Business & Tech

Pressbox Introducing the 'Redbox for Dry Cleaning' to Chicago

The new Lake View business is taking a concept from San Francisco in hopes of revolutionizing one of life's most mundane tasks: laundry.

Entrepreneurs Drew McKenna and Vijen Patel have their sights set on what some of us would call impossible: making laundry fun.

The two are opening Pressbox, a new dry cleaning and laundry service in Lake View aimed at revolutionizing the mundane task of cleaning clothes. Opening at 2936 N. Lincoln Ave. this month, they say it’ll be like the “Redbox for dry cleaning.”

“Overall, dry cleaning has been an area that has seen no innovation whatsoever,” Patel said. “We think it’s ripe for disruption, turning a chore into an experience.”

Pressbox will work like this: customers walk into the 24-hour storefront, drop off their clothes in a locker, lock it and enter all the washing preferences in online with an account. Then they’ll get a text when the clothes are picked up, and within 48 hours, they’ll get another text saying which locker to pick up the clean clothes in.

What’s more is Pressbox will charge standard market-rate prices.

“Nobody looks forward to their dry cleaning, so we’re trying to put some simplicity and enthusiasm in this,” Patel said.

Pressbox is based a concept Patel says he picked up while living in San Francisco, a city where one company has already mastered the Redbox-like service. Six months ago he and McKenna created a licensing arrangement to use the same technology.

And the storefront on Lincoln Avenue is just the beginning. Soon Patel says they plan to have Pressbox lockers in large apartment buildings and even parking garages around the North Side.

“The first wave is the retail location, our flagship store, and that will open mid-August,” he said. “… The second wave is all of the big apartment buildings, especially older ones. We’re excited to partner with them and get as many places involved before the winter tundra hits. The third wave will be in parking garages for commuters.”

Patel says because there’s no human interaction involved, they’re conscious that they need to deliver the highest quality product as possible. That’s why they’ve already talked with area hotels and clothing retailers to find where the best dry cleaners are in Chicago to outsource the work to.

But of all locations, why Lincoln Avenue?

“I know the community collaborated when the bus line cut out, and now they’re collaborating on how to make it better,” Patel said. “We want to be a part of the community. We were just excited when we walked around here.”

Pressbox plans to host a grand opening party when the doors officially open in few weeks.

Anyone seeking more information can contact vijen@usepressbox.com.


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