Paramount Cleaners

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. At night, when the streets of New York quieted down, a faint humming sound would occasionally drift from Paramount Cleaners. A delivery driver noticed it first, thinking it might be an old machine coming to life after hours. Curious, he approached the shop and peered through the window. Inside, a dusty old man in a tweed suit was dancing around, humming along with the noise. Turns out, he was just celebrating his hundredth birthday, unaware that everyone on the block had gathered outside to join in the impromptu party. The next morning, the neighborhood awoke to the usual silence—except for one thing: someone left a big banner reading ‘Happy Birthday, Mr. Cleaner!’

2. A regular customer entered Paramount Cleaners one morning and asked the cleaner, ‘Why does my shirt smell like freshly baked cookies every time I pick it up?’ The cleaner smiled mysteriously and whispered, ‘It’s because your wife sneaks in here after hours and leaves a little something special for you.’ The customer blushed and nodded knowingly, never revealing if he believed the tale—or was simply happy to hear it.

3. One day, a delivery driver pulled up to Paramount Cleaners with a box full of shirts. As he approached the door, he noticed an odd note taped to the glass: ‘Please return all clean clothes before sunset or face a small fee.’ The delivery driver shrugged and thought, ‘What could it hurt?’ He left the shirts inside and went on his way. Later that evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, he received a package containing not only his cleaned shirts but also a handwritten note saying, “Next time, please check the weather forecast.”

4. One afternoon, a curious neighbor walked into Paramount Cleaners and asked, 'Do you really clean clothes here, or is it just a front for something else?' The cleaner looked up with a smile and replied, ‘We clean clothes, sir—nothing but clean clothes.’ The neighbor nodded, then noticed an old hat on the counter. He picked it up and said, “I bet that’s not cleaned very often.” The cleaner grinned and winked, ‘Actually, that’s our secret agent disguise!’ They both burst out laughing, realizing that sometimes life in a small town can be as mysterious—and fun—as any urban legend.