Shortly after his military service, my father (Bill Baltzer,) began his working career in retail clothing sales for an upscale men’s store in Montgomery, Alabama. His picture (left) was taken at Maxwell Air Force Base in 1944. 

On July 1, 1958, after nearly 13 years in retail clothing, he and a partner opened their first drycleaning business (a One Hour Martinizing franchise) in Lawrenceburg, TN. They opened four more Martinizing locations over the following eight years. 

In 1959, we moved to Columbia when he opened the second location. Beginning in 1962, I went in at 6am most mornings, before class, to help with the drycleaning while he served our loyal customers. I spent evenings helping customers and preparing for the next day. After serving three years in U. S. Army Intelligence, I continued to help in the business while attending Columbia State Community College. I was out of the business for 15 years while finishing my formal education at Middle Tennessee State University and a career as Controller and Human Resources Manager with Maremont Corporation, a large automotive parts manufacturer that has merged with Arvin-Meritor Corporation. 

In 1985, when his health began declining, I re-joined the business. We changed the business name to Fashion Fresh and within a year were licensed as a Sanitone Certified Master Drycleaner.  In 1989-90, I was honored to serve as President of the Tennessee Fabricare Association.  In 1994 I purchased the drycleaning business and later that year, I earned the designation of Certified Environmental Drycleaner in the initial round of testing offered by the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute, of which I am a Professional Member.

Dad was always optimistic and energetic.  Even after several surgeries in the mid ‘80s and early ‘90s, he still enjoyed coming in every day to learn something new and to interact with the staff and customers. He had been a combat aircraft-engine mechanic in the Army-Air Corp during World War II, and he loved diagnosing equipment problems. He never turned down a request by a fellow drycleaner needing help with mechanical problems. He passed on in April 1995, and we continue to miss him and remember what he has meant to this business and to the dry cleaning industry. We strive daily to meet the standards that he set. His picture (right) was taken in 1994 at our company Christmas party.

In 1995 we added five locations in Huntsville, Alabama for a total of nine. Later, in an effort to concentrate on quality, we sold all but the two Columbia locations.  We have a staff of eight highly skilled employees who take pride in providing excellent drycleaning, laundry, alterations and customer service, under license as the only Sanitone Certified Master Drycleaner in Columbia.

Thank you for visiting our website, and we look forward to professionally caring for your valuable wardrobe and household items. Please feel free to contact me at any time with concerns, questions or comments.

Ken Baltzer

President, Dura Fresh, Inc

931 388 3876

email: ken@fashionfresh.us