22 | APRIL 1 • 2021
M
any small businesses have been
crushed by the pandemic.
According to the marketing
firm Womply, more than a third of small
businesses in Michigan have closed since
January 2020, and many are still strug-
gling. Those that are open are so grateful
that they’re making it their mission to
give back to the community, especially
now. Here are a few.
DOUGLAS CLEANERS
Douglas Cleaners first opened its doors
in 1949; Amy and Andre Douville bought
the high-end Birmingham dry cleaners
on June 1, 2019. “Right in time for the
pandemic,” Amy joked.
They had to quickly rethink how to
stay afloat at a time when no one needed
dry cleaning because they weren’t leaving
their homes.
The Douvilles went contactless with
free porch pickup and delivery, curbside
service, and wash and fold laundry ser-
vices.
Andre was extremely touched when
a customer shared that the only reason
he got dressed in the morning, despite
working from home, was to support his
drycleaners.
Amy said, “We’re a close-knit commu-
nity; we all need to rely on each other.
We have longtime customers who contin-
ue to support us in these hard times, and
that has inspired us to give right back to
the community.”
Together with Gleaners, they had a
monthlong food drive and donations
poured in.
The Douvilles also have a generous
offer for anyone seeking new employ-
ment. “We’ll clean your interview outfit
for free. You don’t have to be a regular
customer,” Andre said. “We just want to
help people get back on their feet.”
Also in the works for later this year is a
suitcase drive for kids in foster homes so
they won’t have to transfer their belong-
ings in garbage bags.
Douglas Cleaners: (248) 642-6230.
ELWIN & CO.
Elwin & Co., the Berkley-based kitchen
and distributor of foods for 30 years,
has also been impacted by the pandem-
ic. According to chef/proprietor Elwin
Greenwald, costs have gone up, but cus-
tomers balk at raised prices.
“Three of my customers closed their
coffee houses permanently. Distributors
are taking less. With schools and casinos
closed, everything trickles down, which
affects sales. There’s also less foot traffic,”
Greenwald said. “But we’re open, thank
God. We’re doing OK, and I’m so grate-
ful.”
In an effort to help others, Greenwald
packages leftover or imperfectly shaped
food items and donates them to church-
es, homeless shelters and schools. He also
provides meals for the Berkley Police
Department when shifts falls on holidays
— “Even fake holidays, like the Super
Bowl!”
Greenwald is also planning to cook
and donate lasagnas to families who need
the help because they’re ill with COVID
or are overwhelmed with kids learning
virtually from home.
On why he does this, Greenwald said,
“This is the Jewish way; this is how I
was raised. My mother and aunt used to
always hand-deliver donations to local
shuls. Whenever Mother’s Day rolled
around and we’d ask what she wanted,
my mother always said, ‘Make a dona-
tion. Give back.’ So, I do.”
OUR COMMUNITY
Their hearts and their doors remain open.
ROCHEL BURSTYN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Small Businesses
Give Back
Suit Depot owner Marty Babayov
(far right) and staff prepare to ship
their donation of socks to Heart to
Hart Detroit
Amy and Andre
Douville, owners of
Douglas Cleaners