Rev. Kevass Harding and his ICT Cleaners partners expand in a big way with franchise

A couple of years after starting ICT Cleaners, the Rev. Kevass Harding’s business is expanding in a big way with the acquisition of the Martinizing Dry Cleaning franchise for Wichita.

“It took us two years to scale up, and so we finally got there,” Harding says.

His partnership group has changed since starting the business in 2018.

Harding and Garney Hill were partners with two others who have since left the business. They now own it with their wives, Teketa Harding and Sherri Hill.

ICT Cleaners had a site at 525 N. Edgemoor. It will transition to the Martinizing name.

The other Martinizing sites are at Siena Plaza near 37th and Rock Road; at Bradley Fair at 21st and Rock Road; at the Andover Marketplace at 626 S. Andover Road; and a Crestview site at 12627 E. Central.

All will remain open.

Harding says he was “approached by local franchisee owners who were basically ready to get out of business.”

“The first offer, we said, ‘No.’ The second offer, we said, ‘Yes.’ ”

Martinizing is a Detroit-based franchise.

“They’re worldwide,” Harding says. “We have a lot of creative new stuff we’re bringing to the city.”

That includes an app and lockers all over the city for dropping off and picking up dry cleaning.

Harding says he and his partners will be working to get the lockers set up across Wichita.

“We’re going all over the city.”

He says there will be lockers at places such as apartments, law firms and other businesses.

“It’s a great concept. It’s big in Detroit.”

In addition to emphasizing customer service, Harding says he’s “all about scaling up to reach more people.”

Harding calls himself “a spiritual entrepreneur.”

He’s the lead pastor at Dellrose United Methodist Church, where he says he grew the congregation from 25 people to 900.

He says he has a doctorate in church growth, revitalization and administration.

“It’s a long title that I bled for.”

Harding says he has a passion for all kinds of entrepreneurship, in part to give back.

“We’re a local engine to our community economically, so I like that part, too,” he says. “We’re all in this together.”

This story was originally published March 4, 2020 at 11:23 AM.