The owners of New Canaan Cleaners are seeking to open a drive-thru pick-up service at an existing bank building on Elm Street.
While keeping its main location on East Maple Street, the business would use a single lane closest to what is now a Bank of America drive-thru building at 278 Elm St., according to an application filed with Planning & Zoning.
Bank of America would continue to use the far lane for ATM drive-thru purposes, while the middle lane would not be used, according to a site permit application narrative from New Canaan Cleaners co-owner David Mandel.
“As a considerably smaller business than Bank of America the traffic driven by the business would be on a significantly smaller scale,” Mandel said in the application.
“We believe by offering this convenience to our customers it will be a great thing for the community as a whole. This will also not change the intensity of use or parking requirements at the site and in fact will actually be less than that of Bank of America.”
Under the New Canaan Zoning Regulations, any non-office use is permitted in the Retail B zone with site plan approval (see page 78 here).
The bank building’s landlord, Acme, operates next door in the former Food Emporium space. The application was filed Aug. 27 by Acme Markets Inc. Senior Attorney James Burch. The Planning & Zoning Commission is expected to take it up at a Sept. 24 meeting.
According to Mandel, the site will continue to meet New Canaan’s guidelines on offering sufficient parking spaces.
“We are eager to continue to serve the community at this new location to help drive small businesses in New Canaan,” Mandel said.
Long located on the site of what is now Pine Street Concessions, New Canaan Cleaners five years ago moved across town to East Maple Street.
I didn’t think that a drive-through dry cleaner pick-up service would be possible until I googled and I found 24/7 “drop-off” dry cleaners. The drop-off clothing is placed into bags with enclosed sleeves (like the old fashioned envelopes when we deposited checks or cash at ATMs). Kiosks are available 24/7 via drop off into chutes attached to the building —similar to book drops.
Pick-up is done with the assistance of “car valets” who deliver clothes to the customer without the need to get out of the car. According to their website, Tide Dry Cleaner franchise even repairs buttons and will mend loose threads for free.
Very, very clever indeed.