Province's last leather dry cleaner can't be 'suede' to stay open

B.C.'s only leather and suede dry cleaner is going to closeits doors for good in the new year.

Ace of Suedeshas been in business on Venables Street and Commercial Drive since the '70s, when there was high demand to have those materialscleaned.

"Leather cleaning is a separate process," said Frank Wagner, president of B.C. Fabricare.

"[It has to be] treated much different than fabrics. There was a need to differentiate from a regular dry cleaner."

Dropin demand

Wagner said the need to have leather, suede or fur professionally cleaned has plummeted dramatically over the years.

"It is kind of a fact that leather is a non-sustainable cleaning business at this time," he said.

Wagner said costs for running the Vancouver dry cleaning business rosewhileother countries startingselling the materials for cheap meaning more people bought new clothes instead of maintainingtheir old ones.

"Leather gets imported from other countries in the world [where]labour costs are much less, materials cost less it's all lower quality," said Wagner.

"So, we are basically left having to charge the customer as much as it costs for a new jacket. An average leather jacket costs about $100for dry cleaning."

Wagner says British Columbians who want to get their leather or suededrycleaned willhave to ship the itemsto businessesin Calgary or Toronto once the Vancouver business closes down.

Property sold to developer

Wagner said Ace of Suedes' owners, brothersEd and Michael Rigby, havesold their property to a developer.

"I would think [the developer]would demolish the place and then put residential buildings up," said Wagner.

The business'websitesaidthe last day of businesswas Dec. 23,but Wagner saidit's still open since the developer has delayed plans to demolish the building.

The dry cleaner is now running on month-to-month lease, but is expected to close its doors for good some time in 2017.