Obituary: Mary Marquardt
Found mid-life success as a drycleaning
plant owner
Mary E. Marquardt, who owned and operated
Van’s Cleaners in Corona del Mar, CA, for 20 years, died
recently. A native Californian born in 1927, she had lived in
Orange County for the past 44 years.
Marquardt came to drycleaning in mid-life,
but she brought a life-time of valuable experience to the
business, both as a “people person” and as an
expert seamstress. She sewed her first dress at age 11 and
later made clothes for her daughters, so when she joined
Van’s Cleaners at the age of 48, it was natural for her
to take charge of the sewing department and share her expertise
with customers.
“The consumer is asking for more and
expects more. Their clothes are expensive,” she said in a
1985 interview. “It’s my responsibility to teach
them about fibers and dyes. They love it.”
Her role as an educator did not end at the
drycleaning counter. She enjoyed presenting seminars to various
groups on how to buy and care for clothes.
At the time she went to work at
Van’s, the store was owned by Robert Pirtle, a 40-year
industry veteran, and was doing about $3,000 a month in sales.
Pirtle and Marquardt proved to be a dynamic combination and the
business began growing. “He taught me about drycleaning
and I taught him about people,” Marquardt recalled.
After a year as an employee, Marquardt
became a partner in the business and a few years later Pirtle
sold his share and retired, leaving Marquardt in full control.
Within five years of taking over, Marquardt had improved
Van’s sales to more than $42,000 a month, despite having
no business background when she started out.
In those days, Marquardt was an advocate
for Valclene solvent but she also operated with perc. She
wanted to be able to handle any kind of garments that customers
brought in — from tennis clothes to fancy gowns.
“Take it all!” was her motto.
Marquardt never advertised — except
by word of mouth, and her commitment to customers brought
plenty of that kind of advertising. Stiff competition
didn’t phase her. “They keep popping up with new
ones,” she said of competitors in her trade area,
“but it hasn’t hurt me.” She credited that to
the loyalty of her customers. She gave equal effort to keeping
employees happy, offering what she called “well
pay” as opposed to sick pay. An employee who didn’t
miss a day of work during the year was entitled to an extra
week of vacation, for example.
Marquardt retired from the business in
1995. In addition to her career in drycleaning, she was a
member of Beta Sigma Phi and volunteered at Sherman Gardens and
Library.
She is survived by her two daughters,
Christine and Robyn; grandsons Adam and Justin; and three
brothers, Robert, John and Gordon.
Donations in her memory can be made to
Sherman Gardens and Library, 2647 E. Coast Highway, Corona del
Mar, CA 92625.
 |
