Upper State Street Celebrates Jet Cleaners’ 65th Birthday, New Parklet

Since the 1950s, much of New Haven has kept its attire fresh and clean thanks to Jet Cleaners, which celebrated its 65th year in business Tuesday with city officials and neighbors.

Participants thanked the business owners for their resilience and dedication to the city amidst the pandemic.

Longtime Jet customers Mayor Justin Elicker and Deputy Economic Development Administrator Carlos Eyzaguirre have directly helped to keep the cleaners afloat with help during Covid-19.

Eyzaguirre described Jet cleaners as another home for him. For 15 years he lived two blocks from the cleaners and used it regularly, and continues to bring his suits there. Four years ago, as a new father, Eyzaguirre could often be spotted walking down State Street hauling his daughter in a stroller that would also act as his dolly to ferry a ​“giant load of dry cleaning.”

Five years ago the cleaners downsized and moved two blocks down Street from the original location by the I‑91 entrance. It is now situated between a seafood restaurant and a salon/barber shop. The business has been run by three generations of the Amore family.

It was first established in 1956 by Nicholas Amore and his two sons, Vincent and Michael. The founder’s grandson, Mike Amore, Jr., has been running the cleaners for 33 years.

“Jet cleaners is more than a dry cleaner. It really functions as a neighborhood watering hole or a neighborhood barbershop. It’s the kind of place where you come in, you trade notes, talk about politics, you talk about your kids, your grandkids,” said Eyzaguirre.

When he was getting married three years ago, Eyzaguirre got his tuxedo cleaned at Jet. The morning of his wedding he lost his bow tie. Luckily, Amore was able to find one in the back of shop; Eyzaguirre wore it to his wedding. 

During the financial crash of the pandemic, Amore looked closely at businesses expenses — and gained new insight into his father 22 years after his father’s death.

“I became my father at that moment where there was no business,” he said. ​“Jet Cleaners became my center focus. How do I stay? How do I survive?, We’re a partof this community,” he said at Tuesday’s event. ​“Sixty-five years is just an amazing amazing accomplishment. Certainly I’m part of it, but I’m a small part of it/ I just carry the current torch.”

Like most dry cleaners, Jet doesn’t receive its money from clients until they come to pick up their clothes. During the pandemic’s lockdown, ​“I had all this money on the rack, but it’s not money until it gets delivered,” Amore said.

He heard from many Yale-affiliated customers who live out of town in places like Old Saybrook, Fairfield, and Cheshire. They wanted to pick up their orders but said they felt unsafe.

Jet became ​“the cleaners that doesn’t say no,” Amore said. He decided he would begin making deliveries to keep his customers happy. He got help from his wife, who was working remotely, to make small ​“road trips” to other towns.

“It was like a vacation. You’re so use to the lockdown that everyone one of those road trips was exciting,” he recalled.

Amore also honed his tailoring skills during the pandemic by making face masks from shirts that were never picked up.

Jet Cleaners also began helping the community more in partnership with nonprofits. During the pandemic peak, Amore provided free cleaning of suits and business attire for individuals going to job interviews. He also has been donating gift cards to the cleaners at community events.

Elicker picked up a load of dry cleaning Tuesday from Amore after the gathering.

Under dozens of family photos and a sign reading ​“Jet Cleaners Celebrating 65 years 1956 — 2021,” Amore passed Elicker two freshly cleaned suits.

Organizers of the ​“Mulberry Jam” parklet, a neighborhood project, created on a neglected state-owned sliver lot at the corner of Bradley and State streets, were also celebrated at Tuesday’s event.

Attendees went on a tour of the space led by local architect Keith Appleby and John Martin, the owner of the Bradley Street Bicycle Co-op and executive director of the Upper State Street Association.

Downtown Alder Eli Sabin currently representing Ward 1 and running for the uncontested ward 7 alder seat which encompasses Upper State Street, also joined the Tuesday gathering. Sabin said he looks forward to helping to fill in empty lots in the ward and continuing the work being done to build a ​“close-knit” neighborhood. ​“It’s [Jet Cleaners] an exciting example of what we’re trying to build in the city,” he said.

Click here to watch the Tuesday celebration.