Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners vs Dry Cleaning Station
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners vs Dry Cleaning Station: Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners costs $65K to $500K to open; Dry Cleaning Station costs $100K to $379K. Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners has 44 units, Dry Cleaning Station has 11. SBA loan history: Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners = 60 loans (10.0% default); Dry Cleaning Station = 19 loans (36.8% default). The franchise with more SBA funded units, a lower SBA default rate, and a lower royalty load is the safer financing bet; see the comparison below.
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners vs Dry Cleaning Station: Capital, Scale & Lending Analysis
Analysis based on FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan level data. Each pairing reflects a unique combination of capital intensity, system scale, and financing path.
Capital Intensity
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($65K vs $100K for Dry Cleaning Station), a 35% spread.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners operates 44 units to Dry Cleaning Station's 11, roughly 4× the system size.
SBA Lending Profile
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 60 7(a) approvals compared with 19 for Dry Cleaning Station. Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners's peak SBA year was 1994 (11 loans); Dry Cleaning Station's peak was 2005 (9 loans). Dry Cleaning Station's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners has the most SBA funded units in TX, with 42. Dry Cleaning Station leads in CA, with 3. Borrowers should pick the brand whose strongest SBA state matches their own state for warmer lender introductions. Average SBA loan size on funded Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners deals is $255K vs $192K for Dry Cleaning Station, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 10.0% for Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners and 36.8% for Dry Cleaning Station, Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners has the cleaner SBA loss record by 26.8 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 29 (Fair) for Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners and 21 (Fair) for Dry Cleaning Station, giving Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 29/100 | 21/100 |
Health Tier | Limited | Limited |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 60 | 19 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 10.0% | 36.8% |
Peer Tier | established | growing |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $65K to $500K | $100K to $379K |
Franchise Fee | $53K | N/A |
Royalty Rate | N/A | 6% |
Ad Fund | N/A | N/A |
Liquid Capital | N/A | N/A |
Net Worth Required | N/A | N/A |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Not Disclosed | Not Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 44 | 11 |
Franchised Units | 44 | 11 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | N/A | N/A |
Brand Information
Year Founded | N/A | 1949 |
Franchising Since | N/A | N/A |
Years Franchising | N/A | N/A |
Headquarters | DALLAS, TX | ESCONDIDO, CA |
Category | Drycleaning | Drycleaning |
Website | ||
FDD Year | N/A | N/A |
Which Is Better, Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners or Dry Cleaning Station?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners: $65K starting · Dry Cleaning Station: $100K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners: 60 SBA loans · Dry Cleaning Station: 19 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners: 10.0% · Dry Cleaning Station: 36.8%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners: 44 units · Dry Cleaning Station: 11 units
More lender financing options
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners: 35 unique lenders · Dry Cleaning Station: 14 unique lenders
Decision matrix uses publicly disclosed FDD and SBA loan data. Not a recommendation. Your best franchise depends on capital, market, operating capacity, and risk tolerance.
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About These Franchises
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners vs Dry Cleaning Station: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners and Dry Cleaning Station is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $65K to $500K.
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners has 60 SBA loans on record and Dry Cleaning Station has 19. Those totals are cumulative history rather than a measure of current appetite. Recent lending activity is trending down for at least one of these brands, so current lender appetite has to be checked deal by deal rather than assumed from the totals.
SBA 7(a) loans are the most common franchise funding vehicle, offering up to $5M with as little as 10% down. PeerSense connects franchise buyers with the specific lenders who have approved loans for these brands, not generic referrals, but lenders with actual franchise lending track records.
Data sourced from SBA loan records, Franchise Disclosure Documents, and public filings. Updated regularly. Not financial advice, consult with a lending professional before making investment decisions.
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners vs Dry Cleaning Station, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners or Dry Cleaning Station?
How much does a Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners franchise cost compared to Dry Cleaning Station?
Can I finance Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners or Dry Cleaning Station with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners or Dry Cleaning Station?
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Page Review
Reviewed by Edward L. Freeman, Founder and Managing Director, PeerSense
- PeerSense is a capital advisory firm that places commercial financing with direct capital sources; the capital source sets final terms.
- Edward L. Freeman founded PeerSense in January 2020.
- He is a Registered Franchise Consultant with Business Alliance, Inc., a credential issued in March 2022, and worked as a franchise consultant there from March 2022 to May 2023.
- His recorded experience includes a $22 million SBA construction loan, with about $16 million funded on the deal.
- In the 12 months through September 30, 2026, PeerSense tracked 912 publicly announced financings with a disclosed size of $361.32 billion. PeerSense Capital Data Report · Methodology page
Last reviewed LinkedIn profileAbout Edward Freeman