40 Shows and 1,500 pieces of clothing a week: Inside Broadway’s famous dry-cleaning business

Charlie Tuzzi and Bruce Barish aren’t your ordinary dry cleaners. They run Ernest Winzer Cleaners, a dry-cleaning service that has been handling Broadway costumes since 1908. Glittering dance ensembles, smart tuxedos, even a 10-foot representation of a brontosaurus: The Long Island-based business has spent the better part of a century helping the show go on, rain or shine. 

“It’s fun to be part of something that is so much bigger than dry cleaning,” Tuzzi said. “When you tell people you clean for the Broadway shows, that’s exciting.”

He and Barish showed Amex what it’s like running their company for our new series “Small Business, Big Day,” which highlights small businesses on their most important day of the year.

Barish, whose grandfather bought the company from founder Ernest Winzer in the early 1950s, took over in 2000. He handles billing and scheduling pick-ups with the theaters, while Tuzzi oversees day-to-day operations with staff. Alongside their team of 48, they work to make sure each and every garment looks perfect and is delivered on time.

The drivers pick up between 1,000 and 1,500 pieces per week from 30 to 40 Broadway shows. Pickups typically take place within a 10-minute window. That workload doubles during the holiday season, said Tuzzi — one show has 1,000 pieces or more every week. 

Factor in a 12-hour turnaround for some pick-ups that have shows on Sunday and Monday, and “you have to be prepared" Barish said.

Before the holiday season kicks off, mechanics inspect the trucks to make sure things are in perfect working order because the vehicles will be on the road so much. And New York City traffic makes choosing the right routes key. 

“Anything can happen between here and there — road closures, accidents. There is really no room for error, so we try to cover all bases,” Tuzzi said.

“I think flexible’s our middle name,” Barish added.

The duo takes inventory weekly to make sure that they have all the supplies they need, whether it’s hangers, soap, or tissue paper. “We never want to run out of anything,” Tuzzi said. “With our Amex business card, we can quickly order whatever we need to keep it all running smoothly.”

“Accepting Amex allows my customers the flexibility to pay however they want, and gives us one less thing to worry about,” Barish added. 

Most dry cleaners would never see the costumes Winzer gets on a routine basis, and they use a variety of methods to deconstruct and clean delicate, one-of-a-kind pieces. Some gowns have to be cleaned by hand, a time-consuming process. They also spend time communicating with wardrobe people at the theatres to confirm who will fix some of the issues they spot, such as an outfit tear. 

Tuzzi said staying on top of every detail can be challenging. Still, the best part of being a small business owner is that you’re in charge of your destiny.

“I always feel the adrenaline pumping,” he said. “The trucks are out, they’re full. Most of the shows are delivered. We just get in and do our job and get out. I think the Winzer brand will never not be here. It’s infused with Broadway, and it will be for another 200 years.”

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