Snow White Laundry

The Cherry family was active in the laundry business in Sherman as early as 1888. In 1895, the Sherman Steam Laundry (SSL) was incorporated, with Eugene Cherry (1864–1943) as secretary-treasurer. Eugene had begun as a driver of the firm's two-horse delivery trucks in 1888. He became SSL president in 1929. He owned the whole company in 1940, when he retired. He was an officer of both the Texas Laundry Owners Association and the American Institute of Laundrying. Eugene's half-brother, Luther Cherry, worked at the Sherman Steam Laundry until 1922, when he left to found Snow White Laundry in Denison.

 "The History of Grayson County, Texas," a big book published by Grayson County Frontier Village in 1979, says: "The Snow White Laundry, established in 1898 by John B. McDougall, was subsequently purchased by partners, J. C. Baker and Barney Smith. Mr. Baker's half-interest was purchased by Luther and Mary Cherry in 1922, and at this time, the Cherrys installed a modern dry-cleaning plant. A young black man, David Price, was hired as supervisor of the dry cleaning plant and remained as supervisor until his retirement fifty years later. In 1931, the Cherrys purchased the remaining half-interest in the facility and proceeded to expand the business. The present bookkeeper for the firm, Charles F. Bruno, worked with Mr. and Mrs. Cherry for many years and continues to work with the present owner, Bob Cherry, who became associated with Snow White in 1949" (p. 793). 

Bob Cherry
Owner of Snow White Laundry & Mayor of Denison
High School Photo

Snow White Laundry & Dry Cleaning
314 W. Woodart St.

Facebook Memories

Doug Hoover wrote: Now owned by David and Jeannie Shaffer, cousin of Phillip Shaffer

Tony Petersen wrote: My grandmother worked there. I remember how white steam was vented like smoke. I even found a Snow White pinup calendar. Very steamy.

JP Cantrell wrote: I worked there briefly driving a truck, back in the mid-1980s; I always felt Mr. Cherry was a fair and nice man.

David Gill wrote: My mother told me a story that described the "down-to-earth" demeanor of Bob Cherry. Prior to giving testimony as a character witness, Bob was asked to state his name and occupation. My mother was in the courtroom at the time. In a COURT OF LAW, he stated, "My name is Bob Cherry and I drive a laundry truck." It brought the courtroom to a roar.

Mike Morgan wrote: This is where we got our jeans starched "crispy."

Mavis Anne Bryant wrote: As a child, I remember Bob delivering our cleaning to the house on Gandy Street, just opening the side door and hanging the hangers inside on the door knob. I guess he billed us later.

Paula Miller Dalrymple wrote: Those were the days, when you could leave the door unlocked and trust him to come into the back door of your house and leave the laundry. My mother, Bonnie Miller, did that often.

Glenda Cameron wrote: I went to school with Bob Cherry's daughter, Katherine Cherry.

Snow White Laundry
314 W. Woodard St.

 
Bob Cherry at Snow White Laundry
314 West Woodard Street.
Photo by Mavis Anne Bryant, ca. 2000.