Martinizing Cleaners is a 75-year-old dry cleaning franchise operating 350+ locations in the United States and internationally. Founded in 1949 and franchising since 1978, Martinizing pioneered on-premise, quick-service dry cleaning. Under new ownership by The Huntington Company, the brand has evolved into a hub-and-spoke model with multiple investment levels — from delivery routes to full dry cleaning plants — and multiple revenue streams including residential pickup, commercial routes, locker systems, and on-demand app service.
At a Glance
Minimum Liquid Capital Required: $40,000 (routes/satellite) to $100,000 (plant with retail)
Total Investment: $40,900 – $777,300 (varies by model)
Franchise Fee: $27,000 – $60,000 (varies by model)
Royalty: 6%
Ownership Model: Owner-operator or semi-absentee
Location Type: Retail plant, satellite store, or route-based (no storefront)
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 franchise in dry cleaning category for decades
- Multiple entry points from $40,900 (routes only) to full hub plant ($426K+)
- Hub-and-spoke model allows scaling with satellites at fraction of hub cost
- Multiple revenue streams: retail, routes, lockers, on-demand app, commercial accounts
- Recession-resistant with recurring revenue and low cost of goods
Martinizing Franchise Opportunity
Dry cleaning is a stable, recurring-revenue business. Customers return weekly or bi-weekly with garments they trust you to handle. Martinizing has built that trust over 75 years as the pioneer of on-premise, quick-service dry cleaning.
The Modern Martinizing Model:
Under new ownership, Martinizing has evolved beyond traditional retail dry cleaning. The hub-and-spoke system creates multiple revenue streams and scaling opportunities:
- Hub (Plant with Retail) — Full dry cleaning facility with customer-facing retail. The foundation of your enterprise.
- Satellite Stores — Customer service locations without cleaning equipment. Garments shuttle to hub for processing. Expand your footprint at a fraction of hub cost.
- Pickup & Delivery Routes — Residential and commercial routes bring garments to the nearest hub. Build recurring revenue through convenience.
- Lockers — 24/7 automated locker systems in apartment buildings and commercial properties.
- On-Demand App — Think Uber for dry cleaning. Customers request pickup via smartphone.
One hub can support up to 5 satellite stores. Routes and lockers layer additional revenue without additional real estate.
Investment Models
Option 1: Pickup & Delivery Routes
- Total Investment: $40,900 – $78,600
- Franchise Fee: $27,000
- Net Worth: $250,000 | Liquid: $40,000
- Territory-based, no storefront required
- Build residential and commercial routes, partner with existing hub for cleaning
Option 2: Satellite Store
- Total Investment: $96,852 – $275,312
- Franchise Fee: $30,000
- Net Worth: $250,000 | Liquid: $40,000
- Customer-facing retail without equipment
- Must be within service distance of hub (yours or another franchisee’s)
Option 3: Conversion (Existing Dry Cleaner)
- Total Investment: Varies (purchase price + $30,000 – $250,000 conversion)
- Franchise Fee: $62,500
- Rebrand existing independent dry cleaner to Martinizing
- On-site consultation and detailed conversion guide provided
Option 4: Plant with Retail (Hub)
- Total Investment: $426,748 – $777,300
- Franchise Fee: $60,000
- Net Worth: $350,000 | Liquid: $100,000
- Full dry cleaning facility with retail storefront
- Foundation for satellites, routes, lockers, and on-demand
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 Exclusive Insights
Conversion Opportunity: Martinizing actively helps investors acquire independent dry cleaners and convert them to the brand. If you prefer day-one cash flow without building from scratch, the conversion path provides immediate revenue plus Martinizing systems and brand recognition.
Hub Economics: Top-performing hub + satellite combinations generate $3.85M in annual sales. The hub-and-spoke model concentrates equipment costs in one location while satellites expand customer reach at lower cost.
Recession Resistance: People need clean clothes regardless of economic conditions. Dry cleaning is a stable, needs-based service with recurring customers and low cost of goods.
Training & Support
Pre-Opening:
- Right Start program: insurance, business accounts, banking setup
- Site selection and lease negotiation (corporate handles this)
- Architectural/engineering drawings and permit submission
- Equipment procurement and installation
- Conversion guide for acquired locations
Training Program:
- 1 week classroom training at corporate headquarters
- 1 week hands-on training at corporate headquarters
- 1 week in-field training at your location
- Corporate training team has 100+ years combined dry cleaning and franchising experience
Training Covers:
- Operating procedures and Martinizing standards
- Marketing and bookkeeping
- POS training and reporting
- Customer interface and front counter staff training
- Garment care training
- Soft/grand opening assistance
Ongoing Support:
- Monthly training webinars
- Up-to-date resource library
- Corporate store visits
- Regional meetings and international conventions
- Marketing on autopilot: SEO, social media, reputation management, online listings
Franchise Owners That Thrive
Strong fit indicators:
- Experience managing money, time, and people
- Strong customer service orientation
- Comfortable being the face of the business
- Sales aptitude and people skills
- Effective communicator
- Project management experience a plus
- Organized and willing to follow proven systems
Franchise Fit & Capital Readiness
Who Is NOT A Good Fit for This Franchise
- Are you uncomfortable with customer-facing service businesses?
- Do you lack experience managing teams or operations?
- Are you unwilling to follow established systems and standards?
- Do you expect fully passive ownership from day one?
- Do you have less than $40,000 in liquid capital (routes/satellite) or $100,000 (plant)?
If you answered yes to any of these, this franchise may not be the right fit. Martinizing wants business operators, not dry cleaners — but you must be willing to learn and execute the Martinizing way.
Investment Readiness Check
- Minimum Liquid Capital: $40,000 (routes/satellite) to $100,000 (plant) — required for consideration
- Net worth requirements: $250,000 (routes/satellite) or $350,000 (plant) will be verified during qualification
- Ownership timeline: Expect approximately 180 days from signing to opening for new locations
- Equipment financing available — a large portion of total investment is equipment that can serve as collateral
- Territory availability varies by market and model selected
All financial thresholds are set by the franchisor and are non-negotiable during approval.
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? A. No. Martinizing trains you their way, which differs from most dry cleaning operations. They want business operators, not dry cleaners. You’ll learn garment care, but your focus is running the business.
Q. What’s the difference between a hub and satellite? A. A hub is a full dry cleaning plant with equipment and retail. A satellite is a customer-facing location without cleaning equipment — garments are shuttled to the hub for processing. One hub can support up to 5 satellites.
Q. Can I start with just routes? A. Yes. The Pickup & Delivery model ($40,900 – $78,600) lets you build residential and commercial routes without a storefront. You partner with an existing Martinizing hub for garment processing.
Q. How long until I’m open? A. Martinizing targets 180 days from signing to opening for new locations. Timeline depends on site selection, permitting, construction, and equipment installation. Corporate guides you through every step.
Q. What if I want to buy an existing dry cleaner? A. Martinizing has a conversion program. Their team helps you find independent dry cleaners for sale, evaluates the opportunity, and provides a detailed conversion guide with costs ranging from $30,000 to $250,000 depending on work required.
Next Steps
Complete the form below to request a qualification review and discuss which Martinizing model 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.