Excel Cleaners & Choi's Tailoring in Baltimore: Dry Cleaning and Alterations Under One Roof
Excel Cleaners & Choi's Tailoring combines dry cleaning, laundry pressing, and on-site tailoring in a single storefront on Baltimore's West Side, serving neighborhoods that would otherwise need to split errands between separate vendors. The operation handles standard garment care (suits, dresses, coats) alongside alterations from hemming to major reconstruction, which is uncommon in a city where most dry cleaners outsource tailoring or charge premium fees for in-house work.
What Excel Cleaners & Choi's Tailoring actually is
A full-service dry cleaning shop with an integrated tailoring operation run by Choi, a tailor who handles most alterations on premises rather than farming them to a third party. The space is modest, storefront-scale, and functions as a neighborhood anchor rather than a drop-off chain. Walk-in customers place orders at a counter; tailors work visible to the shop, which accelerates turnaround and allows for direct consultation on fit adjustments.
Services and pricing
Dry cleaning starts at approximately $4 to $5 per shirt and $7 to $12 per pair of trousers, depending on fabric and soil level. Dresses, blazers, and coats typically fall between $10 and $20. Alterations are priced à la carte: hemming trousers or skirts runs $12 to $18, taking in or letting out seams $15 to $35 depending on complexity, and reconstructive work (replacing linings, resizing waistbands, relocating zippers) commands higher fees that are quoted after inspection. Combining cleaning and alterations at one stop eliminates the markup many dry cleaners add when contracting tailors, which often reaches 30 to 50 percent on top of the tailor's rate.
Turnaround for standard cleaning is typically five to seven business days; alterations can stretch two to three weeks if the queue is full, though simple hemming sometimes completes in five days. Pricing verification is important here, as labor rates shift annually. Call to confirm current prices before dropping items off.
How it compares to other Baltimore options
Most Baltimore dry cleaners, including chains like Zotos and independent shops throughout Fells Point and Canton, handle cleaning only and refer alterations to external tailors or refuse complex work altogether. Choi's presence on premises means alterations happen without handing off to another vendor, reducing communication gaps and allowing real-time problem-solving if a fit issue emerges mid-project. A customer needing trousers hemmed and cleaned can drop both requests with one person instead of managing two separate transactions and pickup dates.
Standalone tailors in Baltimore, such as those in the Belvedere Square area, offer deeper expertise but charge à la carte with no cleaning integration, forcing customers who need both services to coordinate separately. Chain cleaners like Zotos offer speed and multiple locations but cannot offer on-site tailoring; alterations are sent out and returned weeks later at higher cost. For neighborhood residents seeking one-stop service without chain overhead, Excel Cleaners & Choi's Tailoring fills a specific gap.
Who it suits and who it does not suit
This shop works well for people living or working nearby who need reliable alterations and do not require rush service. It suits customers with a few tailoring projects per year (hem adjustments, taking in a waistband, replacing a button) rather than those with extensive wardrobe renovation needs. The modest storefront and lack of online ordering appeal to people comfortable with in-person drop-off and pickup.
It is less suited to customers requiring same-week turnaround, those expecting high-volume dry cleaning discounts, or people seeking designer-level tailoring consultations. Clients with complex pattern-work or restoration projects may need specialized tailors; Choi handles standard garment work but is not marketed as a high-end atelier.
What the first visit involves
Walk in during business hours with garments ready. Bring any specific requests in writing (pant length, jacket taper, seam allowance) or be ready to describe them verbally. For alterations, staff will inspect the item, ask your intent (is this for a specific event or everyday wear?), and provide an estimate. Payment is typically due at pickup, though some arrangements can be made for large orders. Bring a receipt or describe the item if picking up a previous order.
Hours, parking, and logistics
Excel Cleaners & Choi's Tailoring operates Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., closed Sundays. Street parking is available along the block; no dedicated lot. The storefront is accessible by foot from nearby residential blocks and served by local bus routes. Confirm current hours before visiting, as holiday schedules and staffing can shift.
Excel Cleaners & Choi's Tailoring serves a practical function many Baltimore neighborhoods lack: reliable local alterations paired with basic cleaning, without markup or outsourcing delays. For residents in that service area, it saves time and money on routine wardrobe maintenance.
