‘We don’t cut any corners’: Zengeler Cleaners’ upgrades to Libertyville facility part of companywide refresh
In early May, work to refresh the exterior of a vintage building in Libertyville is expected to get underway, an initiative of a business that has followed a simple philosophy for five generations.
Replacing deteriorated wood and siding and getting the old brick ready for a new coat of paint are among the tasks as Zengeler Cleaners continues a complete makeover of the building at Park Avenue (Route 176) and 4th Avenue it has occupied since 1962.
“My philosophy is to continuously reinvest in the business,” said Tom Zengeler company president. “It’s not just now we’re doing this.”
Founded in Chicago in 1857, the self-described oldest and largest family-owned cleaner in the Midwest operates in Northbrook, Deerfield, Northfield, Winnetka, Long Grove and two facilities in Libertyville.
Zengeler cleaning vans are common throughout the area as about 30% of the business involves deliveries with set schedules, or on-demand and same-day service. The company also is known for its collaboration with Mothers Trust Foundation of Lake Forest to collect and distribute thousands of prom dresses.
“Like any business, there are different ways to operate,” Zengeler said. “Our tagline is a higher standard of fabric care. That goes back five generations. We don’t cut any corners.”
Stalled by COVID, a push is on to complete updates of all facilities, a process that has been ongoing the past two years, Zengeler said.
Equipment has been upgraded, exteriors are being refreshed and interiors rebranded.
After the Park Avenue building is done, work will focus on Hubbard Woods in Winnetka to complete the companywide project.
The 1930s-era Park Avenue building was occupied for decades by Grande Cleaners. Zengeler bought the facility as part of an expansion in 1962. It’s one of four production facilities and one of two in current operation, producing all household items including sheets and draperies for the entire company.
Upgrades at the Park Avenue location began in early 2023. Over the past year, 29 new pieces of dry cleaning, laundry and finishing equipment have been installed, making it one of the “most environmentally friendly and energy efficient facilities” of its kind in the Midwest, according to the company.
“We will always buy the best available equipment,” Zengeler said. “We use finishing equipment that is the most gentle on fabrics.”
He said the remodeling part of the makeover is meant to modernize the Park Avenue facility while preserving a historic look and feel of the location, particularly the exterior. The same color scheme and type of materials will be used in the exterior work, he added.
“Once the exterior makeover and interior updates are completed, the entire store will look like a showroom for the cleaning industry, a place where our customers will enjoy exceptional service in a first-class facility,” according to Zengeler.
The work will include a tribute to his late father, Robert, who ran the Park Avenue facility until his death in 2019.