Viewers said a sign was placed outside of the business sometime last week, and the doors have also been locked since. Many people were left wondering when and if they’d be able to go inside to get their clothes that were dropped off for services. Customers tell us they never received proper notice that the business would be closing.
WYFF News 4 arrived at the dry cleaners around 10 a.m. on Friday to discover several dozen people inside waiting for the opportunity to look for their clothes.
The owner of the building, not the business, was seen collecting money from customers. Some customers refused to pay the building owner.
The Mauldin Police Department showed up after a customer called to complain that the owner of the business was hiding in the back while the building owner was collecting payments.
During a conversation with MPD, the building owner, who declined to comment to WYFF4 when asked, was told by police that he can’t accept money from people there and that people would have to pay the business owner directly.
The building owner also told MPD that the business owner was recently evicted.
Several people said they were missing clothes, some of their items were damaged, and others said their clothes were never cleaned.
MPD kicked everyone out of the business around 11 a.m. They searched the building for the business owner, but MPD said he managed to leave before they were able to make contact with him.
MPD told everyone that in order to either get their money back or get the rest of their clothes, they would have to file a civil suit to do so.
According to the South Carolina Secretary of State’s database, One Price Dry Cleaning has been operating without a proper license since 2010.
Upstate dry cleaning company steps in to help recover clothes for customers
‘Master’s Mark Dry Cleaning’ has transported clothes from One Price Dry Cleaning or customers to pickup free of charge
[wyft4.com – 2022.11.24] WYFF News 4 stopped by One Price Dry Cleaning on Nov. 23 to discover an open door. Inside was Julie Mason, the sales manager with Master’s Mark Dry Cleaning.“There were people who were literally crying in the parking lot on Friday because they couldn’t get their clothes,” Mason said. “We did some investigation and found out who the owner of the building was. We contacted him and we offered to help out by taking the clothes that were not able to be given to people. The owner of the business showed up on Friday and I tried to speak with him because we were reaching out to see if his employees needed jobs. He just rushed out of the parking lot.”
Master’s Mark is now transporting all labeled clothing items to its Haywood Road location free of charge.
“You have to help out when you can,” Mason said. “We have the ability to do it so we should do it. It’s just being part of the community.”
Mason said sorting through the building has not been an easy task so far.
“There’s no organization whatsoever, so we’re trying to pick through it and make sure we get all of the items for each person,” Mason said. “There are items just in buggies piled up and we don’t know what those things are, so we don’t want to take responsibility for those because we can’t tell who they belong to.”
Pickup will start after Thanksgiving at 510 Haywood Road through December 17.
Customers picking up will be able to do so free of charge, as long as they have an ID and a ticket for their clothes.
WYFF News 4 reached out to the owner of One Price Dry Cleaning. He hung up the phone after being asked if he would like to comment.
Unclaimed or unlabeled items will be donated.
Read the original story on wyff4.com
