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Model
Cleaners
Making an
Environmentally
Friendly Entry to the
Cranberry Market
M
odel Cleaners isn’t your typical
family business, but it is the result of
the American Dream.
The LaCarte family started from very
humble beginnings on a cattle farm in Indiana,
Pennsylvania, where Jack LaCarte worked
very hard seven days a week to support his
family. His vision was to create a business
where his family could work together.
Moreover, Jack always taught his five sons that
if we stick together we could not be beaten
and could achieve greater success than if we
worked independently. There was no better
place to learn these values than working on a
family farm. However, the difficult economic
environment of the late 1970’s resulted in the
failure of his agricultural dream. Jack had no
choice but to move his wife and five kids to
Charleroi, PA in 1980 to find work.
In 1986, with the same goal of keeping his
family together, Jack LaCarte took a chance
on a small dry cleaning shop in Charleroi,
Pa. Twenty-eight years ago, Model Cleaners
operated out of one small store in Charleroi.
Today, Model Cleaners is the leading provider
of dry-cleaning services in the region that has
15 dry-cleaning locations in Pittsburgh and
offers a convenient pickup and delivery service
to over 70 communities in the region. “ My
father risked a lot in those early years. In his
vision in trying to keep his family together, he
worked eighty hour weeks while raising five
young kids with my mother. He is my hero and
has taught me so much about perseverance and
never giving up when times are tough,” said
48 724.942.0940 to advertise | Mars Area
Dan LaCarte, President of Model Cleaners.
The family quickly became a household
name in Pittsburgh in the early 2000’s, and
Dan, the youngest son, was making a name
on the college football field at the University
of Pittsburgh. Dan was a stalwart 290 lb
offensive lineman that started over 32 games
for the Panthers from 2001-2003. “ I went to
college for a degree first with the intention
to enhance my future life skills and having a
football scholarship was a vehicle for me to
obtain my degree. Being a part of the athletic
program at Pitt taught me lifelong lessons such
as discipline, leadership and teamwork skills,”
Dan said.
“As my brothers and I returned from
college, we all brought different skills to the
business and it started taking off from there.”
Model believes in diversification, as they have
three different divisions along with the drycleaning division; Model offers Uniform rental
and Apparel services to companies.
In December 2013, Model Cleaners
entered the Cranberry market by taking over
two former Williamsburg Cleaners locations
that were located on Haines School Road in
Cranberry and in the Adams Ridge Shoppes
in Seven Fields. Model is currently planning
on building a state-of-the-art dry-cleaning
facility in the Freedom Square shopping plaza
in Cranberry located along Freedom Road
in June. The new location will feature Green
Earth environmentally cleaning that gets the
garments cleaners, softer and brighter, all while
being 100 percent safe to use. The two new
locations give Model Cleaners its 14th and
15th dry-cleaning locations in Pittsburgh. In
addition, Model Cleaners also delivers and
picks up dry cleaning to over 70 Pittsburgh
communities. “The pickup and delivery
service is our most convenient service for busy
working professionals and parents. This
service is the same price as our stores and will
save customers 45 minutes a week in their
busy schedule.”
Among the services Model Cleaners
offers are executive shirt cleaning, alterations,
wedding gown cleaning and preservation and
drapery cleaning services among others. Model
also has many customer savings programs such
as birthday and customer rewards coupons.
Model Cleaners believes in supporting
the community that supports them. Model’s
company mission statement is to “Care for our
Customer, Community and Each other Like
Family.” Model has donated over 50,000 coats
over the years to the Salvation Army during
their annual “Share the Warmth” coat drive
campaign.
For more information on Model Cleaners,
including finding the location nearest you
or for signing up for Model Cleaners Award
Winning Free Home/Office Pick up and
delivery service for your dry cleaning needs,
go to www.modelcleaners.com or call
1.888.99 MODEL
Model Cleaners two newest drive-thru
locations are located at 900 Adams Ridge
Mars, Pa and at 1646 H Z[