Luther W. Mitchell

Luther Wilson Mitchell (1913-1995) was another major business owner in Delmar.  He was the son of William Edward Mitchell and Bessie Hearn Mitchell and was born in Delmar.  He would marry Sara Ellen Smith in 1939.  They would have two sons; Luther jr and Edward.

above in 1964

Mr. Mitchell was known for laundry service, coin-operated laundries and coin-operated car washes up and down Delmarva.  He said he had opened and sold over 100 coin-operated laundries.

He entered business in 1940 as an employee of Sunshine Laundry and Dry Cleaning.  He went to the Silver Springs Dry Cleaning school in Silver Springs, MD.  In 1941 he opened his own business called the Spotless Cleaners in Salisbury.

In 1943 he enlisted in the Army where he was in the Army Quartermaster corp in Camp lee Virginia teaching laundry.  He rose to Sergeant in rank.

After he got out he opened Elite Cleaners in Delmar in the old Frank Brown Building.

above 1947 employees

In 1959 he opened his first coin-operated laundry and coin operated car wash.  Eventually he moved from the Frank Brown building across the state line into a coin-operated laundry.  This would be one of many he would sell and eventually operated out of Salisbury.  While in Delmar he gave employment to a large number of people and with the coin-operated laundries he gave small business ownership to a large number of people.  With his wife he continued in business until his death.  Over the years he had poor health and suffered from a heart attack and like a number of business had business setbacks. He would die April 6, 1995 at age 81 in Salisbury.

Mr and Mrs Mitchell in 1994