Fabricare Cleaners Meet the Owners

MEET THE OWNERS

Michael Astorino and Tim Driver have been friends since kindergarten at the Essex Fells elementary school. They were destined to be business partners since the launch of their successful lawn care business which they started while in high school. Tim then went to Colgate University where he played football and Michael went to West Chester University where he played tennis. Tim went on to get an MBA then work at American Airlines in Dallas while Michael went into the advertising business in NYC at Saatchi & Saatchi.

Michael left advertising to take over Fabricare in Darien from his father-in-law, Gene Hollinger, in 1991. Needing help for the growing business, Michael reached out to his long time friend Tim who agreed to join as a partner in 2002.

Both partners agreed the typical dry cleaning model did not work. Small stores in high-rent shopping strips did not make sense for cleaning and pressing clothes. As with most cleaners, the Darien location was hot, noisy and dusty in addition to lacking the space needed to do quality work.

Phase II for Fabricare was to separate the plant from the retail part of the business and run them independently. Mike and Tim found the perfect location on Holmes Street in Norwalk.

Conveniently located between I-95 and the Merritt Parkway in the heart of Fairfield County, Fabricare runs its cleaning operation and delivery service from their state-of-the art 20,000 square foot facility.

A new plant with greater efficiencies and capacity has lead to steady growth primarily in the delivery business. Fabricare now delivers throughout Fairfield County. The partners plan additional services in the future which will compliment and add more conveniences to their existing customer base.