Clayton Cleaners

For over 50 years, the dry-cleaning and laundry business has remembered customers' names and served them with clean and pressed clothes. Through major changes in cleaning solvents, steam machines that create almost unbearable conditions in the summer and some events that wreaked havoc on the family business, Clayton Cleaners has proven to be a survivor. "It's always been part of our philosophy to memorize our customers' names, and hopefully learn where they work and where they live." Robert Poirier says. "That way, the customers know that they aren't just a number to us." You could say the customers are like family, but the workers are the real thing. The third generation of founders Clayton and Beulah Dupuis' family now manage the business. Their grandson, David Dupuis, is the general manager while his mother, Dorothy Dupuis, and Uncle Robert Poirier own the company. Clayton Cleaners started in 1947 when Clayton and Beaulah Dupuis both out a small pressing and tailoring shop in Bay City after moving from Detroit. Clayton Dupuis was actually a baker, but most of his family lived in Bay City and owned bakeries. Not wanting to be in competition with his other family members, he moved into the cleaning and pressing business. The business grew when the couple purchased dry-cleaning equipment, and later pressing machines for men's shirts. Men's shirts are the biggest part of the business today. Clayton's washed and presses about 400 shirts a day, six days a week. Today, the business is thriving. In fact, the building on Henry Street makes some people claustrophobic, David says jokingly. Clothes on hangers weave a maze through the back room. Huge baskets in the front overflow with customers' laundry, everything from leather coats to curtains.