COUTURE CLEAN

Just under the fleur-de-lys logo—a time-honored symbol for perfection—the words “Couture Cleaning” clearly state Lake City Cleaners’ service standard to anyone catching a glimpse of the delivery vans as they shuttle by. It’s been that way from the start.

Victor Seyedin, proud owner of Lake Forest’s Lake City Cleaners, and two more locations in Evanston, has a keen eye for opportunity. After his successful run in the video business, which at his peak included 34 stores in Wisconsin, New York, and Chicago, Seyedin surveyed the American industry landscape to find “the type of business where technology and customer needs wouldn’t change the nature of what we do.” Garment cleaning was it.

But it had to be exceptional cleaning. To get there, Seyedin immersed himself in training, learning the myriad aspects of the business first at a site in Texas, and then, through training and development programs offered by America’s Best CleanersTM (ABC) a marketing consortium of high-end operators and CoutureCare © Certification agency.

Through ABC, Seyedin traveled to Italy to see first-hand how Brioni made its luxurious $17,000- plus suits, and then to the Zegna wool mill in the Italian Alps where the world’s finest wool fabrics are made. In 2007, those experiences, plus his entrepreneurial spirit, convinced him to become the first in the United States to invest in the most sophisticated dry-cleaning equipment on the market. Called the Solvair the environmentally friendly system used a biodegradable glycol ether formula in the wash cycle, rinsing and drying clothing in liquid carbon dioxide. Because there was no heat is involved in the dry cycle, the system virtually eliminated shrinkage. Although the Solvair system proved too expensive to market and had to be discontinued, Seyedin’s pioneering spirit provided him a lot of exposure, and built the customer base he has grown today.

Ensuring each of his three shops stay on the cutting edge of cleaning services keeps Seyedin busy. He is up every day at 5 a.m. heading first to the newly upgraded Lake Forest location, then to his Evanston locations.

The recent Lake Forest upgrade included replacing the mechanical systems and giving the interior a clean and bright new look. New lights sparkle above the expansive check-in counter and mannequins dressed in recently tailored finery stand tall at the back. To the left, a tailor busies herself, tucking and pinning a satin gown, while a young shop clerk pulls recently cleaned garments from the rack to hand to a customer.

Lake City Cleaners also offers top-tier service to customers through its pickup and delivery routes in downtown Chicago and on the North Shore. Customers can sign up for the services on www.lakecitycleaners.com and manage their orders directly from their phones, adding convenience to their busy schedules.

Quality care of couture garments is a delicate process that takes a lot of time and attention. “The material is often very fragile,” says Seyedin. “And there are many steps that must be taken to ensure that the garment is properly cleaned—you can’t use the regular dry-cleaning process.”

Building trust is key. “When someone has invested in a $10,000 Chanel dress, they need to know that the hands that clean it are going to take the utmost care in the process,” says Seyedin.

Beyond couture, Lake City does the normal brisk business in cleaning—everything from dry-cleaning garments and bedding, to laundering and pressing shirts, hemming pants, and tailoring jackets. Linens are all pressed by hand. And, Seyedin adds, “We offer fire restoration services for garments exposed to intense smoke.”

One of the biggest challenges Seyedin faces in post-pandemic business, is fighting increased supply costs—some of which have gone up 100 percent. All of this while keeping prices static for his valued customers. To keep everything running smoothly, Seyedin employs a staff of 30, including tailors and laundry workers, plus those operating the dry-cleaning equipment, point of sale employees, and drivers.

Looking ahead, Seyedin is excited to stay on the forefront with green cleaning, watching for new technologies to emerge. He already uses a machine developed for use with the environmentally friendly solvent he imports from Germany. “It’s more costly, but the result is worth it—both for the environment, and, because the brightness of the garments we clean this way is so markedly better.”

“I am determined and will never give up,” he sums. “Nothing comes between me and making Lake City Cleaners a great experience for my customers and a success.”

Lake City Cleaners offers pickup and delivery in downtown Chicago and on the North Shore, and has locations in Lake Forest and Evanston. For more information, visit lakecitycleaners.com.