VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — If you look your best, you will feel your best: that's what one Volusia County laundromat believes. 

What You Need To Know

  • Mitchell Cleaners owner says she's seen a 60-70 percent drop in business in six months

  • Business is offering free cleaning for unemployed people going on an interview

  • Volusia County ranks 13th in the state for unemployment

As their business starts to pick up, they are doing their part to help the unemployed land a new job. 

“I would say around February or march or so, around 6 months I had probably 60 to 70 percent of decrease in business," Mitchell Cleaners owner Jessica McLauchlin said. "A lot of people were working from home, a lot of people got laid off."

Seeing the community suffering, McLaughlin rolled out a new service on Wednesday. 

“If you are unemployed and you need an outfit cleaned for an interview, we will clean it for free,” she said.

Those looking for work can simply drop off their interview outfit and McLauchlin says she’ll get it cleaned, pressed and perfected — to help them look their best. 

“The thing that we pride ourselves on owning a cleaners is we want to make everyone feel fabulous and make them feel fresh and clean, and make them feel good about what they put on and what they wear," said McLauchlin. "So I want the candidate to feel more confident when they put on that nicely pressed outfit when they walk into that interview, and I think it will give them kind of that edge when they walk in there.”

Many in Volusia County could use that “edge”.

According to numbers from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, unemployment in Volusia County is nearly double what it was last year.  Volusia ranked 13th in the state for highest unemployment. 

“I am sure they are worried about how they are going to make ends meet, how they are going to feel their families," McLauchlin said. "How they are going to look should be the last thing on their mind."

Offering this service will cost McLauchlin some money, especially as she tries to make up the nearly $200,000 she says her business lost during this pandemic. But to her, helping her community confidently get back to work is priceless. 

“What better way to give somebody something that gives the best first best impression you possibly can,” said McLauchlin.

Mclauchlin claims no one has taken them up on their offer yet, but she plans to offer it for the foreseeable future.