Crown Linen (MO) Marks 125th Anniversary

Posted December 21, 2016 at 4:14 pm



(l/r) Tim Williams, CEO of Crown Linen Service with a customer, Kevin Nashan, chef/owner of the Sidney Street Cafe and Peacemaker, both located in St. Louis. 

Crown Linen Service, St. Louis, recently celebrated its 125th year as a family-owned and operated textile service business, according to a news release.

When asked how the company has thrived for so many years, President Tim Williams credited his employees and the service ethic they bring to the business. “The responsibility of providing our customers with the best possible service falls on each and every Crown Linen employee,” he said. “It’s our people that make us who we are today. We are committed to our employees and as employees, we are all committed to our customers.”

Now in its fifth generation of family ownership, Crown Linen began in 1891 as a laundry that specialized in starching shirts. In the 1920s, the company shifted to a mail-order dry-cleaning business that drew customers from across the continental United States and beyond. As dry cleaning evolved into a local business after World War II, Crown moved into textile services, providing table linens, mats, aprons and other “back-of-the-house” items to restaurants, the release said.

“We take a vital part of our customers’ operations and make it turn-key and worry-free,” said Williams, a former chair of TRSA from 1999-2001. He added that, “Our goal is to help our customers make the best possible impression with their customers (emphasis in original).”

Today, Crown Linen processes roughly 500,000 lbs. of textiles per week and services many of the top restaurants in St. Louis, as well as more than 1,000 customers within three hours of the Gateway City. Click here for details.

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