Lapels Dry Cleaning Announces Ownership Change

Lapels Dry Cleaning, a drycleaning franchiser in Hanover, Mass., has announced a major management consolidation, with chief executive officer Lawrence Friedman, one of the company’s three founders, taking over sole ownership of the Franchise organization.

Among the first initiatives, Friedman has instituted new marketing and operations committees to enhance and expand upon existing efforts. Additionally, a “customer liason” has been added to assist all franchisees with the implementation of new methods and programs.

A cash infusion of nearly $500,000 has been utilized to expand upon the franchise’s infrastructure and marketing programs, according to the company.

“Lapels has grown rapidly, and now we are in the process of stringently standardizing all our services and branding – from store hours to signage,” notes Friedman. “With our new franchisee-led committees and quality control, we will be able to really demonstrate to the customers that Lapels is a faster, friendlier and more convenient source for their drycleaning. We need to win customers from curb to counter and are making a substantial effort to wow them at every stage of the interaction.”

Friedman has a wide range of drycleaning, management and operations experience. In addition to running a chain of five drycleaning stores for eight years, he has been successful in the Restaurant business, and has served as a vice president of both Chemical Bank and Chase Manhattan Bank, and as a senior vice president of Warren, Gorham & Lamont, a professional publishing company.