The History of Jackson Services, Inc.
From our early years as a rug cleaning and shampooing business to serving more than 3,000 clients across Eastern Nebraska, Jackson Services has seen a lot in our nearly 100 years of business!
1924
Jackson Pantorium was founded by Minnie Jackson out of her home, where she performed a myriad of services, such as rug cleaning and shampooing, interior car cleaning, alterations, cleaning, pressing, repairing (of personal family laundry), hatting and fabric dyeing.1926
Business soon outgrew Minnie’s home and the Jackson Pantorium building was built.1930
Jackson Pantorium becomes Jackson Dry Cleaners and Launderers.1931
Lee Jackson (only 2nd Generation) joined full-time and started Lee’s Linen Supply in association with the Laundry.1957
Lee and Lowene became sole owners after Minnie’s passing. Terry Jackson (1st of the 3rd generation) started full time.1962
First major expansion, modernized washroom.1971
Terry became sole owner, discontinued retail dry cleaning and family laundry, becoming entirely a commercial laundry.1975
Jay Jackson (3rd generation) joined full time coming back from UNL.
Jackson joined Robert Swift Strategic Management Group
Terry Passed away, Jay and wife Kathy become sole
owners1983
Major expansion to uniform department.1989
Joined CSC Network (a powerful buying group and association for Independent Launderers around the country.)1990
Jackson Services expanded into a new building.1996
A state of the art CBW Tunnel Washer system is installed, increasing efficiency and wash quality.2000
Jesse Jackson, Nikki Jackson, Jason Jackson, and Justin Jackson (all 4th Generation) have all taken serious roles in the success of Jackson Services (pictured are Kathy, Jay, Justin, Jesse, Jason, and Nikki.)2003
RFID technology is implemented, making Jackson Services one of the very first plants to incorporate such technology.2015
In December 2015, we underwent a major washroom renovation, adding two state of the art Milnor conventional washers (a 450 lb. and a 275 lb. washer extractor).2015 Hall of Fame
In 2015, our founder, Minnie Jackson, was inducted into the 2015 Columbus Area Business Hall of Fame.
Our History
Our story began back in 1924 when our founder, Minnie Jackson, started doing other families’ laundry out of her home. Her business grew quickly by word of mouth and by 1926 she had outgrown her home and needed to build a separate building to contain her new business, which she named Jackson Pantorium. Over the years the business diversified to include rug shampooing, hat blocking, car interior cleaning, and various other services.
Minnie became an expert in the relatively new industry of dry cleaning and added that service to the business. That portion grew sufficiently that in 1930 Minnie changed the name to Jackson Dry Cleaners & Launderers. A year later Minnie’s son, Lee Jackson, joined the business full-time and opened his own side business – “Lee’s Linen Supply” – renting and delivering linen. That was the true beginning of Jackson Services as a textile rental company. In 1937, Lee’s future wife, Lowene, came to work at the company as a bookkeeper. She and Lee went on a date the night of her first day of work, and soon they were married and working on the next generation of Jacksons.
Lee & Lowene’s oldest son, Terry, joined the business and under his leadership the company moved away from retail dry cleaning and further into the burgeoning business of uniform and mat rental. In 1975, Terry invited his younger brother, Jay, to come back home and help him run the business. Jay jumped at the chance to come back and work with his brother in the family business he had grown up in. Sadly, Terry passed away only months later and Jay took over at the ripe old age of 22.
Under Jay’s (and his wife Kathy’s) leadership, the company’s name was changed to Jackson Services, Inc., all dry cleaning was ceased, and services were expanded to include Logomats and various other commercial and industrial rental products. The company grew and expanded at it’s original location until a devastating fire occurred in July of 1988. Following the fire, they decided to rebuild a new, modern 42,000 square-foot facility at the current location which was opened in December of 1990.
Starting in 2000 with Jesse Jackson, the 4th Generation of Jackson family (including Nikki – 2004, Jason-2007, & Justin – 2014) began taking the reins of the business and eventually all four of Jay & Kathy’s children came back to lead the business. In 2004, Jackson Services was one of the first in the industry to add RFID technology to their garments and utilize it to offer 100% guaranteed garment delivery utilizing their MinnieTrackSM system. Under the current leadership, Jackson Services has distilled down the keys to a good garment & facilities services program to their 4 C’s Philosophy. They have fostered tremendous growth (including a distribution facility in Omaha, NE) and are poised to continue growing as Nebraska’s premier uniform provider! Jackson Services is proud to be a 100+ year-old, Nebraska-based & family-owned business and looks forward to their next 100 years!
