If you have ever wondered where cowboys go to scrub their duds, a good guess might be at Pioneer Cleaners & Laundry on Florida Avenue in Tampa. Between the stagecoach sign out front and the weathered frontier fort look of the building, this has to be one of the most unusual dry cleaners around. It looks more like an old trading post than a place to have a shirt pressed. About the only thing missing is a hitching post and a couple of horses waiting outside.
Places like this are a reminder that roadside businesses used to have a lot more fun with their buildings. Instead of another plain storefront, Pioneer gave motorists something to remember. Whether you needed your laundry done or not, the stagecoach racing across the sign was enough to earn a second glance. It's the kind of place that makes a routine drive a little more interesting.
The Fonte family has been in the laundry business since 1915, and Pioneer has become one of Tampa's longtime roadside landmarks. While many businesses have modernized over the years, this one has managed to hold onto its western personality. The fort-like facade and stagecoach sign still make it one of the more distinctive sights along Florida Avenue, proving that even a neighborhood dry cleaner can become a roadside attraction.
UPDATE: The western-themed Pioneer Cleaners building was demolished around 2018 and replaced by a self-storage facility. The stagecoach sign is gone. . 07-26
Modern Cleaners Photo courtesy Georg Balandran
Modern Cleaners sports the standard sign of the "modern" era. Great name for a great marquee. The bold lettering and clean mid-century styling are exactly what you might expect from a business with a name like Modern Cleaners. It is the kind of sign that reminds you of a time when "modern" meant progress, and every new business wanted to look like the future.
Dry cleaners don't usually become roadside attractions, but this one certainly managed to stand out. Whether you needed your clothes cleaned or not, the marquee was enough to catch your attention as you drove by. Simple, straightforward, and easy to read, it proved that a well-designed sign didn't need flashing lights or giant fiberglass figures to leave an impression.
Pioneer Cleaners & Laundry (Demolished)
Pioneer Cleaners & Laundry
Modern Cleaners
