Panda Cleaners

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. A delivery driver once noticed an oddly familiar scent wafting from Panda Cleaners’ loading dock. Curious, he peeked inside and found a small, dusty panda statue nestled among the laundry baskets. Nobody claimed it, so he took it home as a joke gift for his friend. The next day, another employee spotted a similar statue in their car’s rearview mirror. Soon enough, more statues started appearing—one on a fire hydrant, another floating down the river. Alarmed but amused, the townsfolk began calling them ‘pandabnormalities.’ Eventually, someone recognized the distinctive markings of the local laundromat on one of the statues' bottoms. Turns out, Panda Cleaners had been secretly marking their deliveries with tiny pandas all along.

2. One morning, a delivery driver pulled up to Panda Cleaners and muttered under his breath, ‘I’ve seen that face before.’ He’d swear he recognized the old man who emerged from the storefront, but couldn’t quite place him. The old man nodded politely, then disappeared into his car without another word. The next day, the same driver saw him again—this time pushing a shopping cart filled with laundry. With a grin, he thought, 'At least now I know he's not some secret agent!' And so, Panda Cleaners became known around town as the place where even your dry cleaning could make an unexpected comeback.

3. A delivery driver pulled up to Panda Cleaners one afternoon and nearly spilled his coffee. On the passenger seat lay a strange, folded piece of paper with Chinese characters he recognized but couldn't read. The delivery driver picked it up curiously, thinking maybe someone had dropped it. He showed it to a regular who spoke Mandarin, and they both laughed—turns out it was just an old fortune cookie slip. The driver shook his head, smiling, and thought, ‘Next time I’ll be more careful where I park.’

4. A delivery driver pulled up to Panda Cleaners one evening after dark. As he approached the entrance, he heard a faint giggle coming from inside. Curious, he peered through the window and saw nothing but empty racks and shelves. But then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of something moving—an invisible shadow dancing in the shadows. Suddenly, a familiar voice called out from behind him: ‘Hey, you almost dropped that!’ The delivery driver turned around—and there stood an old lady, holding his fallen pen. ‘Oh,’ she smiled warmly, ‘I’ve been watching you for ages.’ Turning back to the shop, she added softly, ‘They’re just panda spirits, don’t worry.’