July 2018
DENTON
Business
CHRONICLE
www.dentonbusinesschronicle.com
Wet is the new dry Denton Cleaners introducing eco-friendly option for all By Sarah Sarder
D
ry cleaning is getting a surprising new makeover. Spoiler alert: It’s wet. Local laundry and dry cleaning business Denton Cleaners is introducing a form of environmentally friendly professional cleaning that has benefits for cleaners and customers. Beginning Friday, Denton Cleaners will offer clients a water-based alternative to harsh chemical-based dry cleaning that’s called wet or “green” cleaning. While traditional dry cleaning utilizes chemicals, wet cleaning uses water and a water-soluble, biodegradable solvent to clean clothing with the same results. Wet cleaning is not the same as simply laundering clothing. The method is a professional alternative to dry cleaning for delicate or dry clean-only items. Solvents used in wet washing are different from laundry detergent, and machines operate differently as well. “Denton Cleaners has always been eco-friendly,” manager Whitney Nichole Sell said. “That’s what motivated this change as well.” Known as Best 1 Hr Cleaners before early 2018, Denton Cleaners attempts to reuse all plastic bags, twist ties, hangers and more, Sell said. The owners, Alexandra and Juan Franco of Denton, wanted to move the business away from a particular chemical, Sell said. The business has three locations, all in Denton. The Francos decided to add wet cleaning in
Photos by Jake King
Maria Rivera irons shirts at Denton Cleaners. The business is now going to give all customers the option to select wet cleaning, which uses water and an environmentally friendly solvent to clean clothing — including dry clean-only items — with the same results. late June. “We wanted to create something that was perc-free,” Sell said. “Perc is a terrible, hazardous chemical. Perc, or tetrachloroethylene, is the most commonly used chemical solvent in dry cleaning, with about 85 percent of cleaners using it. The list of perc’s negative effects on human health and the
environment is long: It can cause skin, eye and respiratory irritation, damage the liver and kidneys, depress the nervous system, harm groundwater, contaminate soil and potentially cause cancer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA lists wet cleaning as the most environmentally friendly professional cleaning method, and even funds wet cleaning
initiatives. As for cleaning businesses, wet washing offers a number of advantages including low startup costs, less electricity use, no hazardous waste production and comparable or even better cleaning. Denton Cleaners is using a wet wash solvent from supplier
Denton Cleaners’ existing machines work with the business’s new wet cleaning service.
Cleaners | CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Fight over money and stay in love By Brianna McGurran | NerdWallet
By Sarah Sarder | Staff Writer Texas chain Torchy’s Tacos opened July 17 at the corner of North Bonnie Brae Street and West University Drive. The chain has locations in Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado and is known for its unique twist on Tex-Mex. The store is located at 2224 W. University and is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Much-anticipated arcade Free Play
Denton opened at the intersection of West Hickory Street and North Carroll Boulevard on July 13. The opening was delayed because of complications with obtaining a liquor sale permit. The third location of the Richardson-based business obtained the permit this month and opened shortly thereafter at 505 W. Hickory St. The entrance fee is $5 for unlimited play. Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, a casual dining chain, held a grand Update | CONTINUED on PAGE 3
The way couples talk about money — and fight about it, inevitably — doesn’t depend on whether they’re married or not. There are good and bad ways to discuss topics as emotional as money, no matter where you are in your relationship. If you think this could be a longterm thing, you would be smart to start having hard money conversations now. Don’t avoid friction that could end up helping you learn valuable information about your partnership. “You want to be able to see that you can move through conflicts before you get married. It’s like your training ground,” says Carin Catalano, a Seattle therapist with a specialty in financial therapy. Even if you don’t plan to marry, the same rules apply: Start talking money early, get into the details and make it a goal that you’ll both walk away from an argument feeling respected and understood, Catalano says. By the time you’ve made the decision to commit to each other, you’ll be light years ahead of your peers who’ve been avoiding the subject.
Start talking money early, and make it a goal that you’ll both walk away from an argument feeling respected and understood. Getty Images
Make money boring
Money is a huge source of conflict for couples. But talking about it as frequently as you would a more mundane topic takes away some of its power to intimidate. Make “How big is your emergency fund?” the new “What should we watch on Netflix?” Getting to know how your partner approaches money will take some of the fire out of the fight. Start by laying out your full financial picture as soon as you get serious about each other. Share how much debt you have, what your credit scores are, whether you’ve had bankruptcies or foreclosures, and how much you
earn and have saved. It’s a good idea to explain your families’ approaches to money, which can help you both understand where your good and bad habits, emotions and beliefs about money are coming from. Then you’re ready to face the stickier, ongoing issues that can come up — such as how you each manage money on a day-to-day basis. Many couples argue about how much is too much to spend on a purchase, for example. Get into the practice of bringing up your concerns, not pushing them down. FIGHT | CONTINUED on PAGE 4
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