Signature Cleaners began as an entrepreneurial itch for Ed and Gayle Vance.

It all started when Ed was working for a major investment firm. "Wall Street and my street didn't have the same idea," recalls Ed, who had accumulated a successful track record as an investment broker and sales executive. "I had always wanted to own my own business." His dream was to launch an enterprise that provided a valuable service to the community while generating enough income to support his young family. "I still had kids to put through college," Ed recalls.

After considerable research, Ed and Gayle chose the dry cleaning business. "Ed and I have always recognized the value of good customer service," says Gayle. . "We had a great relationship with the dry cleaner in our neighborhood. He bent over backwards to give us great service. That's exactly the kind of business we wanted."

According to Ed, the dry cleaning business is one of the last remaining "mom & pop" industries. "Dry cleaners are still primarily locally owned by people who are involved in the community,"he says. "That's the kind of business we wanted to be in."

Six months after selecting the dry cleaning business, Ed and Gayle were the proud owners of their very own store in Madison's Rivergate Station business district. The previous owner stayed on to teach Ed the industry basics and encouraged him to supplement his education with workshops and seminars offered by industry associations. "I learned everything I could about the business" says Ed, who eventually achieved top professional designations available in the industry. "in this business, there's a lot to know."

As demand for Signature's high-quality service increased, Ed and Gayle opened two stores in Hendersonville along with locations in Goodlettsville and Gallatin. Today, Ed and Gayle employ nearly 20 people. Signature Cleaners employees receive continuing education in a wide variety of areas, customer service, fibers and fabrics, stain removal, dry cleaning, wet cleaning and finishing, all designed to make sure that every customer gets consistently excellent service. Three employees, Ed Vance, Roxanne Schoenberger and Meredith Patterson hold the Certified Environmental Drycleaner (CED) Certification, a professional designation developed by the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute that identifies them as individuals with a masterful knowledge of the environmental aspects of the fabricare process.

Signature Cleaners is a member of the National Cleaners Association (NCA), the premier national trade association for garment care professionals. Through education, professional development, information, garment analysis, research and textile testing, NCA keeps us informed about the very latest processes, techniques, equipment and methods so we can serve our customers better.