But retirement wasn’t really an option for a man with cleaning solutions in his blood. When a business associate asked for Milt’s opinion about buying a cleaning plant in Burbank, he not only suggested buying it, he also became a partner and eventually bought him out in 1988. Milt named the business Milt & Michael’s Drycleaners for his son-in- law and later renamed it Milt & Edie’s for his wife in 2004, starting a long-running explanation Milt loved to say: “By the way, her name is pronounced ‘EEEEEEdie,’ not ‘Eddie!’”Over the years, Milt turned Milt & Edie’s into the most successful stand-alone cleaners in the country. Here are some of the industry-leading and customer-oriented aspects of Milt & Edie’s that Milt claimed were the basis for that success:Open 24/7/365 – “Very few cleaners can make this claim,” Milt always said, noting that it applied to the Tailoring Center, too. “This is the ultimate in convenience for our customers!” 4-Hour Cleaning, 4-Hour Shirt Laundry & Expert Alterations available 24/7/365 – “This is one of the most powerful statements any cleaner can make and, to my knowledge, no one else makes it,” Milt said. Maitre d’ – Customers coming to Milt & Edie’s are typically greeted by a maitre d’ who sends them to an open counter. Milt “stole” this from restaurants because it creates a friendly atmosphere immediately upon entering the business. On-Time Guarantee – Milt conceded he wasn’t the first cleaners to offer this guarantee, but it’s the driving force behind making sure his customers leave happy because late orders are the #1 customer complaint in the industry. Free Refreshments – Fresh popcorn, coffee and other refreshments are available day and night. Milt would explain that this was how we would treat guests in his home, so it was the way to treat people who came to his business, too. Treats are available for customers’ kids and pets, too. Inspirational Marquee Quotes – Milt began doing this at Hollyway Cleaners and not a week goes by that a customer doesn’t come in and say a message on the monument sign brightened their day.