Today we’d like to introduce you to David and Kay Kim.
Thanks for sharing your story with us David and Kay. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Our journey started in 1990 when we immigrated from Seoul, South Korea to the Dallas area. At that time, we were recently married, young professionals that left our careers in engineering and textile design in Korea to give the “American Dream” a shot for our future family. Like many other Korean immigrants, we invested everything we had into our first dry cleaning store on 6510 Skillman St. with the help of our siblings. After several years of building the business from the ground up together, my brother and sister left to start their own stores in Uptown and The Colony and we continued growing the business in Dallas. Knowing very little English, it was a constant uphill battle as young entrepreneurs. We started with one store and four employees but with the support of the Lake Highlands community, we were able to grow our small, family-owned and operated business over the course of the past 30 years.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Owning a small business brings new struggles everyday but the first few years were the hardest. Financially, we were constantly operating and reinvesting through loans. Physically, we were working 14 hour days trying to manage all parts of the business ourselves. On any given day, I was a mechanic, washer, presser, delivery driver, and customer service manager. Today, the pandemic has brought new, unexpected challenges but we are constantly evolving and fighting to keep our business afloat.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Clean Care Cleaners – what should we know?
We are a quality dry cleaning and alterations business that prides itself on treating all our customers like family. Many of our customers and employees have been with us for over 30 years so we take great pride in the relationships we have built with this community. What we are known for is our high quality and attention to detail. We constantly invest in the newest, high tech equipment so we can provide consistent, crisp results in an efficient and environmentally friendly way. In addition to clothing, we also specialize in wedding gowns, bedding, rugs and offer contactless home delivery.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The commitment from our employees has gotten us to where we are today. Some of our employees have stuck with us for 30 years. As an entrepreneur, you must invest energy, time, and heart into your employees. Have empathy and look towards the future together. As immigrants ourselves, we have been passionate about providing jobs for other immigrants in our community.
Contact Info:
- Website: cleancarecleaners.com
- Email: cleancaredallas@gmail.com
- Instagram: @cleancaredallas
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