• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

MarionMade

People, Places, Products, Programs

Visit Us On FacebookVisit Us On TwitterVisit Us On YoutubeCheck Our FeedVisit Us On Instagram
We Are Generous!We Are Having Fun!We Are Presidential!
  • Get Involved
  • About
  • Events
    • MarionMade! 5k Sign Up
  • People
  • Places
  • Products
  • Programs
  • Links
  • Contact

Kimmel Corp: More than 90 Years of Serving the Community

By Wendy Weichenthal on March 3, 2025

A black-and-white photo of a large group of men and women in front of the Kimmel building.
Dale and Helen Kimmel grew Kimmel Corp. into a premier employer in Upper Sandusky by 1945.

In 1929, Dale and Helen Kimmel bought Whetstone Cleaners in Marion. In 1931, the business relocated to a new location in Upper Sandusky under a new name: Kimmel Cleaners. Dale built a new building in 1944 laying all the bricks with his own hands. More than 90 years later, Kimmel Corporation is going strong with Dale’s great-great grandsons at the helm.

“Our company is built on family values of pride, value, honesty and integrity. We focus on our employees and our customers,” Brian Kimmel said. “We have been in business for 94 years and have successfully transitioned to the fourth generation of ownership, which only 3% of U.S companies on average have done.”

A black-and-white photo of a tall man
Tom Kimmel, son of the founder, joined Kimmel Corp in 1953 and became president in 1969.

Generations Follow in Founders’ Footsteps

Dale’s son, Tom Kimmel, joined the business in 1953. Tom became president of Kimmel Corp. in 1969. He was also a former president and chairman of IFI, an international organization promoting the dry cleaning industry. Tom expanded the building Dale built adding hospital laundering services.

The third generation of the Kimmels, Kurt and Mark, acquired five other companies to expand the dry cleaning service. There was dry cleaning store on Columbia Avenue in Marion, along with 10 other regional locations. The brothers took ownership of Kimmel Corporation in 1994.

Exterior of the two story brick building with an antique car and a large delivery truck parked outside.
Kimmel Corp. in Upper Sandusky.

As the times changed and freshly-pressed suits gave way to business casual, the brothers continued to invest in uniform and mat rental services for industry, manufacturing, auto mechanics shops as well as restaurant linens.

“Kimmel Corporation is known throughout this part of Ohio as a dry cleaner, but we no longer provide those services. Our growth on the rental of table linens and towels for restaurants, uniforms for industry, floor mats, restroom services, and branded company apparel has us servicing close to 50% of Ohio,” Brian says.

6 adults stand in front of a Kimmel Corp. delivery truck
From left to right: Greg Kimmel, Brian Kimmel, Kurt Kimmel, Deb Amos, Mark Kimmel, and Jim Karg.

Current Leaders Grew Up at Kimmel Corp.

Brian remembers growing up in the business with his brother Greg. They went to work with their dad on Saturday mornings to watch cartoons on a tiny TV at the controller’s desk. The plant had huge rail systems making it a fun area to play.

“We hung around the factory like monkeys, but we tried to stay out of trouble,” Brian recalls.

Black and white shot of a large intior with tracks of uniforms.

As teenagers, they worked during the summers until they graduated from Upper Sandusky High School. Brian studied business at the University of Toledo while Greg graduated from The Ohio State University. They were required to work in other companies before coming home. They had to earn their positions.

“We are grateful for the opportunity our uncle and father have provided to work our way up in the organization,” Brian says.

Focus on Tech and Customer Service

The Kimmel brothers are growing the company by focusing on a culture of exceptional customer service. They have about 60 employees. Many have stayed for decades. Multiple generations of families have worked at Kimmel.

A group of dozens of people in matching teal shirs and shorts in front of a brick building.
A team of about 60 people serve customers across nearly half of Ohio counties.

“We focus on new technology to increase efficiency and providing the best customer experience in the market. In business, there is a wide variety of mergers and acquisitions where big companies are eating up the little guys. We have no intention of letting that happen,” Brian said. “We focus on full transparency, competitive pricing, and same-day response.”

Customer Testimonial

One of his Marion customers appreciates Kimmel’s service. 

“Brian and his team at the Kimmel Corporation have been wonderful to deal with. We are a family-owned company ourselves and we enjoy dealing with another family-owned company. Their uniform service that we use is top-notch,” said Spencer Mathews, general manager of Mathews Ford Lincoln of Marion.

Kimmels Value Marion

Kimmel’s values the support of the Marion community.

“Marion is an essential foundation where we originally grew our business and to this day is a great market for us. We appreciate the patronage of our customers we’ve had for many years and for the new ones that have come on board. We hope we are servicing them appropriately and are thankful for that partnership!” Brian exclaims.

The Kimmels also take pride in supporting youth activities and nonprofits.

“Investing in the locally community is important to us!” Brian said.

Fifth Generation On the Doorstep

Brian and Greg each have two children who have the opportunity be the fifth generation leading Kimmel Corporation.

“If that’s something they are interested in, we will have that ready for them. Passing on the family legacy has been important for the previous generations and is something that both Greg and I are focused on,” Brian said.

MarionMade! is a program of Marion Technical College.

Recent MarionMade! Stories

  • K9 Viking

    During the month of October we are highlighting information about the K9 units of Marion County. The dogs are trained to conduct building and large area searches for hidden criminals, tracking lost persons and criminals, article/evidence searches, and narcotics detection. Though this is a light-hearted interview — asking questions as if the dogs have voices […]Read More »
  • Wilson Bohannan Lock Company

    160 Years of being “Well Built” Though the history of Wilson Bohannan Lock Company does not begin in Marion, Ohio, it does in Brooklyn, New York, in 1860.  Out of a small shop set up in the garage behind Wilson Bohannan’s modest home, he and his son Wilson Todd Bohannan began assembling padlocks.  This was […]Read More »
  • Marion Palace Theatre

    THE MARION PALACE THEATRE. . For some time, Downtown Marion has been said to be the heartbeat of Marion. Many would say that heartbeat began in 1928 when John Eberson designed and built the Palace Theatre. This magnificent theatre remains an anchor in downtown Marion and hosts more than 65,000 guests each year. . Today, […]Read More »
  • Terry Cline Puts Marion in Focus

    Marion native Terry Cline has always strived to make his hometown a better place to live, work, and play. Whether it’s been through the business he founded or volunteer activities, Cline has sought to use his skills in video production, marketing, and advertising to help promote a wide range of events in Marion County. Awards […]Read More »

Share Your MarionMade! Story

Click Here to share your story about MarionMade! people, places, products, and programs!
  • Get Involved
  • About
  • Events
  • People
  • Places
  • Products
  • Programs
  • Links
  • Contact

Marion Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Downtown Marion Love INC Marion Public Library Marion Area Chamber of Commerce Marion CANDO! Marion Community Foundation United Way of Marion County Marion Technical College

© 2025 · MarionMade! is a community initiative led by Marion Technical College · Website is powered by Neighborhood Image