Southside Cleaners Opens New Location in Chatham!

1.) How long have you been planning to open this second location?

When we developed a business with Hargrave, we realized that the people of Chatham had no choice in drycleaners, unless they went to a different town.

We weren't really planning to open a Chatham store until we saw the location, which is perfect. Everything seems to have fallen in place in just a very few short months. The day we spotted the building was actually at the end of May.

2.) What is it about Chatham that grabbed your interest? Why?

Chatham is very small town and close knit, with a lot of history for such a small place. We wanted to be part of that community.

3.) Many of your customers are already Chatham residents. What's their reaction?

Our current customers are very happy to have us in their town. Even if they come to Danville everyday, the Chatham location is just easier for them to use. We have had lots of "Oh, I'm so glad you're here"s. Two of our customers from the Danville store actually live near the Chatham store on Main St. and have come by in the morning hours with coffee and a newspaper in hand, passing the time before they go to breakfast.

4.) Will there be pickup and delivery in Chatham in the future?

You never can tell… Like we said, the idea of a store came to fruition in two months. If there is a market and sufficient interest, maybe…

5.) What makes this location stand apart from the other one? What makes it special?

It's definitely cooler! Since we aren't actually cleaning there, the atmosphere is a little more laid back. The location right on Main St. makes it easier for us to concentrate on relationships. We've made friends at the different banks, the courthouse and the town building, plus the different shops and offices.

6.) In just a few words how would you describe the environment that you hope to create over there?

We want to recreate the entire Chatham environment in our store. Chatham is small and hometown, where people have known and done business with each other for years. That's how we want to grow to be perceived. We want to be the go-to people for your cleaning needs. Ideally, people would come in and use our expert opinions to make decisions about the care of their things, then sit down and have a coke while listening to NPR. If we can spread the word that we offer SERVICE instead of only cleaning, I think Chatham will respond well.