Regina business closes after 90 years in the community

The storied Bregg Cleaners & Tailors, a Regina institution in operation for 90 years, has announced its closure. The beloved downtown business, renowned for dry cleaning, wedding dress preservation, tailoring, and fur storage, closed its doors on Monday, ending a legacy that likely began in the 1930s. Manager Chris Thorsteinson revealed that his father acquired the property in 1988, making it the oldest continuously operating dry cleaner in Saskatchewan.

The pandemic exacerbated the challenges faced by the family-run shop, which had already seen a dramatic decline in competitors. "I mean, there used to be well over 20 cleaners in Regina when I started working here and now I think we’re down to four or five, so I think that says it all," Thorsteinson lamented. He recalled fond memories of his grandmother preparing his lunch in the shop, highlighting the sense of community that existed within the business.

"It was kind of like another sense of community having the family there too. You’d come to work and grandma would be making lunch and then we’d sit down and have lunch and I enjoyed it," he said. Thorsteinson's commitment to quality, competitive pricing, and timely service was credited by many as the secret to their enduring customer base.

"I think it was just our quality of work. We tried to put out a good product for a decent price. We always tried to get everything done on time, and it wasn’t really any rocket science, I don’t think. It was just hard work and treating people properly," he explained. As the Regina business closes its chapter, local customers mourn the loss of a cherished fixture in the community.