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

