A longtime Altoona dry cleaning business is now under new ownership.

Balfurd Inc. recently purchased Monarch Cleaners of Altoona. The new owners, Dave and Monika Manter, are also the current owners of Balfurd Dry Cleaners in State College and Balfurd Linen Service in Tipton.

“We’re excited and honored to take over Monarch, with its rich history and loyal customer base,” Monika Manter said. “We feel privileged that the previous owners chose us to take over the Monarch tradition.”

“Monarch’s goal has always been to provide outstanding laundry and dry cleaning services and unparalleled customer service. As the new owners, we are committed to continuing this tradition while bringing fresh ideas and improvements to enhance the textile care experience,” Dave Manter said.

The Manters purchased the business from Bill McNelis, Sally Hancock and Don Saccol.

“It was a very difficult decision for Don, Sally and myself. We’ve been thinking and talking about it for several years,” McNelis said. “They were the clear choice in this area because of their experience and size.”

Monarch Cleaners started as a rug repair and cleaning business on 18th Street in 1917.

The business moved from 18th Street to 826 Fifth Ave., what it called its carpet cleaning plant, in the 1950s. In 1969, Monarch opened its first dry cleaning operation in the Weis Shopping Center between Valley View and Pleasant Valley boulevards.

It opened its present facility at 1401 Valley View Blvd. in 1989.

Balfurd is a fourth-generation business that has been operating for 97 years. Its mission is “Improving Lives Through Laundry.” Balfurd is one of 30 cleaners in North America selected for the prestigious “America’s Best Cleaners” designation.

The ownership change won’t have much impact on customers.

“Our team is dedicated to maintaining Monarch’s high standards. We’re also excited to introduce some enhancements. We offer environmentally responsible cleaning, email coupons, email/text order ready-for-pickup reminders, text message reminders for route pickup and more,” Monika Manter said. “We have seen how these options improve our customers’ experience in our State College dry cleaning locations, and we can’t wait to introduce them to Altoona.”

Meanwhile, Monarch did not sell its carpet-cleaning or rug-cleaning business, which is located at Fifth Avenue and Ninth Street.

“We will pick up and deliver area rugs and still clean wall to wall carpet both commercial and residential. Our area rug cleaning and repair has been in business since 1917 and we could just not let it go. It is truly a labor of love,” McNelis said.”We are currently reorganizing our rug cleaning plant so it will be ready for customer drop off and pick up and will be available in early January.”

McNelis said he will be working with the rug-cleaning business, while Saccol will remain with Balfurd as manager for its Altoona and Huntingdon locations.