Gene Pennington – 15 in 2015

// Owner, Princess Cleaners // 61 years in Saline County

Once inside family-owned business Princess Cleaners in Benton, it doesn’t take long to believe Gene Pennington’s claim that customers are like family. One after one, he greets them as they haul in their load of clothes to be cleaned. Friendly banter and smiles are shared.

“I enjoy having a business that serves the community’s needs,” he says. “Our customers are good people. I know them by name and they know me. Sometimes newer customers are surprised that when they come back, I remember their name.”

Most of Gene’s customers have been coming to the cleaners for years – some for more than 30. Gene’s mother and stepfather bought the business in the early 1970s, and he fell into the family operation to help his mother after his stepfather lost his cancer battle. Gene can’t imagine working anywhere else. “After my time in the Air Force, I came back to help out and I’ve been helping out ever since,” he says, grinning. “Our customers are like family, and I think they would consider us family, too.”

Not only does Gene serve the community’s wardrobe needs, but he also gives back in any way he can. “A lot of times we can’t do monetary donations, but when groups come in and ask for our assistance, we help in ways we’re able.” Clubs like 4-H and Boy Scouts will come in and ask Gene to purchase what they’re selling for good causes. “We’ll take up their offer and we’ll also offer to sell cookbooks, cookies or whatever they’re selling at our counter and give them the proceeds.”

Princess Cleaners also provides complimentary coat cleaning for coat drives. The business most recently helped Saline County Regional Solid Waste Management District’s YEA (Youth Environmental Ambassadors) Team by cleaning all the coats the youth collected for their America Recycles Day project. In turn, the YEA Team was able to give coats in the community at no charge.

Gene has even been known to give gardening advice as he handles customer business at the front desk. “I think they think I’m some expert, but I just grow what I like to eat – tomatoes, beans, cabbage. I hash out their problems, though, and we usually come up with an answer.”

All of his kind gestures add up to give Gene his big-hearted reputation. “Giving back is just who I am,” he says. “I’ve always been taught to treat others how I would want to be treated, and that’s how I’ve lived my life. If you help, most of the time it will come back to you. As long as we’ve been here, we’ve always managed to make ends meet, even when times have been hard. I think that’s proof that you get what you give.”