Martinizing Dry Cleaning is a dry cleaning franchise based in Berkley, Michigan and was founded in 1949.[1] Martin Franchises, Inc., the parent company, is the largest dry cleaning franchise in the United States, with over 450 franchised stores worldwide.
The company was initially called One Hour Martinizing due to its commitment to provide dry cleaning services within a one-hour timeframe. This concept was pioneered in New York in 1949 by a chemist named Henry Martin, who had discovered a non-flammable solvent. At the time, flammable solvents were used in dry cleaning, which meant that garments would be left by the customer in-store, sent to a separate production facility to be cleaned and pressed, before returning to store for collection several days later. The discovery of the non-flammable solvent and its subsequent adoption revolutionized the dry cleaning industry as dry cleaning plants could be more conveniently located, which led to quicker processing times, and so better serving the needs of customers.[2]
Martin Equipment Company was subsequently founded to manufacture specialized dry cleaning equipment, later becoming part of American Laundry Machinery in Ohio. The number of Martinizing franchises saw significant growth during the 1950s and 1960s, with franchisees required to pay a fixed annual fee and adhere to specific equipment and procedural standards. During this period, trademark slogans became established, such as "Fresh as a Flower in Just One Hour"[3] and "the Most in Dry Cleaning".[4] There was also an emphasis on standardization, including the use of two distinct colors, red and green, as part of the OHM scheme, which aimed to ensure consistency across franchises, a practice that continues to characterize various franchise models today.
Martinzing Dry Cleaning was bought by the Michigan-based company, The Huntington Company of Berkley, on November 7, 2014.[5]
According to data from Entrepreneur.com, the number of the company's franchises has been in steady decline since 2014. As of 2023, the company operates a total of 305 units, consisting of 138 units within the United States and 167 franchises internationally.[6]
| Year | Franchises | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | International | Company-owned | Total units | |
| 2014 | 190 | 232 | 0 | 422 |
| 2015 | 180 | 234 | 0 | 414 |
| 2016 | 181 | 216 | 0 | 397 |
| 2017 | 171 | 208 | 0 | 379 |
| 2018 | 187 | 176 | 1 | 364 |
| 2019 | 193 | 175 | 1 | 369 |
| 2020 | 173 | 169 | 1 | 349 |
| 2021 | 142 | 173 | 0 | 315 |
| 2022 | 141 | 171 | 0 | 312 |
| 2023 | 138 | 167 | 0 | 305 |