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Customers wait on clothes after local dry cleaner closes abruptly

Posted at 5:52 PM, Oct 31, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-31 23:30:15-04

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A dry cleaner shut down abruptly, leaving customers confused and wondering how to pick up their clothes in the northern Las Vegas.

A red sign is stamped in front of Payless Cleaners, located near Rancho Drive and Craig Road, that says the business is closed.

Clark County Building and Safety inspectors closed the cleaners after a fire inside, and customers 13 Action News spoke to were shocked.

"There's nobody there. It's not open, and there's no answer on the number," customer Sara Thielman said.

She left her clothes at the dry cleaners about two weeks ago, and when she tried to pick them up last week, the cleaners were closed.

"Probably some are more frustrated than I am," she said.

Thielman says she called the number for the owner but didn't get an answer. 13 Action News called and reached him, and he says the business is closed because of a boiler room fire and has been busy fielding calls.

However, customers have been stopping by to pick up their clothes, but the owner says he was stopped by the County last week from getting back inside - forcing him to wait.

"If there is a catastrophic event… there should be a contingency plan, and I think they need to come up with one," Thielman said.

The owner says no clothes were damaged in the fire, and he'll be issuing refunds and working with customers.

He also said he's committed to reopening as soon as he can.

Temporary closures can frustrate customers, but the Better Business Bureau says they should remain calm.

"Try to be patient. Try to find out what exactly is going on? If the company's going to reopen?" Rhonda Mettler, operations director with the Better Business Bureau of Southern Nevada, said.

If the closure happens to be more permanent, Mettler says customers should take more forceful action.

"Write a letter to the company. Mail it to the company because sometimes there may be a forwarding address applied," Mettler said.