What do you think of an Organic All Natural Dry-Cleaner in Dowtown Detroit? (transplants, real estate)

[greenclean08]

Hello I am considering opening an All natural Dry-Cleaner in Dowtown Detroit. What do you think of that idea? Would you use the service? By the way the price would be a flat rate of $2.00 for each garment. We would also have a pick up and delivery service.

Let me have some feedback!


Thanks!

[and the]

If you charged less than regular dry cleaning, and your process worked better, it might work. But off the top of my head, I'm voting "unwise investment". In this town "green" means "less horsepower".

[FireKwame]

Originally Posted by and the

If you charged less than regular dry cleaning, and your process worked better, it might work. But off the top of my head, I'm voting "unwise investment". In this town "green" means "less horsepower".

Good point.

[Paddington]

LOLOL. People won't even pay extra for an all natural strip club, let alone dry cleaner.

[and the]

LOLOL. People won't even pay extra for an all natural strip club, let alone dry cleaner.

Haa haa, it's true! I was in one on Michigan Avenue one time and by the time I got tired of counting the bullet wound scars on the dancers and realized I was paying $4.50 a beer the allure was gone. Never been back to that one. I'd rather pay $2.00 a beer and have to image where the bullet wound scars are.

[dinandriver]

A few weeks ago, I was in Detroit doing a real estate analysis of the downtown core (CBD). We were looking at investing in the area by purchasing property. Anyway, even though it seemed as if the area is becoming more cosmopolitan, I don't think the city is ready yet for your type of venue. Once they put in a Whole Foods or even a Trader Joe's then might be the time. I didn't see that many sophisticated people that would be candidates for your business... But it is businesses like yours that will help bring back the downtown area. Good luck!

[mostbiggest]

There are no dry cleaners in the center city. Since the movie Hoffa came out they have all been burned out by copy cats. I think you could make a go of it if you had drive thru. I don't think the all-natural part would matter to me. I wouldn't pay more for it. However, if there was anyone down here doing dry cleaning I would use them.

[jone10021]

Sounds like you could bring some sophistication to downtown Detroit.
Good Luck! Our World needs risk takers like you.

[detshen]

The price might be an issue, I doubt that most people here would want to pay more for all natural. I do know in other cities I have lived pick up and delivery cleaning to offices is very popular. It's a great idea, but I would be prepared to have to lower your prices if people don't go for the all natural aspect, but they might pay more if no one else is offering pick up and delivery.

[OhEdo]

If $2 a garment strikes the rest of you as expensive, I want to know where you take your dry cleaning! Besides which, if I didn't have to get in my car to do my dry cleaning, I would be very appreciative.
As for the lack of "sophisticated consumers," the recent successful opening of Zaccaro's high-end gourmet grocery indicates that there is at least some demand from that type of consumer in the city. The existing gourmet shops in Eastern Market also attest to that fact, as does the successful Enoteca wine bar on the first floor of the First National building on Campus Martius. In fact, a friend of mine who recently sold his place in Lafayette park (just beat the sub-prime meltdown) had offers from LA and NYC transplants among others. To them, it is natural to want to live in or near the CBD, so there is definitely demand from those types. I wouldn't sell the idea short.