Family friendly

For decades, Earl Johnson and his wife, Jerry, have been fixtures in the local dry cleaning market. Recently the family welcomed their son, Kevin, into the Concord Custom Cleaners business, which Earl Johnson purchased this spring.
Earl Johnson, who has been associated with Concord since 1970, took over on May 29 as the proprietor of Concord’s two Hannibal locations - 2833 James Road and 217 Broadway. Earl Johnson had been contemplating retirement, but after learning of his son’s interest in returning home, Earl decided to purchase the stores.
“I had a hard time making my mind up if I wanted to do it. I said I’d take it if my son would come back here and do it,” said Earl Johnson. “He’s going to be basically running it for me.”
While Earl Johnson was hard at work Monday morning at the Broadway location, he says with Kevin on hand he intends to slow down a bit.
“Maybe I could take off a few days a week and do what I want to do,” he said with a chuckle.
Kevin Johnson is no novice when it comes to the dry cleaning business. He has worked for cleaners in Columbia, Mo., (six years) and Indiana (10 years).
Kevin Johnson does not foresee any problems working for/with his father.
“We get along,” he said. “It’s going to be a little more relaxed without corporate folks to deal with.”
A native of Palmyra, Kevin Johnson said the chance to return to the area was too great to pass up.
“It was an opportunity to work with him (father) and get closer to home,” he said. “It’s been great seeing friends I’d not seen in a long time and being with family. I like the small-town life. It’s quieter.”
Since the Johnsons took over operation of the local stores some significant changes have been implemented. Among the most noteworthy is that the cleaning process is again taking place in Hannibal. From September until May local clothes had been shipped to Quincy, Ill., for cleaning.
“They thought I was going to retire so they had everything going up there and he (Concord store manager in Quincy) didn’t want it,” said Earl Johnson.
Not shipping items to Quincy means that people will receive back their laundered goods much quicker, according to Earl Johnson.
“You have weddings, you have funerals, you have something that you’re getting ready to go to and need something in hurry... We can get it done quicker than if you had to send it up to Quincy when maybe it would take two days or three days, or something like. We can do it right on site because we’ve got all the equipment here,” said Earl Johnson.
That’s particularly important to Concord customers who do not live in Hannibal.
“We have people from Bowling Green, Louisiana, Shelbina, Vandalia and over across the river. They come to town and drop something off. Sometimes if they come early in the morning and want to get it back that evening, we can do that. We’re in business to serve the people in Hannibal and surrounding area,” said Earl Johnson.
Business hours have also been extended. Previously Hannibal Concord stores were open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays, and for limited hours downtown on Saturdays. The stores now open at 7 a.m. and don’t close until 6 p.m. we weekdays. Saturday hours are from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Earl Johnson’s business philosophy is a simple one.
“I just like to work, serve the people here in Hannibal and try and do a good job. Just make a living is all I want,” he said. “We want to do a good job. We want to give good service. We work hard at it. We like to put out good work. If they’re not pleased, let us know. We want to try and keep everybody happy.”