For almost 40 years, sisters Evelyn and Gloria Sandolph greeted customers at Bosco’s Cleaners, and although the name in the front of the store, now Stein’s Cleaners, has changed, the friendly faces of those two Luling natives remain entrenched as ever.
Earlier this year, the Bosco family sold their business of 65 years to Kevin and Linda Stein, who expanded their own business, Stein’s Cleaners, to Bosco’s location on Paul Maillard Road. It became the fourth location for Stein’s in the River Parishes, which has also set up shop in LaPlace, Lutcher and Reserve.
“We just couldn’t see a dry-cleaning business who has been in business for three generations simply shut down,” Linda Stein said. “It felt like it would be detrimental to the community to have it just close. I told my husband, we have to do this.”
Once the deal was made, Stein said she could think of no better way to maintain the feel of what had become a beloved community landmark than to keep the Sandolphs exactly where they were.
“The thing of it is, they’ve been working there virtually forever,” Stein said. “Before it was Joey (Bosco), and then Joey’s daddy and then Joey’s grandfather. They’ve been there for many, many years. They’re sisters. Joey spoke very highly of Gloria and Evelyn. They worked the front counter, cleaned, pressed … they did it all.
“People would come in and ask, ‘you’re keeping these two ladies, right?’ Absolutely. Everyone knows these two.”
Evelyn said learning of the sale was “shocking” at first.“We always thought we’d be working for the Boscos and retiring with the Boscos,” she said. “It kind of came out of nowhere. But Miss Linda and Mr. Kevin are really nice people and things have worked out.”
Added Gloria, “We’re starting a new family. The business has different owners, but we’re hoping to have the same customers who can come in and help us out.”
The two each noted they’ve received plenty of positive comments from longtime customers happy to keep a tradition alive.
“A lot of people wanted to see the old faces still here, so we want to let them know we’re still here,” Gloria said. “And we’re very glad to be here.”
Gloria was the first to join Bosco’s 42 years ago. A little more than three years later, an opening popped up, and Gloria knew just the person to fill it.
So, is it fun to work side by side with one’s sister?
“Sometimes,” Evelyn said, triggering a shared laugh between them. “Really, sometimes it’s really good. It’s nice. You get to see each other every day and spend that quality time.”
Gloria concurred.
“We’ve always been close,” she said. “We’re a close family as a whole. I hope we’ll keep working together for many more years.”
They’ve already earned a fan in Stein.
“They’re loyal, dependable and hard working,” Stein said. “They’re great people and they’ll do anything to help you.”She said that while Bosco’s was set to close its doors earlier in May, the opportunity for the Steins to purchase the business came late in that process. As a result, she believes, a number of people may not realize the store has been running its business uninterrupted since the transition.
“They were set to close on May 1, and we made the deal April 28,” she said. “I think people think (the business) closed, but it really never did. It was just (Joey Bosco) one day and then us on the next.”
Stein’s had a location established on the East Bank of St. Charles Parish a little over a decade ago, and Stein said she and her husband are elated to be back, this time on the West Bank.
She said “we’ll clean anything,” including rugs, formal clothing, drapes, wedding gowns, comforters, blankets and we’ll even clean tennis shoes, if you bring them.”
The Steins want to maintain the consistency and loyal customer base established by Bosco’s, though there are a few notable differences, among them that for the first time, the location accepts credit card payments.
Stein’s Cleaners is open six days a week, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Be the first to comment