Dixie’s

I was cruising around early one afternoon this week and happened to be in the neighborhood of Dixie’s Campus Cleaner’s, a trusted service provider. I wrote about their operation a few weeks ago: Service That Cannot be Off-shored.  Knee-jerk reaction as I was driving by and decided to pull into their lot and step into the shop. I walked in, introducing myself simply as a customer on a corporate account wanting to come in to shake a hand and say hello. 

Immediately Todd offered, “What’s your name?” which I gave and both he and Dixie immediately smiled, named the account under which I am listed and extended hands for a welcoming shake. A few days later I’m still impressed at that level of name recognition. Todd stepped out behind the counter and offered a full tour of their new facility if I had a few minutes. As we walked back to the shop he stated, “You are nothing as we would expected you to look like; obviously making our judgments from your orders”.  I responded that I get that; not the first time I’ve heard that. Todd started providing history of the operation and their own lives; beginning with the reminder that his sister Dixie is a three-time cancer provider with recovery from the latest occurrence still underway. He also mentioned they were from the Okiboji area which drove out my personal experiences with ‘boji and some of the surrounding communities. Conversation continued to flow easily; as if we were long-time acquaintances.

As they marched me back to the shop Todd took lead at explaining each new piece of equipment. From the new multi-ton steamer bolted to the concrete that saves an average of 500-600 gallons of water per day, to the decades old refurbished cast-iron shirt press to the machine that allows them to cook up their own starch, improving the quality control over starching shirts. I was fascinated by the level of detail both of them were able to cite over each piece of machinery, from the reasons the nicely-restored cast-iron press works better than new models to the less-harsh starch they are producing to one of the machines (also bolted to the concrete) that would take off like a rocket when engaged and land a few blocks away if it wasn’t bolted. I mentioned my mom’s history with furniture upholstery and the cast-iron sewing machines we’d had in our homes over the years.

We talked a little golf, a little business, a little personal, a common acquaintance and considerably more detail about their new shop. What started as an intended 90 second pop-in to meet my service owners turned into yet another reason I will never take my laundry to anyplace else locally.That accidental conversation included a laundry list of reasons to…