Paragon Cleaners

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. It was just another Monday morning in downtown Chicago when a delivery driver pulled up to Paragon Cleaners with a large box of uniforms. As he approached the counter, the old lady behind it looked him straight in the eye and asked, ‘Did you know that if you leave your clothes here on a Tuesday, they’ll be ready exactly one week later?’ The delivery driver blinked, then laughed. 'Really?' he said skeptically. The old lady smiled mysteriously and replied, 'Try it sometime!' And so he did—on his next Tuesday delivery—and sure enough, his shirts were pristine seven days later. Word spread around town, and soon everyone from the neighborhood was dropping off their laundry there on Tuesdays.

2. At midnight, a voice crackled over Paragon Cleaners’ intercom: ‘Your tuxedo is ready—just like you left it.' A delivery driver arrived the next day, puzzled but smiling. ‘Hey,’ he said, ‘I saw your shirt was still here last night.’ The owner shook his head and laughed: ‘Welcome to Paragon Cleaners—the only place where your clothes wait for you longer than you do!’

3. At closing time, a small dog darted into Paragon Cleaners, sniffing curiously around the empty counters. The night cleaner, startled but amused, followed it through the back room and found the little pooch standing before an old wooden cabinet. With a puzzled look, the dog kept nudging something hidden inside. The cleaner reached in and pulled out a crumpled envelope filled with old receipts. ‘Aha!’ he exclaimed, realizing what had happened. Turns out, someone’s lost laundry tag had been stuck there for years.’ The dog wagged its tail happily, as if proud of its discovery, while the cleaner chuckled and shook his head. 'Another day, another mystery solved at Paragon Cleaners.'

4. At dawn, before anyone else stirred, a faint humming sound echoed through Paragon Cleaners' empty halls. A curious neighbor passing by stopped to investigate. Curious, the neighbor peered inside and saw an old janitor, dusting shelves with meticulous care. ‘What’re you doing here so early?’ asked the neighbor. The janitor smiled, not missing a spot: ‘Just making sure everything’s in perfect order for our regulars.’ Turned out, Paragon Cleaners never closed—just took a nap after hours.