U Street Dry Cleaner Abruptly Closes, With Clothing Still Inside

Image from Google Street View

A sign posted on the door of the business states: "Store will be close 30 days. Pick-up only. (703) 625-0333." Dialing that number today got you a full voice mailbox for "Uptown Management," meaning you could not leave a message. The same number is listed on a "For Lease" sign posted in the window, with the name "HAWA" printed above the number.

Area resident Futsum Habtemarian was standing outside the dry cleaner today, claim check in hand, unable to reach anyone at the posted number on his cell phone. His seven garments, dropped off a couple of weeks ago, are presumably still inside the shop, but he had no idea how he would be able to claim them now that the store is closed.

"I called the number, and it seems like it is a wrong number," Habtemarian said. He said he first noticed the sign on the door on Sunday, and just wants his clothing back.

Calls to the number listed for Cornerstone Cleaner went unanswered today.

Getachew Jirane, the director of Global Financial Exchange Holdings, a financial remittance service used by Ethiopian-Americans that operates out of the 2nd floor of the same building, said that he has been trying to reach his landlord, David Hawa, this week, but has been unsuccessful, and was told Hawa might be out of the country until mid-April. Jirane also said that Hawa's son often comes by to pick up or drop off paperwork, but that he did not come by as usual this week.

Local blogger Herb of DC is also hoping to get his shirts back from Cornerstone Cleaner. We'll be sure to update if we get any more information.

UPDATE: DCist reader Ben writes in:

"The dry cleaner was actually open Saturday afternoon. Someone called the number ... and arranged for the landlord to come by and I happened to be there. He was there for at least an hour and a half hour giving people their dry cleaning. I know this because I spent that long looking for my clothes. He had no idea how things worked so it was extremely disorganized. I couldn't actually find my clothes on the large rotating wheel because it didn't appear to be in any order. The owner was a very nice guy though and he said he'd come back regularly and open up. I believed him." Ben also said the owner of the building, presumably Mr. Hawa, told him the business was closed due to a failure to pay rent on the part of the tenants.