About Us

Yale Cleaners keeping Tulsa a cleaner place for 50 Years

Yale Cleaners' story began like many others; our founder Jim Hodges believed he could do dry cleaning better.  So, in 1944 he opened our first location at 1110 S. Yale, thus the name Yale Cleaners.  Mr. Hodges soon established Yale as the quality leader in the Tulsa area.  He expanded the company to 4 locations serviced by 1 production facility. 

Then, in 1959, two brother-in-laws purchased Yale Cleaners; James Stevenson and Barney Bebout.  During the next 20 years, Yale grew to 22 drop stores, sold draperies and started a uniform rental company.  However, when Barney retired in 1979, Yale was looking for new ideas and innovations; so Jim's brother Jerry Stevenson and son-in-law Bill Rothrock were invited to join the family business.

This new leadership team combined the best ideas in the dry cleaning industry and with hard work, created a company driven to serve the customer.  Yale's corporate goal became to create and develop neighborhood dry cleaning plants to better serve our customers.  Soon, Yale began offering same day service, express bags, car-hop service, button insurance and much more.  This new strategy paid off and established Yale Cleaners as Tulsa's premier dry cleaner. 

However, our story didn't just happen overnight.  Below are some of the milestones that changed the course of Yale's history. 

The Yale Cleaners Story

Jump to:  2009-2000 |  1999-1990  |  1989-1980  |  1979-1970  |  1969-1960  |  1959-1950  |  1949-1940

2012	Yale Cleaners Joined the Pink Band wagon. We also introduced mPOS, Paperless Coupons and our very own iPhone app.

2011	New Midtown Location 41st and Harvard, New Hanger design, Joined Facebook, and Coats for Kids turned 25.

2008	Sold Yale Uniform, Patented FaStarch (cooked Starch) Sapulpa location name changed to Yale Cleaners.

2007	Introduced new Bar-Code computer system. Giles Coats for Kids collected a record setting 21,500 coats for our neighbors in need.

2005	New Sign introduced at our new location in Broken Arrow. Began Yale's landscape beautification campaign.

2003	Re-engineered all of the production equipment increasing speed and improving quality.

1999	Built new corporate office. New location with new look inside the building.

1996	Coats for Kids 10 year anniversary 87,300 coats cleaned and donated year to date.

1993	Yale Cleaners expanded to Owasso. First coupon with a bar-code.

1992	Yale's new building design and look was developed. New locations in South Tulsa and Broken Arrow.

1989	Store computers were installed. New coupon format introduced with the "Tiger Campaign".

1988	All locations produced laundered shirts. Button Insurance was introduced. Giles Coats for Kids collects 7,500 coats.

1986	Started Coats for Kids Campaign and partnered with Channel 6 to market the program.

1985	Opened first Broken Arrow location and introduced the first Car-Hop.

1984	Yale Cleaners introduced Oklahoma's first dry cleaning coupon.

1980	Same Day Service offered for the first time. Installed our first neighborhood dry cleaning plant

1979	Jerry Stevenson and Bill Rothrock join the team. New signage to complement our new marketing campaign "the guys in the white hat".

1973	Started Yale Uniform.

1967	Built 12,000 sq ft central plant on 15th St to service 22 drop stores.

1962	Purchased Endicott Cleaners

1959	James Stevenson and Barney Bebout (brothers-in-law) purchase Yale Cleaners.

1955	4 drop stores opened.

1946	2 Drop Stores Opened.

1944	Yale Cleaners store number 1 opened.