answer he's probably given dozens of times.
At this point, the guy is talking in circles and clearly has no intention at all of assuming responsibility. Still - I tell him again that I disagree, and tell him that I need him to cover the cost of the shirt. He says "how much is the shirt". I say $50. He says essentially that they can't cover that much and some BS about insurance. Ridiculous. Then he tries to tell me the only thing they could even consider is having ME pay $15 for some "analysis" on the shirt to determine the cause. If at that point (after I pay $15) they determine they may be at fault, then they would "submit a claim and we'd see what happens".
This happened to me only 1 other time, in Herndon at the 1.89 Dry Clean Depot. I talked to the owner / manager then, he was reasonable and agreed it was probably them. He asked for the value of the shirt, and gave me money for it. I thanked him and we continued to do business. I only left there because my office is no longer in Reston / Herndon.
Anyway, back to this guy at the 1.89 Dryclean Depot in Sterling. He's 100% terrible as a person and a business person and cares nothing about his customers. I asked him if a single shirt was worth a long term customer and he just stared blankly.
That says it all.
Update -
Just went through my dry cleaning that I just picked up (a few hours after the above review). 1 more shirt with a rip in the sleeve. Unbelievable. That's 4 shirts ruined by this place in the past 3 weeks. read more