Pride Cleaners, a well-known dry cleaning business in Chicago’s Chatham neighborhood, will close its doors this Saturday after more than 60 years of operation. The announcement was made to staff two weeks ago, according to store manager Eva King.
The owners of Pride Cleaners, who live out of state and purchased the business last July, did not provide reasons for the closure or information about future plans for the building. Employees were also left uncertain about whether they would receive any support following the shutdown.
“It brings me to tears because it’s so sad,” King said. “I want them to just communicate. Tell me something so I can tell my customers.”
King explained that employees have been busy notifying customers and urging them to collect their clothing by Saturday. After closing, staff will remain at the location for two additional weeks to return final orders but will not accept new ones.
Pride Cleaners has been a fixture in Chatham since 1959, recognized for its distinctive roof design and colorful modernist signage. The building has become part of local culture and was featured in Chance the Rapper’s 2025 music video for his song “Ride.” Although recently renamed Family Strongfold by its current owners, many community members still refer to it as Pride Cleaners.
The building is owned by Greg Ehman and his brother, who hold the mortgage note while receiving payments from the current proprietors. According to reports from the Sun-Times, Ehman intends to seek a new owner committed to maintaining Pride Cleaners’ legacy. The structure does not have official city landmark status.
Customer traffic has declined since early this year—a trend typical during colder months—yet King believes that remote ownership contributed to a lack of understanding about Pride Cleaners’ importance in Chatham.
“You don’t just shut something like this down in the community,” King said. “My customers and the workers are devastated. I’m devastated.”
Longtime customer Jacob Vance expressed surprise at news of the closure when he visited Thursday afternoon: “There are other cleaners around, but there are none like this one,” Vance said. “I really hope they decide to keep it going.”
King reflected on her nearly ten years with Pride Cleaners and her lifelong career in dry cleaning: “I just want to tell the customers that they’re the reason I put my heart and soul into this place,” she said. “I love my customers, and they love me too. That’s the hard part; breaking up with them.”
