BY MATT LINDSEY

North Country This Week

POTSDAM -- One of St. Lawrence County's oldest businesses, and the only one of its kind, is set to close next month.

Potsdam Laundry & Dry Cleaning, which has operated at 7 Beal St. for 115 years, will close shop Sept. 1, according to owner Jeff Demo. Drop-off locations in Massena and Canton will close as well.

Jeff's father Larry purchased the business in 1975 from the Fogarty family. In 1995, Jeff and his brother David purchased the business from their dad.

Demo was unsure of who had owned the business prior to the Fogarty family, but noted there was an invoice from 1915 at the business that had been found in recent years, but is now missing.

Many longtime family-owned dry cleaning operators are not being passed down to the next generation, Demo said.

The equipment needed is expensive to repair or replace, the industry is not as busy as it once was, and the work itself is hot and dirty.

Demo estimates he does half the business he did 25 years ago.

Challenges from the pandemic and staffing issues were contributing factors to the decisions to close. But ultimately, it was just time to retire from a labor-intensive job.

Demo believes he is the last dry cleaning business in the county. He said Tri-Town and Cornell, both located in Massena, closed in recent years.

"They were all guys around my age within a year or two," he said. Demo is 65 and plans to retire and relax.

Demo said at one time there were reportedly 5,000 dry cleaners in New York State. Reports now indicate around 2,600 active shops.

The business provided services for many organizations including state police, St. Lawrence County sheriff's deputies and village police.

"I have had a lot of good friendships develop over the years," Demo said about working with the public.

Demo was thankful to his loyal customers and the relationships built.

On Friday morning Demo was chatting up with long-time customer and friend Mike Valley, who was superintendent of schools in several districts in the North Country.

Demo reminisced about playing a prank on Valley when he hopped into the front seat of his customer's vehicle and took off with Valley's wife in the front seat.

"There are people I am going to miss," he said.

The business will be listed for sale. Anyone interested can contact Demo at 315-265-3760.