First our name. We opened our first dry cleaning operation 26 years ago in the legendary 100-year-old Apthorp Building, one of the few surviving full-block apartment buildings in New York City. It’s on the block formed by Broadway, West End, 78th and 79th streets.

The Apthorp is an inspiringly magnificent building, and we were proud to adopt the name.

Our owners, Debra and Joel Kravet, had been married for a few years when they decided on a top quality dry cleaning business. It seemed a natural for their backgrounds, Joel’s in textiles and Debra’s in design. They took every available professional training course as they worked to grow Apthorp Cleaners & Tailors to a multi-million dollar business. Six years ago, Debra was elected President of the New York/Long Island chapter of the National Cleaners Association and in January, 2008 was elected National President of the NCA.

For the first 15 years, the “plant” was on site. Then, in order to offer more upscale services to a growing clientele, the plant moved the plant to a larger space in Harlem. A few years ago, standards were upgraded once more when the plant moved to a state-of-the-art facility in the Bronx.

By 2004, the company had long been recognized as the West Side’s leading dry cleaner by New York Magazine, City Search and Gotham. Debra and Joel decided to go national. They bought the 40-year-old Fashion Award Cleaners, which is known across the country as the best dry cleaner.

The dedication, hard work, outstanding professionalism and focus on customer service exhibited by the company’s many long-term employees are the foundations of our success.