Behind an unmarked door in a corner of the Brooklyn Navy Yard is the location of Kingbridge’s new cleaning facility, which opened in January 2020. A meticulous and labor-intensive process takes place here, which Mr. Aviles believes is crucial for proper clothing cleaning.
Mr. Aviles learned the trade at a young age, when his mother, Victoria, who still helps run the family business, brought him to work on Saturdays. He began by offering customers hot beverages and soon learned to press shirts himself.
Workers at the facility manually sort the dirty shirts by color and condition before cleaning them in a large wet or dry cleaning machine, or by hand if necessary.
Each garment undergoes inspection to ensure it doesn’t require a second cleaning. If everything is in order, the shirts are dried in a loud machine next to large exhaust fans that release the steam. If the machine detects a risk of shrinkage, it halts and opens to allow cooler air in.
An employee and a machine work together to iron each shirt’s collar and press the cuffs. Hot air is blown through the shirt’s sleeves, giving it a lifelike appearance for a brief moment.
Two workers then inspect each garment and use hand irons suspended from the ceiling to address any remaining creases. Another employee, known as a packager, prepares the shirt for hanging and drapes it in a garment cover to prevent dust accumulation.
This level of service comes at a significant cost. The professional upkeep of clothing was one of the first things to be eliminated when the pandemic hit and most New Yorkers were confined to their apartments. Kingbridge Cleaners & Tailors experienced a 93% drop in business.
As a result, Mr. Aviles went without a salary for about two years when the industry essentially shut down. While sales are still 15% lower than in 2019, due to the shift to more casual attire, Mr. Aviles aims to break even to stay ahead in the game.
Despite challenges such as offering discounts or refunds for stubborn stains, Mr. Aviles is cautious about raising prices too much. The cost of cleaning a shirt has only increased by about 10% since the pandemic.
Mr. Aviles recognizes that maintaining impeccably cleaned and pressed clothes is not always a top priority, especially in tough financial times. However, he emphasizes the value of keeping a fresh wardrobe, stating that proper maintenance is more cost-effective than constantly buying new clothes.
Produced by Eden Weingart, Andrew Hinderaker and Dagny Salas. Development by Gabriel Gianordoli and Aliza Aufrichtig.
