UPPER SANDUSKY – A company dedicated to providing personal service is carrying that commitment into this century and beyond.
Kimmel Corp., 225 N. Sandusky St. – a name synonymous in north-central Ohio with the dry cleaning business – has “pressed” on by launching a complete line of apparel for the workplace to rent or buy and, for the first time, has opened a brand-new retail store in town.
Kimmel Apparel, 214 N. Sandusky St., celebrated its grand opening January 25. The 2,000-square-foot storefront is stocked with T-shirts, sweatshirts, and other sportswear for Wyandot County-area high schools, including band wear and spirit wear, according to Brian Kimmel, director of strategic growth for Kimmel Corp.
“The store has always been a thought when we talk about business to business partnerships,” Kimmel said. “It’s going good so far. As far as selling team apparel, it’s definitely what we expected. But we’ve also been happy with the amount of people who’ve come in off the street to purchase items.”
Kimmel Apparel sits on the site of an old gym, Kimmel said, which the fourth-generation family firm purchased and then tore down to make way for the new building. The company in January also bought Kurtz Family Store in Carey, Ohio, and brought in the former owner to manage their new Upper Sandusky location.
Kimmel said the decision to transition to clothing and other items needed in the workplace was easy since the demand for dry cleaning services had shrunk in the last few years. Although the company closed six of its 10 dry cleaners, its uniform rental business increased, he said, and so did the market for corporate apparel.
“Over time, we’ve slowly looked at all the stores and just decided to do what made sense,” said Kimmel. “Our society is so much more casual than what it used to be. They’re wearing Polo shirts to work, even in banks these days. It’s very casual, especially in the marketplace we’re in.”
Now, 90-percent of Kimmel Corp’s revenue comes from rentals, Kimmel said – uniforms and aprons for restaurant employees, outdoor apparel for construction workers, and garments for car dealerships and a variety of other businesses. The company also rents floor mats, table linens, and restroom supplies, to name a few.
Garments run the gamut from flame-resistant and high-visibility clothing to Polo shirts, vests, and jackets featuring stitched-on company logos. More than 18 brands of shirts, T-shirts, sweatshirts, fleece tops, hats, and accessories are also available through their online store and interactive catalog of clothing in sizes for men and women.
The company, which was founded by Kimmel’s ancestors – Dale and Helen Kimmel – started back in 1921 as a small tailoring and pressing business on State Street in Marion. In 1931, the couple purchased a dry-cleaning shop on the south side of Upper Sandusky, officially entering the wholesale dry cleaning business.
Attention to detail and customer care has always been the cornerstone of Kimmel Corp., Kimmel said. Today the company and its 60 employees ensure that businesses and industries throughout 40-percent of Ohio are outfitted for work – and supplied with clean towels and mops.
“I think something important to us is that we’re a locally owned and operated business,” Kimmel said. “We believe in working with local vendors, and through the years we have always kept the most important factor in mind – the customer.”