By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

Billy and Donna Rosiere have been in the service field all of their adult life, and operating Marion Dry Cleaning and Laundry is no different.

They work long days and long hours, sometimes even weekends, to provide customers with a multitude of services. They often go out of their way to pick up and deliver items.

When they moved to Florence in 2003 to care for Bill’s ailing mother, they didn’t know what they would do for a living and jumped at the chance to operate their own business.

“We had started a towing company, so why not do this,” Donna said.

After spending a year learning the business from former owner Ron Widler, they were on their own.

Doors open at 8 a.m., but Donna is at work at 6:30 a.m. every day, sometimes working into the evening.

The Rosieres have the only dry cleaning business in the county with clients coming from as far away as Herington and Council Grove, where pickup and delivery is available.

In addition to dry cleaning, they provide pressing services. Donna said men like to have their shirts pressed even if they are made of wrinkle-free material.

“Our cowboy customers at Herington and Council Grove like their shirts starched, as well,” she said. “We do a lot of starching.”

They also do laundry — washing, drying, folding, hanging, and delivering back to homes.

“Some customers are older people with children who live in other states,” Donna said. “They like to know their parents’ laundry is done well.”

Sometimes, people bring clothes to them out of storage or from relatives’ closets, and Donna helps them sort through things to determine the best way to clean them.

The Rosieres arrange for simple alterations through a local seamstress.

Billy oversees the laundromat, which is open 24 hours a day. After four incidents of damage, they thought about closing it at night but decided against it.

“There are too many people it would be a disservice to, to close it at night,” Donna said.

The biggest problem occurs when customers overload a washing machine. It can ruin gears and do damage to a comforter.

“It costs more, but large items need to go into front-loading washers,” she said.

The Rosieres were warned not to expect to get rich when they bought the business, but they are happy to be living in small-town America and serving others through their business.