Page 14 - LRCC August 2022 Focus

AN ICONIC NAME
SERVING GREATER

LANSING FOR 100 YEARS

Nate Lentz/Tandem Studios/FirstLast Media

Katina and Art
Baryames

or anyone who has been in the Greater Lansing A HISTORY ROOTED IN FAMILY AND HARD WORK
region for a period of time, the name Baryames
strikes a familiar chord. The Baryames family The original Art Baryames, a Greek immigrant from
Fhas been serving the region through its core a village near Sparta, founded Baryames Cleaners in
businesses since 1922. Today the company is led by 1922 as a newspaper, shoe shine, hat-cleaning stand.
third-generation owners Art Baryames, who oversees The business was located in Downtown Lansing on
Baryames Cleaners and sister Katina Baryames, owner of Washington Avenue near the corner of Washtenaw. In
Baryames Tuxedo and Suit. the 1930s, garment pressing was added so a gentleman
could come in and get his shoes shined, hat cleaned and
“I think it would mean a lot to our father and grandfather suit pressed, all at the same time. The company even
that the name is still on the building along with a great provided curbside delivery of newspapers.
reputation,” said Katina Baryames.
“We did curbside service before it was popular, pre-Covid,”
“Lansing is the one town where you can go to make a said Katina Baryames with a laugh.
reservation someplace and we don’t have to spell the
last name,” jokes Art Baryames. “People we meet from There were eight children in the Baryames family and all
around the country with a connection to Lansing often of them worked before and after school to help support
tell us they have been a customer of ours.” the business.

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