FOR 81 YEARS, THE MASSEY FAMILY HAS BEEN PROVIDING
CLEANING SERVICES TO THE GREATER MONTGOMERY AREA
Brothers Jim and John Massey are on a mission to help the River Region “live life cleaner.”
It is a mission that began in 1941, when their grandfather Jim Massey Sr. founded a dry-cleaning business in Alabama’s Capital City. Their father Jim Massey Jr. joined Jim Massey’s Cleaners & Laundry in 1964 and led the company from 1981 to 2010.
“Our father taught us that we are here to serve our customer,” said Jim Massey III, president of the third-generation Montgomery dry cleaners, who has worked at the family business since 1987. His younger brother, John, came on board in 1990 and serves as the company’s vice president.
Brothers John. right, and Jim Massey, center, teamed up with family friend Tripp Clements to take the cleaners’ home delivery service to the next level.
For much of its time in business, Jim Massey’s Cleaners & Laundry focused on establishing neighborhood dry-cleaning storefronts in multiple cities in a three-state area. At one time, Jim Massey’s had 40 locations in Montgomery, Prattville, Birmingham, Auburn, Albany, Ga., and Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
To maintain the quality of its service, the brothers gradually (from 2011 to 2015) shrunk the company’s geographical footprint to just the River Region. It now operates 11 dry cleaners – eight in Montgomery, two in Prattville and one in Pike Road, which opened in 2021. Their properties also include two self-serve Montgomery laundromats.
Besides cutting-edge dry cleaning and laundry services, the 80-employee business also serves as a commercial laundry and operates CRDN of Montgomery and Central Alabama, a textile, electronic and art restoration emergency response franchise. After a property damage specialist restores structures harmed by fire or water, CRDN cleans the contents of the buildings including clothes, rugs and other textiles, electronics, paintings, photographs and even mounted deer heads.
Deep Dive into Delivery and App Business
Fifteen months ago, the brothers partnered with Tripp Clements, a family friend and former competitor with expertise in River Region pickup and delivery service. While Jim Massey’s Cleaners & Laundry always delivered to homes or offices at no extra charge, “we decided to take home delivery to the next level,” Jim said.
Since November 2020, Jim Massey’s Cleaners & Laundry has offered Save-A-Trip, its revamped pickup and delivery service.
The revamped free pickup and delivery service, known as SAVE-A-TRIP, a play on Tripp’s former business, Save-A-TRIPP Cleaners, “has been a marriage made in heaven so far,” said Tripp, who now serves as director of business development for Jim Massey’s.
“Whether it is dry cleaning or laundry, you can drop off and pick up, you can drop off and have us deliver, or you can use our home pickup and delivery,” said John. “Our routes are growing leaps and bounds,” Jim added.
A large TV screen at the company’s plant in downtown Montgomery displays each vehicle’s exact location in real time, which ties into its mobile app. If a customer with items ready for pickup pushes a button on the app, routes can be adjusted immediately, Jim said.
The contactless aspect of Save-A-Trip appeals to Jim Massey’s customers. “Everyone now is accepting of delivery of any kind,” Jim said, adding that the pandemic helped accelerate that acceptance. No surcharges excite customers even more. “We charge the same as if you took it to the store and picked it up yourself,” said Tripp.
Expanded Services
Since November 2020, Jim Massey’s Cleaners & Laundry also expanded its wash/dry/fold laundry service under the name SAVE-A-WASH, which is available at all 11 locations, and opened its first “locker zone” that gives customers 24-hour access to laundry. Both services also utilize the Jim Massey app.
“The app has been a game changer,” said Jim. “It allows a customer to alert their store that they are on the way to pick up their items. The store will pull the items and have them ready for the customer,” he said. “No more waiting.”
All of Jim Massey’s Cleaners & Laundry’s services are explained in detail on its website – jimmassey.com.
Teamwork and Adaptation
Teaming up with Tripp has “allowed everyone to focus on their primary area of responsibility” – Tripp in delivery and sales, John in operations and Jim in administration, said Jim.
John adds that the business continues to succeed because of “our willingness to adapt and change with the times, without sacrificing our core commitment of service to our customers.”
MEMBER SINCE 2017
Jim Massey’s Cleaners & Laundry operates 11 dry cleaners and two laundromats in the River Region. Visit online at jimmassey.com to find individual store locations and hours of operation.
Story by Nancy King Dennis
Main photo by Brandon Robbins
This article also appears on Page 6 &7
of the February 2022 Alabama Retailer
Originally posted online at 2:16 p.m. Feb. 7, 2022