Bethesda Avenue Cleaners, Bethesda Art Metal Works close - but may not be vacant for long

Bethesda Avenue Cleaners at 4957 Bethesda Avenue, and Bethesda Art Metal Works next door at 4955 Bethesda, have both permanently closed. Dry cleaning customers caught short by the sudden closure are being directed to pick up their clothes at C&C Custom Cleaners at 5511 Connecticut Avenue NW. The note helpfully suggests that C&C is "10-15 minutes away" from Bethesda Avenue, but does not indicate where the jet packs that will allow you to achieve that travel time are to be picked up. Meanwhile, it was an incredible run of nearly 60 years for metal plating, polishing, and cleaning business Bethesda Art Metal Works. 

These spaces may not be vacant for long. A source tells me that Butcher's Alley plans to expand into the dry cleaning space, and that Pescadeli will eventually relocate here from across the street at 4960 Bethesda Avenue.

Bradley Cleaners closes in Bethesda (Photos)

Bethesda is losing some of its most-convenient dry cleaning shops this month. Bradley Cleaners at 6908 Arlington Road in the Bradley Shopping Center has closed. Their space was cleaned out Friday. Fashion Craft Cleaners at the Westwood Shopping Center is also permanently closing on November 15, after 33 years in business.

Longtime businesses say farewell to customers at Westwood Shopping Center in Bethesda (Photos)

Several small businesses that have been fixtures at the Westwood Shopping Center in Bethesda for decades are saying goodbye to their longtime customers, as they prepare to permanently close in late November. Anglo Dutch Pools & Toys, Fashion Craft Cleaners, and Relaxed Nails & Spa have posted farewell messages on their storefronts at the strip mall, which will be demolished this winter. None of the three businesses will make the transition to the Westbard Square development that is replacing the 1959 shopping center. 

Anglo Dutch will close November 30, 2023, after 38 years in business at the shopping center. Fashion Craft will shut down a couple of weeks before that, on November 15, after 33 years there. The last day to drop off clothes will be November 5. And Relaxed Nails & Spa will close forever on November 27. Giant, the Westwood Barber Shop, Starbucks, Voorthuis Opticians and the Montgomery County liquor store will move across the parking lot into the new Westbard Square development over the next few months.

Dryclean Club for lease in Bethesda

Dryclean Club at 4923 Cordell Avenue is now available for lease. The drycleaning and tailoring shop closed in May. As of yesterday, the space has been cleared out inside, and "for lease" signs posted. This is one of several Woodmont Triangle dry cleaning businesses to close or relocate this year.

Dryclean Club closes in Bethesda

Dryclean Club has closed at 4923 Cordell Avenue in Bethesda. If you have clothes that were being cleaned or tailored there, there is contact information on the door to arrange for picking them up. It's notable that the contact is with the building's landlord, and not the business itself. Dryclean Club had 3 stars on Google and Mapquest, 2 stars on Yelp and 1 star on Checkbook.

5 Star Dry Cleaners to open in downtown Bethesda

Woodmont Cleaners recently moved from the Lionsgate condo building to Triangle Towers on Cordell Avenue. Residents of the Lionsgate will soon have a new dry cleaning option downstairs, however. 5 Star Dry Cleaners has leased the old Woodmont Cleaners space at 7649 Old Georgetown Road. 5 Star will open on March 15, 2022.

Woodmont Cleaners now open at
4849 Cordell Avenue in the ground
floor of Triangle Towers

Woodmont Cleaners relocating in downtown Bethesda

Woodmont Cleaners is relocating in downtown Bethesda, but only by a few blocks. It will be moving from its current location in the Lionsgate condos to 4849 Cordell Avenue, in the ground floor of the Triangle Towers apartment building. This was once home to Big Planet Comics. Woodmont Cleaners will reopen in the new location tomorrow, February 14, 2022 (they're not changing their name to Cordell Cleaners, but the "Woodmont" name still works, as they are moving into the heart of the Woodmont Triangle).

Bak's Custom Tailors winding down in Bethesda

Bak's Custom Tailors is reaching the end of its run at 7913 Norfolk Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Equipment was seen being moved out of the dry cleaners and tailoring business yesterday. As I reported last month, the space is now available for lease.

Modern Tailor has closed in Bethesda

Modern Tailor has permanently closed at 4717 Hampden Lane in downtown Bethesda. The dry cleaner and tailoring business has operated for 30 years. Any unclaimed items will be donated to charity, the owner said. Thirty years is a very good run by any measure.

Bethesda Avenue Cleaners installs new sign (Photos)

There's a new, lighted sign at Bethesda Avenue Cleaners at 4957 Bethesda Avenue.

Bethesda Valet cleaners to close

Bethesda Valet, a dry cleaners at 8010 Wisconsin Avenue, will close permanently on July 2. They are directing their customers to Super Cleaners at 4906 Hampden Lane after that date.

The building is scheduled to be demolished in the future, to clear the way for the Toll Brothers 8008 Wisconsin mixed-use project. Good advice: when you hear your dry cleaners is closing - remind yourself to pick up your clothes before that day.

GALAXIE CLEANERS TO MOVE TO NEW SPACE WITHIN SHOPPES OF BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Galaxie Cleaners will move from its current location at 4943 Elm Street, to a space upstairs at the same shopping center, The Shoppes of Bethesda, on August 15. The move will likely facilitate the eventual takeover of their space by Dunkin' Donuts, which plans to reopen this fall on Elm Street. Rumor has been that the dry cleaners could be the site of the new donut shop.

MILAE CLEANERS VACATES DOWNTOWN BETHESDA LOCATION (PHOTO)

Milae Cleaners, a dry cleaning business that not long ago moved into a small building at Battery Lane and Woodmont Avenue, has abruptly vacated the premises.

The corner will soon be home to the Woodmont View luxury apartments.

A sign posted says they have moved to 5050 River Road in Bethesda. Which is actually not exactly true, as a Milae Cleaners has been operating at 5050 River Road for many years. I think this means they are consolidating, rather than "moving."

For Bethesda history buffs, 5050 River Road was once home to Mario's Pizza, which was a childhood favorite of mine.