The Small Business Spotlight: Patrick's Dry Cleaners

In this "Small Business Spotlight," presented by American Bank, Austin Meek of Waco Business News highlights Patrick Margiotta of Patrick's Dry Cleaners

Patrick and Lea Margiotta pose in front of a delivery van in the parking lot of Patrick’s Dry Cleaners. Photo by The Wacoan.

An industrial washing machine at Patrick’s.

The swish and swash of a washing machine. The effervescent smell of laundry detergent. The methodical folding of bed linens.

All is calm in the interior of Patrick's Dry Cleaners on 7th Street, just two blocks from the county courthouse, where owner Patrick Margiotta recalls an early love for customer service dating back his teenage years in Marlin making deliveries for Gaffert Auto Parts.

"You never knew who was going to come out of the house or who was going to roll out from under the car. I never knew so but I learned at a very early age how to engage in conversation with people."

That knack for relationship building has kept Patrick's in business for 18 years, first at its location on Valley Mills near Bosque and then its downtown location added in 2013.

To retain customers, it has to be relational - at least, it has to be more than just a transaction. The industry itself has been upended.

"A lot of it is, it's not a suit and tie world anymore"

Fewer people need to look formal in office settings, especially now that Zoom meetings require a top-up professionalism with no regard to what's off screen. Patrick sensed a coming shift years ago and diversified his offerings when he opened in downtown, even putting forth boot repair.

"It's dry cleaning, laundry, house hold [items]. We do bedding. We offer a linen service. We're able to do door mats, logo door mats."

The majority of the downtown location's business comes from commercial customers, servicing napkins and tablecloths from local restaurants. As one can imagine, that side of the business has taken a massive hit during covid, with dining seating limited to 50% and some establishments shuttering altogether. The federal Paycheck Protection Program has allowed Patrick to continue paying his staff, but the business itself requires a customer base that simply isn't as returning like it used to.

"We're not corporately funded or backed. What we do is what comes across the counters. It's so important to concentrate on the customers you have the opportunity to take care of. The customers that access your stores, I mean, that needs to be your focus."

Patrick has kept his eye on the prize. It's all about the customers, which is one reason he's retained the downtown location to normal opening despite the challenging landscape.

"I love being Downtown. I love driving in in the morning and seeing the Alico building. Just seeing all, just everything. It has come so far in the time we've been here. Sometimes I can't keep up with all that's coming and that's a good problem."

Patrick's location on 7th and Washington sits in the path of growth. The street in front of his shop has been under construction for months. Caddy corner, there's work to do on the new Magnolia hotel, a project by Chip and Joanna Gaines that will restore the former Grand Karem Shrine building.

"We've learned what to do with the construction part of what needs to be done down here to allow all of downtown to grow. You know, a lot of the stuff they're doing, it's all underground and it's time for that stuff to be done. It's probably past time."

The sewer lines are past due and are being replaced. There are indeed signs of cracking in the dry cleaning industry itself. But as long as customers keep calling, Patrick's Dry Cleaners will continue providing its service with a healthy dose of friendliness - and gratitude.

"We're very proud to be a part of the Waco community and being able to pull the open light on every day."

This "Small Business Spotlight,” co-produced by Waco Business News and KWBU, first aired on Friday, July` 5, 2020, in Episode 86 of Downtown Depot on 103.3 KWBU-FM Waco.