I have done business with Olde Towne Cleaners twice in about a 2-week period. The first time was an average experience. The second time was a nightmare.
About 2 weeks ago I took five items to be cleaned and pressed. When I returned home I found that one item appeared to have been wadded up when placed in the press. It was badly wrinkled and creased.
This week I went back with 7 items. I explained that my last transaction had not been pleasant and described the shirt that was wrinkled/creased. They said they would make a note on the order.
When I returned to pick up the items, I quickly checked them through the plastic packaging and could see that at least 2 items were again badly wrinkled. I showed the lady and she called someone on the phone (whoever does the pressing I guess) and I could tell she was disgusted with having to deal with this. She acted like this was not a problem, somehow my fault, and was rude and short. I decided not to argue any longer, took my items, and told her I would go somewhere else to get it fixed.
Upon returning home, I removed the items from the packaging and examined them. One item, a brand new $140 jacket (several items I took in had been newly purchased for a wedding), was missing a pearl button inlay. A second item (white dress shirt) had a damaged sleeve (looked burnt). A third item, a $65 blouse had 2 snags/pulls. It was then that I noticed a pair of slacks were missing entirely.
I called the store to report the damaged items and missing slacks and they said the owner would call me back. They did not. I called again two days later and eventually the owner's daughter (the "general manager") called back. I explained that three items had been badly damaged and one item was completely missing and asked to speak to the owner. She said the owner would not be calling me back. Then the conversation got heated on both ends. I told here I was not trying to blame this on her and figured her father (the owner) would probably want to talk to the workers if the work was being done poorly. She then went on to describe my visit to the store (she said she remembered me coming in) in what could only be characterized as a fairy tale. She claimed I said I left a dress (I said "dress shirt") and that I told them my dad had to wear a jacket to the wedding because he was so embarrassed (I said nothing of the sort and honestly, am not even sure why she brought it up).
I asked that they look for the missing pants and she flatly stated "I'm not going to look for it". She said she counted them and there's no point in looking for them. As for the damaged items, she said nothing could be done about that either.
So in summary, I took a total of 12 items and in the end had 1 item lost and 3 items damaged. Everyone who knows me, knows I'm an honest person and would never try to get something for free. But I do expect a business to honor their work and recompense for items that they damage or lose.
I will never do business with this cleaner again and would advise anyone who decides to chance it, make sure you get a receipt, carefully count your items, and maybe even take pictures of everything before you leave it. If not, I would not count on them making good on anything they lose or damage.
One more addition just in case. I checked with the Better Business Bureau and oddly, they have a business at the same address listed with a slightly differently spelled name. The business with BBB is classified as "out of business" and is registered at the address under "Old Town Cleaners" instead of "Olde Towne Cleaners", the name they appear to use now. read more
