A Unique Shopping Experience Crown Heights

by: Jen Epstein

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [CHI] — When I first started coming to Crown Height from my place in Park Slope, I figured I’d get my religious items and keep going. After all, what else could I need in the hood? But then I discovered stores that totally changed my view.

More in the Extended Article!

Amidst the hustle of the hip corner of Albany Avenue I discovered Mr. Greens, a store that would fit right in to Soho. Fresh produce, delicious juices and the manager Shmuly. Who can ask for more? Then I found that incredible flower shop with gifts everyone loves (including me-I treat myself now and then!)

Now I’ve discovered a store that I haven’t found anywhere else. It’s a customers dream. A place where service and convenience meet in a fantastic store that will truly change your dry cleaning experience. I’m talking of course about “Mr. Clean”, the dry cleaners located on the corner of Albany Avenue and Union Street in Crown Heights.

I know, I know, you are now thinking about the big bald guy on the yellow cleanser bottle, right? I too used to think a cleaner’s was just a cleaners, but these guys have me thinking otherwise. The guys who run this place didn’t forget anything from the floor to ceiling, a glass store front that makes the store bright and airy, to the clean and newly renovated store with pleasant employees.

They also offer customer service that will amaze you. I’m not only talking about the fact that they only use organic products to dry clean your clothing, they offer pick-up and delivery service! They even put collar stays into your collar and cuff links into your cuff link holes!

For the guy who is always in a rush, they will keep your credit card on file and have a special VIP rack for privileged customers where you can just grab your things and run.

You’d think that for all this the prices would be high, but they are right in line with all the other cleaners in the area. And, they have the coolest delivery bike ever!! I’m sure people get their stuff delivered sometimes just to watch it pull up!! You’ve got to check it out.

44 Comments

  • Crown heights shopper

    Kiddush Hashem! This is what the Rebbe wants Crown heights to be. Go Albany Ave. Go!

    I must admit that the cleaners is the only shop on Albany that I didn’t checkout yet, now I will.

    Let’s not forget BenZ’s Gourmet fish store. Great street to shop on, and for some reason the merchants just fit in.

    Thanks to all of you

  • Seriously?

    Mr. Clean? Fits into crown heights perfectly, insanely overpriced for a service that is average at best.

  • seriously?

    Mr clean? Keeping with crown heights tradition they rip you off by charging an insane amount of money for a service that is second rate at best.

  • Kahn Tziva

    Yes! it’s refreshing to hear! I also had a great experience shopping for furniture by Everything but the Baby. very heimish atmosphere, excellent service, prices,quality and very nice people. Everyone should try to shop in Crown Heights… might as well give our own community the parnossoh.

  • SH

    Kahn Tziva wrote:
    Yes! it’s refreshing to hear! I also had a great experience shopping for furniture by Everything but the Baby. very heimish atmosphere, excellent service, prices,quality and very nice people. Everyone should try to shop in Crown Heights… might as well give our own community the parnossoh.

    —–

    Most stores in CH treat you like your trash, those few that treat customers with the respect they deserve should be rewarded with customers, those who treat thier customers like trash should be run out of business unless they clean up thier act

  • a crownheightser

    Even if something is a few cents more I
    feel I
    have to support the Shchuna!It’s pumping into our own! Suggestion:Maybe we should have every week a different
    store featured….

  • chaim cohen

    you know not all stores are like this but another one to the list is that AT&T store on kingston! Clean and friendly i just bought my first phone there and the service was real profesinal

  • Proud relative

    Toli you make the store happen—-you give your heart and soul and you take your job seriously – We are all so proud of you,,,

  • Martin

    Albany Av is a wonderful place to shop. We shop weekly at Benzys and Mr Greens, and they are the most wonderful, friendly and helpful shop owners, and workers.

  • Shopper

    Mendel:
    I shop there and their prices are the same as the other Jewish owned store in Crown Heights.

  • HAPPY COSTUMER

    GO DOVI MINKOWICZ, FIRST MANAGER OF MR. CLEAN IT, HIS PROFESIONALISM BROUGHT THE CUSTOMERS TO THE STORE, I BELIEVE HE ADDED ALL THOSE COOL TOUCHES AND HE BUILT THAT COOL DELIVERY BIKE, GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE.

    I MISS HIS SERVICE BUT THIS GUY TULI IS ALSO GREAT!

  • outside shopper..not by choice

    They may be good…still…
    I’m here to vent about pricing here in CH.
    Shop owner have this notion that we owe it to them to buy from their stores, so they go ahead and overprice everything…not by just a few cent!!! even if the quality of the product stinks.

    My message:

    We owe you guys nothing, we’re trying to live and get by just the same as you. You want business…Being friendly is a must.it goes without saying, it shouldn’t be an added feature!!! and for crying out loud, at least match the price it generally goes for, and if your a “macher” and want more business, make it a bit lower!

    ..I saw an ad on shmais “up to 50% off. Not one item was 50% off…the most was 45%. just thought I’d point that out.

  • proud customer

    Ditto to Empire and Albany!
    I think the cleaners at Empire and Albany is also great.

  • Not a native CH-er

    Albany Ave. is definitely the Madison Ave of Crown Heights. Between the bank, bakery, cleaners, flowers (nice going, Meir!), Bentzi’s (great coffee, too!) and Mr. Greens (we love you, Shmuli), you’ve pretty much got all the bases covered. But the real clincher is the customer service, where, unlike many other CH stores, you don’t feel like you’re doing the store a favor by patronizing them.

  • NOT IMPRESSED BY WANNABEISM

    Nice and sweet, but how do you think Reb Shloime Yunik of Stan’s Cleaners- a great guy in his own right feels about this ad? He had His place open much longer and there opens another store right under his nose.
    By the way, Shloime’s place does all the work on premeses, and they do great work- without “a cool delivery bike” or an array of spools of thread spanning all the colors in the rainbow!

    There is a great word in Hebrew for all these wannabe type stores- FALTZANUT…

  • Someone

    Soho can only wish that they had such a hip store as that flower shop on albany, they are really friendly and their flowers are gorgeous…

    way to go

  • longtiome resident

    David Teich at Regency Cleaners on Kingston & Crown is really great.
    Always courteous,accomodating & good work in-house.Oh yeh, they also deliver.
    I don’t need the cool delivery system, just pleasant professional service. Most merchants on Kingston range from snarling to indifferent, at a hefty price. I only shop in Crown Hts when I can’t make it out. Regency Cleaners has always been great.
    Shloimie, the Shuk’s owner, also trys hard.

  • Interesting Article

    I have never been in this store but I think I should go in just to meet this Tully that everyone is talking about.

  • A nudge

    Isn’t the store called MR CLean IT??
    I mean if you write an article on a store at least get the name right.

  • Suggestion

    A suggestion to Crownheights.info: Run a poll of all the stores of Crown Heights for a few weeks. After that feature a store a week in the order of top vote. And while you’re at it, have a memory lane of old stores once in a while too

  • So Satisfied

    Kahn Tziva: you’re definitely on target with Everything But the Baby. I furnished my house through them when I got married. My friend had gone elsewhere. When she saw the difference, boy did she regret it! I got a much better deal!! and I didn’t have to shlep and I was happy to give such wonderful, good people the parnossoh.
    SH: I wonder why you are treated like trash by some stores. I always shop in Crown Heights, so much more convenient besides supporting our community, and don’t remember ever being treated as trash. On the contrary…

  • ABC

    Don’t think you should allow comments that speak negatively about a store. It’s loshon horoh 100% hurting people.

  • TO ALL OF YOU!!!!

    To all of you!
    Mr. Clean is by far the place where your cloths will be valued and cared for!
    I’ve been shopping in Park Slop cleaners for years and after coming to Mr. Green, I get what I want and need.
    They refund and give credits when due. They care about you and make you feel like a Mentch.
    NO OTHER CLEANERS IN CROWN HEIGHTS MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE A MENTSCH!!!!NOBODY!!!! AND THAT’S A FACT!!! (as if you owe them something!) You stuff are valued as ZERO! (when your shirts come back next time, check them carefully!)
    Cleaners in CH should learn from Mr. Clean!
    Mr. Clean will stand by you at any point in your cleaning experience.
    After all we pay enough money when we buy cloths! We deserve a good cleaning!

  • maxine

    i like clean spot on kingston and empire…and the flower shop on albany is unfortunately extremely overpriced..

  • Alice Fine

    My friend who lives out-of-town even shops here. Whenever she needs something she calls Chaya at Everything But The Baby and has it shipped. Chaya is very knowledgable, honest and recommends what best suits her needs. She’s always telling me how convenient it is for her and always satisfied with the stuff.

  • gertie

    Wow!! I never saw a cleaners that has delivery!! Maybe I should go there sometime!! Everybody should go there and Mr.Greens and also the flower store . All the stores in Crown Heights are good!! I wish I could own a store !! Dont you ? Bye!! (people think im not jewish I am)

  • The new kingston

    I just bought a Sheitel on Kingston in that new pretty ladies store (with the funny name) and the service was simply courtious, friendly, pressure free and the cut is wild!!!!thanks chani;-)

  • Just to set the record straight:

    In the older stores in Crown Heights, (mostly on Kingston,) the products are very often bad-quality, and are always overpriced. The owners can be rude and downright nasty.

    The newer stores (mostly on Albany) have a modern ambience, and sleek design with friendly, courtous customer service and great-quality products. It’s a pleasure to shop there; however, the products are extremely overpriced.

    Wherever you do choose to shop, you owe nothing to the storeowners. Hshem is in charge of their parnassah, not you. You just shop at a place that suits your needs, and if the store wants your money, they have to provide what you want.

  • GO KINGSTON STORE

    The last post, i just wanted to say that there are some very nice stores to come in and shop at, that are not overpriced and not rude.

    Things change over time :)