History’s a favorite school subject at Classic Cleaners. Not only are Classic Cleaners owners proud of their own twenty-five year history serving customers in Central Indiana, they love studying the history of dry cleaning around the world.  Today our history trip takes us to the island country of Haiti.

Back in 1946, Jimmy Plinton, former flight trainer for the famous Tuskagee Airmen (the all-black U.S. Army AirCorps’ 99th Pursuit Squadron), was visiting Haiti.  Trying to have a pair of pants cleaned, Plinton learned Haiti had no dry cleaning plant, and he proceeded to establish Haiti’s very first dry cleaners in Port-au-Prince.

It’s fascinating to realize how much of an effect the dry cleaning business can have on the general economy in an area. Without a dry cleaning business, Haiti’s seamstresses and tailors could use their skills on only linen and cotton, and ready-to-wear shops were almost non-existent. Even diplomats had trouble caring for their uniforms and medal ribbons!  By getting dry cleaning started in Haiti, Jimmy Plinton gave the country’s entire economy a big boost! Haberdasheries, women’s ready-to-wear shops, tailers, fabric-makers, and other dry cleaners soon sprang up in and around Port-au-Prince. In fact, when World War II was over, Jimmy Plinton was invited by the Haitian president to develop the Haitian International Airlines. Haiti awarded Plinton its highest honor, the National Order of Honor and Merit.

Like “Jeemie” Plinton in Haiti, Classic Cleaners stays involved with the local community, doing its part to contribute to the growth of its neighbors’ businesses from Broad Ripple to Cicero, from McCordsville to Zionsville and everywhere in between. Proud member of the Chambers of Commerce of Fishers, Carmel, and Greater Indianapolis, Classic Cleaners continues top serve as a link in the chain of dry cleaning history!

Reb of the Classic Cleaners blog team

You can always find Classic Cleaners in the forefront when it comes to community participation.  And, when it comes to re-enacting historical events, you can always find Classic Cleaners partner Steve Arnold and his family at the forefront.  No wonder then, that the preferred dry cleaning and laundry services provider chosen by the Museum of 20th Century Warfare is Classic Cleaners.  Also no wonder that Classic Cleaners has arranged to clean all uniforms used for displays at the Museum at no charge.
The Museum of 20th Century Warfare at Fort Harrison State Park is one of Indianapolis’ newest not for profit organizations, and it serves two important missions:

• honoring all Veterans from all wars – past, present, and future.
  

  Honoring veterans at the Museum of 20th Century Warfare at Fort Harrison

• teaching about the technology, artifacts, uniforms, and soldiers of the 20th century

“We strive to ensure that our past defenders of Freedom are never forgotten,” explains the Museum’s website. Open Wednesday through Sunday year round, the Museum houses  exhibits relating to World Wars I and II, the Korean and Vietnam wars, and aviation. Visitors can view a model of the USS Indianapolis as well.

In addition to offering permanent and rotating exhibits, the M20CW runs all the re-enactments for the Fort Harrison State park. (Watch for the WWII public battle planned for October 2.) When the battle is over, you may be sure there will be plenty of uniforms needing the expert care of Classic Cleaners professionals!

Donating its services by cleaning American flags and M20CW uniforms at no charge is just one of the many ways in which Classic Cleaners helps care for and restore history along with caring for your clothes!

 
by Reb of the Classic Cleaners blog team

“Shorts are a garment worn by both men and women over their pelvic area, covering the upper part of the legs,” begins a Wikipedia write-up. “They are called ‘shorts‘ because they are a shortened version of trousers, which cover the entire leg.”

Yes, we know. 

the long and the short of - shorts!

IN FACT, THE JUNE MONTHLY SPECIAL AT CLASSIC CLEANERS
IS $3.00 OFF EACH PAIR OF SHORTS!

Shorts styles have changed over the many years our Classic Cleaners technicians have been taking care of clients’ clothes.  Whatever type of shorts you can name – you can bet we’ve cleaned or laundered shorts just like those. (At Classic Cleaners, we check the care label instructions on each garment to see if your shorts belong with your fluff-and-fold laundry order or should be dry cleaned.)
 
Cargo shorts? You bet our professional dry cleaners in Broad Ripple have handled those!.  (Cargo shorts have numerous pockets – don’t forget to search the pockets before turning them over to be dry cleaned or professionally laundered and pressed.)

Bike shorts? Check.  (Originally worn by cyclists to reduce thigh chafing, bike shorts have been adopted as street wear for women under tops or under skirts, our dry cleaners in Carmel. see quite a number of these.)

Jeans shorts? Of course.  (Made out of denim,  jeans shorts may also be called “jorts”. Jeans shorts are popular with both men and women, our Indianapolis dry cleaning technicians report.)

Board shorts? Even those.  (Board shorts were originally designed for surf boarders, but men often wear this easy-going combination of shorts and a bathing suit. Our Classic Cleaners pickup route in Cicero often brings in board shorts.)

Zip-offs? Yes.  (Zip-off shorts are long pants that zip off at the knee, so the wearer can go from pants to shorts and back as the weather changes.)

Flood pants? My, yes.  (These go down as far as the calf, so they’re sometimes called “shants”.)
 
Skorts? Rarely, but yes. (These shorts have a piece of fabric in front that makes them look like a skirt.  The style shows up at our Carmel dry cleaners location every so often.).  

From creased khaki shorts to plaid golf shorts and everything in between, the long and the short of it is this:

When it comes to shorts, at Classic Cleaners, we’ve seen ‘em all!

by Reb of the Classic Cleaners blog team

At Classic Cleaners, we’re used to restoring heirloom garments- in fact, that’s one of our specialties. From wedding gowns to vintage clothing that’s been in the family for generations, we take special pride in bringing special garments and prized linens and quilts back to their former glory.

Just last month, though, we were able to work on one of the most unusual garments ever to come into a Classic Cleaners store.  Have you ever wondered what would happen if clothes could talk?  Well this skirt had lots to say…
 
This May, alumni of the old Fishers High School will hold their 50th high school reunion. (The 1960 graduating class numbered only twenty students!)  In preparation for the reunion, one of those former students asked us to help restore her fifty year-old senior skirt! The skirt was badly stained and the dye had “bled”. 

That’s where the professional expertise of our own Leon Neal came to the rescue! By knowing exactly the right kind of cleaning solvents to use on each part of the garment, and by using specially designed tools for meticulous hand cleaning, Leon was able to restore the precious senior skirt to new life, well in time to play what is sure to be a starring role at the Fishers High fiftieth. 

Is there some special garment that has precious memories for you?  Perhaps there’s an embroidered pillow cover, a tablecloth, a quilt, or maybe a certain shawl or kilt that holds a story? Let Classic Cleaners professionals bring those memories back to life! 

by Reb of the Classic Cleaners blog team