Alain and Margo Baran own and operate A French Cleaners in Morgan Hill. Their daughter, Sandrine, opened a second cleaner in Hollister four months ago.
Morgan Hill - When customers first walk into A French Cleaners in the Vineyard Town Center, they may be struck by the fact that the name of the business is not just a fancy title when they hear Margo or Alain Baran's accent.
The family opened the business in 1999 when they moved to Morgan Hill from Paris. Alain was taught at an early age to be a tailor as his mother was a seamstress, but when he was old enough to go into business for himself, he wanted to take a slightly different angle of the clothing industry. He decided to learn about dry cleaning, and, although he still uses his tailoring skills to do alterations and mending at the business, this is where he has found success.
Voted the city's favorite dry cleaner in 2005, the business also received the Diamond Certified Award from the American Ratings Corporation.
One of the popular aspects of the Barans' business is that they use the Green Earth Cleaning process, a patented way of dry-cleaning. The process uses pure liquid silicone, liquified sand, in a sense. Most dry cleaners use a petroleum-based solvent called perchloroethylene. The solvent is classified as a toxic air contaminant.
The couple said they will clean everything in house except rugs. Most cleaners send suede and leather out to be cleaned.
"It's important to us that we use this because of the environment," Margo said. "The other way, it can be very harmful. And also to people. We don't want our customers wearing clothes with that kind of chemical."
The Barans say the business means a lot to them because of their relationships with their customers.
"I would never move from here, not my home or my business," Alain said. "The people here are so special. It's a very welcoming place."
Customers have taught them many things over the years, Margo said. To be a success in a small business, unwritten rules must be followed.
"Be honest with your customers," she said. "Be honest with people. If you try to cheat them, at the end, you will cheat yourself. When you treat your customers honorably, they will respect you and your business. It's the right thing to do."
Alain said customers frequently come from San Jose to have their clothes cleaned by A French Cleaners.
"They tell me, 'I can take the sweaters, the shirts, to another cleaner, but I bring the difficult things to you' " he said. "We have a reputation for being careful, for taking the best care of the things you bring to us."
Four months ago, the Barans' daughter, Sandrine, opened a second store in Hollister, Alain said. She already has 759 customers. The most recent customer list for the Morgan Hill location has more than 3,700 clients.
Though they studied English in school, when they moved to Morgan Hill, they found their command of the language was poor from lack of use.
"We really didn't remember," Alain said. "It was like we were starting at the beginning again."
The couple, who are in their 40s, say they would not have learned as quickly without the assistance of their customers.
"They are so good. They were patient with us and helped us," Margo added.
Family members in Newport News, Va., have asked the couple to join them there and open a store there, but they won't consider it. They like their city and their customers too much to leave them behind.
The lifestyle in Morgan Hill is perfect for them, the Barans said. Coming from the bustling, cosmopolitan city of Paris, it might seem like a rather large adjustment. The couple said they enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of Morgan Hill and the casual amiability of its people.
A larger city, Alain said, can be unfriendly at times. He remembers when the family was newly moved to Morgan Hill, and he needed to get medicine because his wife was ill. People reached out to him to help, he said, and that willingness to come to the assistance of virtual strangers is something he will never forget.
Margo agreed, saying the couple felt right away as though they were at home in Morgan Hill. There was very little homesickness, she said, because the city embraced the family with open arms.
"By doing the best job we possibly can with their clothes, maybe we are repaying a bit of their kindness," she said. "We know we are lucky to have the customers and friends we have."
A FRENCH CLEANERS
- Address: 415 Vineyard Town Center, Morgan Hill
- Phone: (408) 778-0087
- Uses a Green Earth Cleaning process
- Dry cleaning and shirt laundry
- Leather and fine fabrics
- Linens, drapes and rugs
- Tailoring and alterations
Marilyn Dubil Marilyn Dubil covers education and law enforcement for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106 ext. 202 or send her an email.
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