By Anthony Vang
Drycleaners: What would one think about if they heard this word? You may think of a laundry shop to wash and dry clothes or even a place that stores those really fancy suits in a plastic wrap.
Actually Drycleaners is a Stockton Local LGBT+ shopping and retail store that sells clothes, vintage items, art, apothecary, and welcomes vendors to sell products. The store also has many other little different items they sell such as customized earrings, knitted stuffed animals, bracelets, candles, jewelry and more.
Most people in Stockton haven’t heard of Drycleaners.
The store is located at 521 East Miner Avenue in Stockton just near the downtown movie theater. They even have their own instagram which is ran by the owners Oliver Opus and Ruschawn Williams. The shops Instagram is called @shopdrycleaners. The business Instagram includes shop updates, events, and posts about customers that purchase the merchandise.
As soon as you walk into the store you will be greeted by Williams with early 2000s music playing which feels very welcoming and homey. Next you will notice a shelf in front of you with all sorts of different plants. As you are through the door and if you happen to look down they have a cute little rug with a design proclaiming the location the “gayest place in town.” The vibe in the store is pretty chill and cozy. Usually not many people are there in the store, at least always one or two people though.
“Being able to run this business with my best friend Oliver, we have known each other for such a long time, so that’s just the best part to me,” said Williams about the shop.
Since Drycleaners is a clothing store as well they have models which you can see clearly on their store’s Instagram. Williams noted the store uses social media to seek out model talent.
“Usually we just put up a post saying we need models and people contact us,” he said.
Jaylen Juntilla, a model for Drycleaners, has been one of the many faces seen on the business page.
Juntilla said he does modeling for Drycleaners to help out the community and mainly volunteering.
“Just giving back to the community and helping out as much as I can, you know,” Juntilla said.
Juntilla noted his favorite photo shoot for Drycleaners, saying it was “this one shoot we did it was me and two others and we spit water out of our mouths, one was standing, the other sitting down, and the last dude on the ground. It was like something you would see at those greek water fountains.”
Drycleaners is still there to this day and still growing. If you’re looking for a new place to shop for vintage items make sure to head to Drycleaners they might just have what you’re looking for.