ZIPS Franchisees Tony Akaras and Shahid Hashmi Open Fourth Location, a Full-Service Processing Site in Newport News, Va.

ZIPS Cleaners franchisees Tony Akaras (left) and Shahid Hashmi opened their fourth location in November in Newport News, Va. They plan to open several more sites over the next two years.

ZIPS Cleaners opened five new stores in 2023, culminating with the debut of a site in Newport News, Va. in November. Situated in the Sherwood Shopping Center, the new location is a full-service “plant" housing all the equipment, holding space and staff needed to process items brought in by customers and others arriving from satellite ZIPS locations in the surrounding area. It is operated by Tidewater Cleaners LLC, a franchise entity owned by Tony Akaras and Shahid Hashmi. The business partners opened their first ZIPS plant in Essex, Md., in 2014. Last year, they purchased a second plant in College Park, Md., from another franchisee, opened a satellite “drop" store in Glen Burnie, Md., and capped off their year of growth with the new site in Newport News. They plan to open at least two more ZIPS locations in Virginia and Maryland over the next two years.

Newport News will serve as the processing site for a drop store that is scheduled to open in Williamsburg, Va., later this year. The College Park plant will similarly serve nearby satellites, processing items for a drop store in the area of Greenbelt and Hyattsville, Md., that is due to open later this year or in early 2025. Exemplifying the hub-and-spoke expansion strategy that facilitates growth of the ZIPS brand within a market and allows franchisees to maximize their investment in building and purchasing equipment for full-service plants, the model is being employed by a growing number of franchisees looking to bring ZIPS' unique brand of low-cost, quick-turnaround garment care to more of their markets.

“Our system thrives on ambitious operators like Tony and Shahid,” says Bob Barry, President/CEO of ZIPS. “They are committed to maximizing performance and customer satisfaction at each of their locations and to bringing our popular offering to more communities. We look forward to seeing the Newport News store flourish and to celebrating with Tony, Shahid and other franchisees as we continue expanding our system with new locations in the future.”

With six services under one roof, comparatively low pricing and a same-day guarantee for dry cleaning items brought in by 9 a.m., ZIPS Cleaners has a distinctive offering that is eagerly embraced by time-pressed, cost-conscious consumers. In its Mid-Atlantic hub and other markets throughout the country, the brand has also found favor with franchise investors like Hashmi and Akaras who are seeking to answer demonstrated demand as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.

ZIPS’ hub and spoke development model allows multi-unit developers to scale their market coverage quickly and at significant savings over alternatives where each location would have to be self-reliant. Franchisees with access to their own plant or an arrangement with another plant operator can open a drop location for up to 85% less than the cost to open a plant. And because drop stores require less equipment, they also require less square footage, comparatively minimal buildout and fewer employees to get up and running smoothly.

Akaras says establishing a hub in Newport News was a natural choice for him and Hashmi as they both have ties to the area via previous ownership of Popeyes restaurants there, and were eager to find a new way to offer needed services to the community.

“We love Newport News and are proud to be bringing ZIPS to the area,” says Akaras. “Opening here gives us a great opportunity to provide an affordable, convenient and much-needed service to a community that has welcomed and supported us for many years.”

“We’re especially excited to be opening in the Sherwood Shopping Center, which recently welcomed the local police department – a potential source of both personal and commercial business for us as well as an added layer of safety” adds Hashmi. “The strip mall is also scheduled to undergo major renovations soon, which will bring an influx of other commercial neighbors as well as shoppers to the site."

ZIPS was launched in the early 2000s when eight of the Baltimore-Washington Metro Area’s premier dry cleaners banded together as a unified brand offering same-day service at a single low price. Today there are nearly 70 locations throughout the United States where both residential and commercial customers can bring their apparel and other items to be dry cleaned, cleaned and pressed, washed and folded and tailored. ZIPS is distinguished and loved for its single low price for any garment and “in-by-9-out-by-five” guarantees for dry cleaning, as well as similarly low prices, convenience and reliability in all of its garment care services. Like most ZIPS locations, the Newport News site will maintain a 24/7 EZ Drop door enabling customers to drop off their items at their convenience and will soon add door-to-door delivery via DoorDash®.

There are more than 100 more ZIPS locations slated to open in the next several years. Franchise opportunities with ZIPS are available in select markets throughout the United States. For more information, contact Director of Business Development Mike Waintraub at mwaintraub@321zips.com or (609) 468-7195, or visit 321zips.com/own-a-zips/.

Gathered around the ZIPS "Word Wall" emblazoned with the company credo, ZIPS Operations Support Specialist Lorie Webber (second from left) joins management and staff of the new ZIPS store in Newport News. In the center stands the stores second customer, who arrived with 90 pieces of clothing to be processed.

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ZIPS Cleaners
Offering same-day service, a single low price, and a streamlined process that’s simple to replicate, ZIPS is a standout in the garment care segment. Multiple formats afford faster, less costly market coverage. Look your best in a great opportunity. Learn More