By Greg Bates
Correspondent
GREEN BAY – Like clockwork each weekday, Tidy Cleaners and Laundry Owner Jim Mohr arrives to work by 6 a.m..
The hardworking standards were passed down to him from his father, Ray, co-founder of the company located on South Broadway.
This year, Tidy Cleaners hits its 75th anniversary as a staple in the Green Bay community.
A number Jim and his older brother, Dennis Mohr, said they are happy to have achieved.
“I’m pretty proud of it,” 64-year-old Jim said. “I’ve been here for two-thirds of it.”
Dennis said he knew their dad would be pleased as well.
“I think he’d be very proud that it’s still going,” he said. “I’m 67, so from 12 to 67, I’ve been here a long time.”
The Mohr sons said they take pride in treating their customers well.
A standard that has seemed to bode well for the company, as 80-90% of those who frequent Tidy are repeat customers, who have been regulars for decades, earning Tidy a solid reputation.
Tidy’s history
After serving in the Merchant Marines, Ray and high school friend, Bill Neverman, started Tidy Didy Diaper Service in 1946.
The original building was off Third Street, kitty-corner to Tidy’s current location.
Jim said the first 25 years of the company was all about cleaning diapers, but said when families started to buy washing machines and dryers in the 1970s, a diaper service was no longer needed.
Ray knew a change was needed, and Tidy Cleaning and Laundry was born.
“He went from cleaning diapers to doing laundry and then dry cleaning,” Jim said. “You have to adapt to the times.”
In 1963, Tidy constructed its current building.
Ray and his wife, Pat, who also worked at the company for decades, bought out Neverman in the 1980s.
While working for their dad growing up, the Mohr sons, who both graduated from Premontre High School, acquired company stock along the way.
When Ray retired in 1993 after 47 years it was time to retire, so his sons bought him out.
“That was his pride and joy,” Jim said. “Even when he retired, on Saturdays, I usually worked. He’d come down and give me a hand, and I’d take him out for lunch.”
Ray passed away in 2008.
The brothers were partners until 2004.
“The company wasn’t big enough or busy enough to have two owners,” Jim said. “I said, ‘We’ve got to do something one way or another.’ I said, ‘You buy me out or I’ll buy you out.’ So, we worked out a deal.”
Jim has run operations since.
Family atmosphere
Dennis has stayed on as a delivery driver – picking up and returning items the company has washed or dry cleaned.
He said he enjoys the relationships he’s built over the years with long-time clients.
“It’s small, and I think you get to know the customers,” Dennis said. “Half the reason I’m still helping my brother out is almost all of my customers on the truck, I know them. I like them… In small business, everybody keeps it going here, and you try to get to know people by their names and actually care besides the customer part.”
Dennis said it’s extremely important to him and his brother to keep the family business alive.
“I’m glad my brother is keeping it going, and we kept it going for my dad,” he said.
Jim said it’s in his blood.
“I can only speak for myself, but I believe when you own your own business, you’re a different breed,” he said. “You think about it 24-hours-a-day, every day. Middle of the night, did I do this? Should I do that? I think anyone that owns their own business, I believe, would agree with me.”
Over the years, the Mohrs have built a family with their Tidy staffers.
“I always say, ‘We’re a family, but we’re just dysfunctional,’” Jim said jokingly. “Sometimes, they just don’t get along. We all know what has to be done. We all have our main jobs, and we’ve all got to help in.”
Getting back to normal
Jim said dry cleaning isn’t like it used to be.
“People go to work, and they dress down,” he said. “The days of guys wearing suits and ties, maybe if they’ve got an important meeting or a wedding or unfortunately, a funeral, are over.”
The Mohrs said the pandemic has been a difficult time for business at Tidy.
“COVID was tough, real tough,” Jim said.
But, he said things are starting to get back to normal, and clients are returning to their routines.
Tidy Cleaners and Laundry is open Monday-Thursday, 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
On Fridays, it closes at 3:30 p.m.
Customers will find Jim there all day, every day.
He said he even comes in on some Saturdays to get repair work done.
“Truthfully, I could work every day,” Jim said. “There’s always something that could be done.”
After 75 years in business, Jim said he knows what needs to be done and when.
And even though he’s worked at Tidy Cleaners for a half a century, he said he isn’t thinking about retirement anytime soon.
“I’m in no rush as of right now, unless my health goes wrong,” Jim said. “I don’t hate my job at all. I talk to so many people I know, they count down the days until retirement and they literally hate their jobs. Maybe they’re under a lot of stress. I can’t speak for them. I don’t hate my job at all.”