Bush cleaning up at five locations

The dry cleaner operates five of its own stores - three in Sioux City and one each in Dakota Dunes and Sergeant Bluff. In addition, the business offers drop off and pick up service at five other locations that include supermarkets, a drug store and a laundermat.

"We pretty much have the city covered," said Todd Niggeling, who owns and operates Bush Dry Cleaning and Laundry with his wife, Elizabeth.

Additionally, Bush runs delivery routes, stopping at a number of homes and businesses. Last year, the company began offering free delivery throughout the metro area.

Bush cleans an average of 6,000 garments a week, including 2,000 shirts. With around 30 full- and part-time workers, it's one of the city's two largest volume cleaners, along with Davenport Cleaners, as well as the dry cleaner with the most locations.

All Bush's cleaning is done at the company's main plant at 1415 Morningside Ave., providing uniform quality and service regardless of which location a customer visits, Niggeling said. Founded in 1925, the business originally was located next door in the building that today houses a Jerry's Pizza.

After acquiring Bush in 1996, the Niggelings worked to expand the business, adding new locations and drive-through windows and beefing up its routes. Elizabeth Niggeling handles the advertising and marketing for the business, and also designed the company's new stores.

Bush operates Sioux City stores at 1415 Morningside Ave., 3722 Hamilton Blvd. and at 1545 Indian Hills Drive in the Indian Hills Shopping Center; in Dakota Dunes at Village Square and in Sergeant Bluff at the new Meadow Place shopping center. The developer of the Sergeant Bluff strip mall, which opened last year, worked with the dry cleaner to design the drive-through lane on one side of the building.

The opening marked Bush's return to Sergeant Bluff. Up to 1998, the dry cleaner had a location at the Pioneer Mall there. Niggeling said the new location is posed for future growth as Sergeant Bluff continues on its path of adding more housing and residents.

Three years ago, Bush also opened a store in another fast-growing area - Dakota Dunes - becoming the first dry cleaner with its own store in the planned community. The Village Square location has helped the dry cleaner pick up more business not only in the Dunes, but also from other nearby South Dakota cities, including Elk Point, Jefferson and North Sioux City.

Other locations where customers may drop off and pick up orders include Drugtown, 2627 Pierce St.; 75 Suds, 1804 Lewis Blvd., and Hy-Vee stores at the Cornhusker Plaza in South Sioux City and at Southern Hills Mall and Gordon Plaza in Sioux City. In addition, Bush also will be in the new Hy-Vee at Marketplace Shopping Centre when it opens this spring. At 88,000 square feet, the supermarket will become Hy-Vee's largest in metro Sioux City.

Niggeling said the Hy-Vee locations have the most appeal with out-of-town customers, who can drop off and pick up clothing at the same time they're in town buying groceries. Metro area residents, in comparison, generally prefer visiting the dry cleaner's own stores.

"You can never get a handle on what a customer wants," Niggeling said. "You just have to be convenient in every channel of distribution and let them choose.

"You have to have good quality and you have to have a reasonable price and a good value. But it all comes down to convenience."

Besides regular apparel, Bush cleans a wide array of other items, including hats, draperies and wedding dresses. Other services include alterations and hemming. The location also collects shoes in need of repair and takes them to the Cobbler's Bench in Sioux City.

More recently, Bush has made a big push into the area of fire restoration. In partnership with specialists like Paul Davis Restoration, Bush cleans fire- or smoke-damaged clothing. "We go in with the customer the first day, and separate out the things they want immediately," Niggeling said. The dry cleaner cleans those clothes to meet the residents' immediate needs, and cleans the rest of the household garments over a period of several weeks or months.

With all of its services, Bush offers an unconditional guarantee.

"If you're not happy, come back and we'll do it again. We'll do it right," Niggeling said.