How I Got Here: Jerry Jambazian
Current position: Jerry Jambazian, 71, is the owner of Wonder Cleaners and Drapery in Temple City, California.
Parental Guidance: Jerry’s parents, Rose and Andrew Jambazian, were originally from Massachusetts. In the late 1930s, Andrew operated a dry cleaning business in the city of Springfield. The price to clean a suit was a whopping 75 cents. They also specialized in hats, as they were a common accessory in a gentleman’s wardrobe during that time period.
After trading the east coast for the west coast in the early 1940s, Andrew and Rose settled in Pasadena, California. Andrew continued his dry cleaning career by working for Jim Mayberry at Temple City Cleaners. By 1947, he had steadfastly saved enough of his earnings to buy Mission Cleaning Service in the city of San Gabriel.
Jerry Jambazian began working in the dry cleaning industry when he was eleven years old. After school, he would ride his bicycle from Pasadena to San Gabriel and help out mom and dad in the family business. It was here where he learned the basic fundamentals of quality garment care: cleaning, pressing and stain removal (spotting). Early on, the intangibles of an indefatigable work ethic, honesty, integrity and superior customer service were instilled into a young Jerry while he mastered the finer nuances of fabric care. Upon the work day ending at around ten o’clock in the evening, he would throw his bike into the back of the family truck and they would ride home together.
The Wonder Years: Andrew’s fondness for Temple City and its hometown flavor influenced his decision in 1955 to purchase a television/Amana freezer store for $32,000 and convert it to a dry cleaning plant with retail front counter space. Andrew and Rose did not know what to name their new “baby” so they held a contest among elementary school students in the Temple City school district. The name “Wonder” emerged as the winner and the Jambazians new business was up and running. The family sold Mission Cleaning Service in 1959 and dedicated its efforts to increasing the profile and footprint of its new business in Temple City. It wasn’t long before Wonder Cleaners came to be known by local residents and area customers as “The House of Quality”.
Getting Schooled: Jambazian attended Pasadena area schools and by his own admission, he was not very studious. He regretfully admits to giving up on school by the eleventh grade. “I felt I was just spinning my wheels. I didn’t want to be there wasting my time,” Jambazian said. His heart was determined to follow his father’s footsteps in the dry cleaning industry. Jambazian said, “I tried to emulate my father. I knew I wanted to do this as my life’s work.”
In 1962, at the age of 18, Jambazian was the youngest dry cleaner to be licensed in the State of California. Back then a six hour exam was required to convince the State that one was competent in cleaning, pressing, spotting, fabric identification and all things related to dry cleaning. The unscholarly high school dropout now held a professional license in a state regulated industry while most of his peers were still trying to ascertain what vocational direction their lives should take. Just for fun, to see if he could learn something he didn’t already know in the garment care industry, he enrolled at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and completed an eight-month dry cleaning course.
Prodigal Son: “I hate to say it, but my father and I had a rocky relationship when it came to running the store,” recalls Jambazian. “We didn’t agree a lot of times and I actually went to work for other cleaners.” The friction between father and son occurred several times during the turbulent 1960s, but Jambazian would always seem to find the path back home to his roots at Wonder Cleaners. “I came to realize that dad was right and I was probably arrogant.” With Jerry permanently back in the fold, the elder Jambazian eventually handed the reigns over to his son. Andrew continued to be involved in the operations at Wonder Cleaners until his passing in 1969.
Switching Gears: Wonder Cleaners had always been a traditional dry cleaner. Caring for the wardrobe of its growing legion of customers was something they took immense pride in. However, Jambazian had a passion for draperies and drapery cleaning was a lucrative part of their business. Jambazian’s vision was expanding and he saw the opportunity for the business to serve a special niche. Custom draperies created with excellence and dedicated craftsmanship (including professional installation) was proving to be a steady and profitable income stream. About 1980, the company changed its name to Wonder Cleaners and Drapery.
In order to serve its clientele who wants specially crafted window coverings, Jambazian has 50,000 yards of fabric in stock. “I can go to the customer’s home and guide and direct them as to what’s the best fabric to use,” Jambazian said. “I know what falls apart and what doesn’t.”
The Memory Keeper: In addition to owning and operating Wonder Cleaners and Drapery, Jambazian is the self-described unofficial photographer for Temple City and the Temple City School District. He takes upwards of 60,000 photographs per year and puts them on the Temple City Photos website and Facebook page. He covers civic events, community happenings, local Temple City Schools and just about anything related to Temple City at large. Capturing the spirit and community of Temple City through photography is something he graciously does without remuneration. For Jambazian it truly is a labor of love.
November to Remember: Wonder Cleaners and Drapery is proud to be the oldest business in Temple City at the same location and under the same family ownership. On November 5, Wonder Cleaners and Drapery celebrated their 60th anniversary. This is no small feat considering the demographic shifts that have transformed Temple City over the last four decades. When Jambazian’s parents opened the business in 1955, Temple City’s population was predominantly white. Since 1970, the white population in Temple City has decreased by 64 percent, according to the United States Census Bureau. Temple City’s current population has an overwhelming Asian majority. Jambazian mused, “The city has changed but the friendly people have not.”
On November 30, Jambazian celebrated 52 straight, consecutive years of marriage with his wife Pat. They grew up together attending Pasadena area schools. Pat even worked for Jambazian’s folks at the old Mission Cleaning Service in San Gabriel when she was fifteen years old. She still helps her husband operate the family business and can be found in the store every day their doors are open.
Off the Shelf: The only book that Jambazian reads is The Bible. It’s undoubtedly his favorite book and he reads it every day. He used to read many of the dry cleaning industry’s trade magazines, periodicals and publications. Nowadays, the only thing he reads is The Bible.
Spare Time: He is past president (1975) of the Temple City Chamber of Commerce and past president of Temple City Tennis Club. He used to play tennis competitively and recreationally. “I would play tennis five days a week,” remembers Jambazian. “As a matter of fact, that’s how I screwed up my knees.”
Jambazian, along with his wife Pat, have been faithful parishioners at San Gabriel Community Church for 44 years and they have lived in the same house in San Gabriel for the last 45 years. Jambazian joyfully declared, “I’m not one for change!”
He is a 45-year member of the Temple City Kiwanis Club and heavily involved in their Student of the Month program.
Jambazian also serves on the Executive Board of Directors for Christian Ministries Training Association (CMTA), and has been their treasurer for 35 years. He has an integral role with the CMTA’s annual convention that draws thousands upon thousands of attendees to the Pasadena Convention Center.
Family Ties: Jerry and Pat have two daughters (Sherry and Linda) and five grandchildren.
Sherry works as a dental hygienist and is married to David Medina, a financial advisor with Crowell, Weedon & Co. Sherry and David have two sons.
Linda is a stay-at-home mom undertaking the monumental task of homeschooling. She is married to Ryan Bronkar, a math professor at Rio Hondo College. Linda and Ryan have two daughters and one son.
