Toronto business that’s been around since 1929 announces sudden closure

A stalwart family-owned business in Toronto just shocked its regulars when a sign appeared in the door announcing that it’d soon be closing down for good.

For the past 30 years, Canadian Drycleaners has stood as an institution at Queen and Coxwell, serving the community in all of their dry cleaning and alteration needs.

While the business has been under the same ownership for three decades, the business itself was established 1929, operating as a complete integrated facility, meaning that all services are performed on-site, as opposed to the retail-only models that outsource the cleaning to other locations.

A celebrated leader in the cleaning business, not only in the Beaches community, but the city at large, Canadian Drycleaners actually is one such location, providing cleaning services not only to individual patrons, but to other laundry businesses, making it a true hub for all things cleaned, pressed and hemmed.

In spite of the impressive legacy the business has built for itself over the years, members of the community were shocked to learn that the business would be shutting down for good at the end of the month.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the permanent closure of our dry cleaning business due to an unexpected family emergency,” reads a notice posted to the door.

“We deeply appreciate your support over the 30 years, and we regret any inconvenience this may cause.”

The note adds that the last day in operation for Canadian Drycleaners, will be Saturday, Nov. 30, but that, from here on out, the business will only be open for pick-up, and will not be taking on any new cleaning.

The notice posted in the door at Canadian Drycleaners.

Despite the suddenness of the closure, not to mention the disappointing theme of other long-running businesses in the city being forced to shutter for reasons of economic struggle, expropriation or rent hikes, that actually — and, perhaps, luckily — isn’t the story here.

Alex Winch, owner of Beach Solar Laundromat, another local laundry service who has worked closely with Canadian Drycleaners for year, makes a point to tell blogTO that, while he’s not a spokesperson for the business, the closure is merely a result of an unforseen complication, not a drop in business.

“The closure isn’t indicative of any greater theme in the industry,” Alex says and, while he can’t speak to the specifics of Canadian Drycleaners’ business, he suspects, given the cleaners’ status in the community, it isn’t indicative of any sort of drop in business, either.

blogTO was unable to contact Canadian Drycleaners to provide further details on the closure.

Canadian Drycleaners is located at 1597 Queen East.