Originating with the establishment of West Star Laundry in Oklahoma, John W. Shelton set a tradition of meticulous garment care that has been passed down through generations. For over 120 years, the Shelton Family has remained committed to upholding the values of quality and trust.

In the late 1950s, John W. Shelton's son ventured to San Diego, where he embarked on a dry cleaning journey of his own, and quickly, he became a force to be reckoned with. With over 40 different dry cleaners in San Diego County, at its peak, the entire county grew to know and trust the Shelton name. As he grew older, his business plan changed, and he decided to train and sell the dry cleaners to emerging entrepreneurs, one of whom was Mike Monaghan.

This business model was passed on to me, Vaile, John Jr.’s son. Throughout my life, I have opened up dry cleaners throughout the country, giving the opportunity to entrepreneurs to own and grow their own businesses. Now, living back in San Diego, I have focused on growing stores myself while building relationships that last. My son and I opened Shelton Cleaners in Downtown, San Diego right before Covid and although this ultimately hindered growth, it allowed us to ingrain ourselves in the community, strive to increase quality, and become friends with many of our customers.

Our second store in San Diego happened by chance. Mike and I were family friends with our relationship dating back to when I was 12 and after many years, Mike and I started to reconnect. In late 2022, he approached me with the plan to retire and insisted that we be the ones to preserve and grow what he spent most of his life building. With a commitment to the existing employees and a desire to expand our reach, we happily took this opportunity.

We pride ourselves on providing both communities with expert care and quality and look forward to seeing you soon!