Monarch Cleaners

Monarch Cleaners is a dry cleaner located at 903 Broadway Street in Homewood.

The business was operating before the 1950s, but had closed before Frank DiChiara, former owner of Dee's Cleaners, bought the property in the 1960s and reopened it. He chose to keep the Monarch neon sign. Frank's son Buddy DiChiara took over the business and constructed an addition to the building in the early 1970s which housed the Washateria coin laundry and Lag's Eatery, owned by his brother-in-law Anthony Gagliano.

Third generation owner Mark DiChiara took over the laundry business in 2006. He allowed artists to paint a "You Are Beautiful" mural on the side of his building, the first property owner to give express permission for the phrase which had appeared already as graffiti around town. The artists were stopped by city officials, and the sign read "YOU AR" for several weeks. The issue was brought before the Homewood City Council because of possible sign ordinance violations. The council ultimately allowed the sign, but requested the lettering to be smaller and required DiChiara to apply for a sign permit.

References

• Singleton, William C. III (February 7, 2011) "Homewood City Council to decide whether "You Are Beautiful" is art or subject to sign ordinance." The Birmingham News
• Singleton, William C. III (February 15, 2011) "Homewood council OKs "YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL" sign, with stipulations." The Birmingham News