America’s Best Franchises (ABF) Brand Insight —
Dry cleaning is a recurring-revenue necessity business — customers return weekly with garments they trust you to care for. Martinizing pioneered on-premise quick-service dry cleaning in 1949 and has spent 75 years building the brand recognition that gives franchisees instant credibility in their markets. Under new ownership by The Huntington Company, the hub-and-spoke model now offers four distinct entry points that make this one of the most scalable franchise structures in the service category.
At a Glance
- Minimum Liquid Capital Required — $40,000 (routes and satellite) to $100,000 (plant with retail). Liquid capital means readily available cash or cash-equivalent assets accessible without borrowing, selling a primary residence, or relying on future income.
- Ownership Model — Owner-operator or semi-absentee depending on model selected.
- Location Type — Routes require no storefront. Satellite requires retail space. Plant requires full facility. Cannot be home-based.
- Time Commitment — Varies by model. Routes and satellites can transition to semi-absentee. Plant requires active management.
- Experience Required — None in dry cleaning. Business management and customer service skills preferred.
Top 5 Reasons to Invest
- 75 years of brand recognition — #1 ranked dry cleaning franchise for decades
- Four entry points — routes at $40,900 to full plant at $777,300
- Top plant and satellite combinations reach $3.85M in annual sales
- Hub-and-spoke model — one hub supports up to 5 satellites
- Multiple revenue streams — routes, lockers, on-demand app, commercial accounts
There Is Money in Laundering
Four Concepts. One Brand. Choose Your Entry Point.
Pickup & Delivery Routes — Territory-based route business with no storefront. Build residential and commercial routes and partner with an existing Martinizing hub for garment processing.
Total Investment: $40,900 – $78,600 | Franchise Fee: $27,000 | Liquid: $40,000 | Net Worth: $250,000
Satellite Store — Customer-facing retail location without cleaning equipment. Garments shuttle to the nearest hub for processing. Expand a hub owner’s footprint or partner with an existing hub.
Total Investment: $96,852 – $275,312 | Franchise Fee: $30,000 | Liquid: $40,000 | Net Worth: $250,000
Conversion — Acquire an existing independent dry cleaner and convert it to the Martinizing brand. Day-one cash flow with Martinizing systems and recognition behind it.
Total Investment: Varies | Franchise Fee: $62,500 | Liquid and net worth confirmed during qualification
Plant with Retail (Hub) — Full dry cleaning facility with customer-facing retail. The foundation for a dry cleaning enterprise — supports up to 5 satellites, routes, lockers, and on-demand.
Total Investment: $426,748 – $777,300 | Franchise Fee: $60,000 | Liquid: $100,000 | Net Worth: $350,000
About Martinizing
Martinizing was founded in 1949 as the pioneer of on-premise, quick-service dry cleaning and has been franchising since 1978. Now operating 350+ locations in the U.S. and internationally under The Huntington Company, the brand has evolved from a traditional retail dry cleaner into a multi-model hub-and-spoke system designed for scalable growth.
Beyond core dry cleaning, Martinizing franchise owners generate revenue from shirt laundry, wash-dry-fold, tailoring and alterations, wedding gown preservation, leather and suede cleaning, shoe repair, wholesale cleaning, commercial accounts, 24/7 locker systems, and an on-demand pickup app. The GreenEarth Cleaning partnership uses liquid silicone instead of petrochemicals — a non-hazardous, environmentally friendly process that resonates with today’s eco-conscious consumer.
Why Franchise With Martinizing
- 75 years of brand trust — customers hand over expensive, irreplaceable garments. Martinizing’s decades of recognition creates instant credibility that independent dry cleaners spend years trying to build.
- Corporate handles the heavy lifting — Martinizing negotiates leases, procures and installs equipment, provides architectural drawings, and manages permit submission. Target timeline is 180 days from signing to opening.
- Scalable hub-and-spoke model — one hub supports up to 5 satellite stores. Routes and lockers layer additional revenue without additional real estate investment, creating a dry cleaning enterprise rather than a single store.
- Conversion path for day-one cash flow — Martinizing actively helps investors acquire independent dry cleaners and convert them to the brand, providing immediate revenue without building from scratch.
- Environmentally friendly operations — GreenEarth Cleaning partnership uses liquid silicone and biodegradable wet cleaning alternatives, giving franchisees a sustainability story that differentiates from traditional dry cleaning competitors.
Why Franchise With Martinizing?
75 Years of Brand Trust: Dry cleaning is built on trust — customers hand over expensive, irreplaceable garments. Martinizing’s decades of brand recognition creates instant credibility that independents can’t match.
Environmentally Friendly Operations: Martinizing partners with GreenEarth Cleaning, using liquid silicone instead of petrochemicals. Non-hazardous, non-toxic, safe for air, water, and soil. Wet cleaning option uses biodegradable soaps and computer-controlled machines.
Multiple Revenue Streams: Beyond dry cleaning: shirt laundry, wash-dry-fold, tailoring and alterations, wedding gown preservation, military uniform heirlooming, leather and suede cleaning, shoe repair, wholesale cleaning, and commercial accounts.
Franchisor Does the Heavy Lifting: Corporate negotiates your lease and procures/installs equipment. Their real estate and construction experts guide you through site selection, permitting, and buildout. Goal: open within 180 days of signing.
Scalable Growth Path: Start with routes or a satellite, then expand. Add satellites to your hub (up to 5 per standard equipment package). Layer in lockers and on-demand. Build a dry cleaning enterprise, not just a store.
ABF Advisory Perspective
ABF Market Analysis —
Dry cleaning is a recurring-revenue necessity business that holds up through economic cycles — people need clean clothes regardless of broader market conditions. The hub-and-spoke model Martinizing has developed addresses the primary challenge of traditional dry cleaning franchises — high equipment costs and single-location revenue ceilings — by concentrating equipment in one hub while satellites and routes expand the customer base at fraction of the cost. Multiple revenue streams beyond core dry cleaning significantly broaden the income potential of each location.
ABF Timing Insight —
Martinizing’s four entry points make this one of the most accessible franchise structures in the service category — routes start at $40,900 with $40,000 liquid capital, making this viable for candidates who want recurring service revenue at a very low entry cost. The conversion path is particularly compelling for candidates who want day-one revenue without the 180-day buildout timeline. The hub model’s $3.85M top-performer benchmark gives experienced operators a clear ceiling to build toward as they add satellites and revenue streams.
Training & Support
- Three-week training program — one week of classroom training at corporate headquarters, one week of hands-on training at corporate, and one week of in-field training at the franchisee’s location. Corporate training team has 100+ years of combined dry cleaning and franchising experience.
- Pre-opening Right Start program — insurance setup, business accounts, banking, site selection, lease negotiation, architectural drawings, permit submission, and equipment procurement all managed by the corporate team.
- Marketing on autopilot — SEO, social media management, reputation management, and online listings are handled by corporate, allowing franchise owners to focus on operations and customer relationships.
- Ongoing support — monthly training webinars, up-to-date resource library, corporate store visits, and regional meetings and international conventions keep franchisees current on best practices.
- Conversion support — dedicated conversion guide, on-site consultation, and corporate assistance with locating and evaluating independent dry cleaners available for acquisition.
Franchise Owners That Thrive
- Service-minded operators — owners who genuinely take pride in caring for customers’ garments and delivering consistent quality build the loyal repeat customer base that sustains a dry cleaning business long-term.
- Route and territory builders — candidates who enjoy building residential and commercial account relationships are well suited for the route and satellite models that generate recurring revenue without retail overhead.
- Existing dry cleaning owners — independent operators ready to upgrade with national brand recognition, proven systems, and the hub-and-spoke infrastructure that individual operators cannot build alone.
- Enterprise-minded investors — operators who start with a hub and systematically add satellites, routes, and lockers build the multi-unit dry cleaning enterprises that generate $3M+ in annual revenue.
Who This Franchise Is NOT For
- Fully passive investors — all Martinizing models require active business management. Semi-absentee becomes possible over time but is not the starting point for any model.
- Anyone uncomfortable with customer-facing service — dry cleaning is a trust-based, relationship-driven business. Owners who avoid direct customer interaction will struggle to build the loyalty the model depends on.
- Anyone unwilling to follow proven systems — Martinizing trains franchisees their way, which may differ from independent dry cleaning methods. Following established systems consistently is non-negotiable.
- Anyone below the financial qualifications — liquid capital requirements range from $40,000 for routes and satellites to $100,000 for a plant. Net worth requirements are $250,000 for routes and satellites and $350,000 for a plant. These are franchisor standards, not guidelines.
Franchisor Authority Disclosure
America’s Best Franchises provides guidance and introductions. Final approval criteria, financial thresholds, and territory decisions are determined exclusively by the franchisor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do I need dry cleaning experience to own a Martinizing franchise?
A. No. Martinizing trains franchisees their way, which differs from most dry cleaning operations. They want business operators, not dry cleaners. You will learn garment care as part of training, but your primary focus is running the business — managing your team, building customer relationships, and growing your territory.
Q. What is the difference between a hub and a satellite?
A. A hub is a full dry cleaning plant with equipment and retail storefront. A satellite is a customer-facing retail location without cleaning equipment — garments are collected and shuttled to the nearest hub for processing, then returned. One hub can support up to five satellites, allowing owners to expand their customer reach at a fraction of the hub’s equipment cost.
Q. Can I start with just a delivery route?
A. Yes. The Pickup and Delivery model starts at $40,900 with $40,000 in liquid capital — no storefront required. You build residential and commercial routes in your territory and partner with an existing Martinizing hub for garment processing. It is one of the lowest entry points for a recurring-revenue service franchise on ABF.
Q. How does the conversion model work?
A. Martinizing actively helps candidates identify and acquire independent dry cleaners and convert them to the Martinizing brand. The conversion path provides day-one cash flow from an existing customer base combined with Martinizing systems, brand recognition, and ongoing support. Conversion costs range from $30,000 to $250,000 depending on the work required at the acquired location.
Q. How long does it take to open a Martinizing location?
A. Martinizing targets 180 days from signing to opening for new plant locations. Corporate manages site selection, lease negotiation, architectural drawings, permit submission, and equipment installation — handling the heavy lifting so franchisees can focus on preparing to operate rather than managing a construction project.
Next Steps
By submitting this form, you confirm that you meet the minimum liquid capital requirement for your chosen Martinizing model — $40,000 for routes or satellite, $100,000 for a plant with retail — as established by the franchisor.
Complete the form below to request a qualification review and discuss which Martinizing model and territory availability fits your investment level and goals.
This profile represents general franchise information. Individual results may vary. Refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document for complete details.