Camelot Cleaners buys Brenan's outlets in Fargo, West Fargo

FARGO - Camelot Cleaners has bought Brenan’s Drycleaning & Laundry, making Camelot now the only drycleaning firm in the Fargo-Moorhead area.

The sale was finalized Tuesday, Aug. 31, Camelot’s owner Rial Stedman and Brenan’s former owner Bill Brenan confirmed.

“We bought Brenan’s,” Stedman said Wednesday, Sept. 1. “We had the opportunity to take on their business. We were looking to expand and they were looking to get out.”

The sale gives Camelot four locations: three locations in Fargo, including the main cleaning facility near the North Dakota State University campus, and one in West Fargo.

The Moorhead Camelot outlet closed in 2020, but Stedman said pickup and delivery is offered for throughout the Fargo-Moorhead area.

“We’re trying to get all the signs redone and everything,” Stedman said.

The Camelot production facility in north Fargo will be processing all of the clothing.

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Brenan said Wednesday that he wanted to rest before taking on any other ventures.
“Well I’m 72 years old. Is that enough?” Brenan said with a chuckle. “Let the young people do their thing.”

Brenan said all of his former employees have jobs with Camelot.

“So the only employee that was laid off was me, which is good,” Brenan said.

Brenan said he’s enjoyed the work he’s done in life, including owning businesses.

“The real fun is working with people. It’s fun to watch them grow,” Brenan said. “You learn from them based on their energy, and they learn from you based on your experience.”

Brenan said he is not ruling out jumping into the working world again.

“You never say never. Because you have to keep growing and you have to keep learning,” Brenan said. “I think that’s how you stay young. The guy who sits at home doesn’t last long. I think you have to stay active.”

The drycleaning business has undergone a shakeout over the last couple decades as attitudes toward the need for formality in office settings has gradually relaxed, and dress for business and other facets of American life has become increasingly casual.

The pandemic, with its huge swing to work at home, added momentum to store closings throughout the country as slacks were switched for sweat pants and shirt and tie for T-shirts or polos. Group functions, such as Christmas parties, were canceled. And weddings, funerals and other gatherings were trimmed to small groups.

But Stedman said things are looking up locally.

“I think even with our taking on (the Brenan’s) volume this week, we’ve definitely seen a spike with people bringing things on in, which is definitely a good thing. Things are heading in the right direction,” Stedman said. “People are feeling more confident with COVID and getting out and doing more things and wearing the types of items that would need to be cleaned or laundered by us.”

Stedman said his company won’t take advantage of being the only dry cleaners in the F-M area.

“We just want to keep putting out a quality product and the service that people need and do it as efficiently as possible,” Stedman said.