# Pressbox and Tide Cleaners: Vijen Patel. The $1.99 Gamble That Built a National Brand

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2025-10-06
- Length: 1h 06m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-10-06-pressbox-and-tide-cleaners-vijen-patel-the-1-99-gamble-that-built-a-national-bra

## Summary

Vijen Patel, co-founder of Pressbox (now Tide Cleaners), explains how he and co-founder Drew McKenna bootstrapped a dry cleaning business by installing SMS-enabled lockers in Chicago high-rises, achieving 40% margins by eliminating storefront rent and labor. They scaled to hundreds of locations, outcompeted well-funded rivals like Washio through superior unit economics and strategic building partnerships, and ultimately sold to Procter & Gamble, which rebranded the service as Tide Cleaners. Patel details the operational challenges of vertical integration, staffing, and retention, before launching The 81 Collection, a VC fund focused on boring, asset-heavy businesses.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-10-06-pressbox-and-tide-cleaners-vijen-patel-the-1-99-gamble-that-built-a-national-bra#t=0) Introduction: Vijen Patel and Pressbox
- [5:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-10-06-pressbox-and-tide-cleaners-vijen-patel-the-1-99-gamble-that-built-a-national-bra#t=332) From Private Equity to the 'Least-Worst Idea'
- [10:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-10-06-pressbox-and-tide-cleaners-vijen-patel-the-1-99-gamble-that-built-a-national-bra#t=643) The Locker Model and Unit Economics
- [18:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-10-06-pressbox-and-tide-cleaners-vijen-patel-the-1-99-gamble-that-built-a-national-bra#t=1097) SMS Technology and the $1.99 Price Point
- [24:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-10-06-pressbox-and-tide-cleaners-vijen-patel-the-1-99-gamble-that-built-a-national-bra#t=1469) Breaking Even in 1225 Old Town
- [32:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-10-06-pressbox-and-tide-cleaners-vijen-patel-the-1-99-gamble-that-built-a-national-bra#t=1960) Vertical Integration and Staffing Challenges
- [38:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-10-06-pressbox-and-tide-cleaners-vijen-patel-the-1-99-gamble-that-built-a-national-bra#t=2334) Competing with Washio and Tide Spin
- [51:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-10-06-pressbox-and-tide-cleaners-vijen-patel-the-1-99-gamble-that-built-a-national-bra#t=3068) The Acquisition by Procter & Gamble
- [1:03:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-10-06-pressbox-and-tide-cleaners-vijen-patel-the-1-99-gamble-that-built-a-national-bra#t=3800) The 81 Collection and Boring Businesses

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up, large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Pressbox (product)
- Procter & Gamble (company)
- Tide Cleaners (product)
- Washio (company)
- Rinse (company)
- The 81 Collection (company)
- McKinsey (company)
- Notre Dame (other)
- Digilock (product)
- Twilio (tool)
- U.S. Bank (company)

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- [044: Turning customizable jackets into a multi-million dollar business, Elyse Daniels of Exodus Wear](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-03-14-044-turning-customizable-jackets-into-a-multi-million-dollar-business-elyse-dani) (Product Startup)
- [From Hand Sanitizer to Tomato Sauce - How Sauz Went From 10 Doors to 3,500 in a Year](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-08-29-from-hand-sanitizer-to-tomato-sauce-how-sauz-went-from-10-doors-to-3-500-in-a-ye) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
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## Citing this page

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