The owner of a Medford drive-in cleaning business in the 1950’s and 60’s was a community activist, but his lasting legacy may be a musical television commercial.
The Texas-born businessman, Dalton Lee “Abb” Gresset, served on a U.S. Navy amphibious landing craft in the Pacific during World War II before moving to Medford in 1951. Besides the cleaning business, he worked in real estate, was a board member of his church, president of the Oregon Dry Cleaners Association and Lions Club, a Shriner and 60-year Masonic Lodge member. He was married to Maryann George for 65 years and they had five children. But for many Rogue Valley youngsters raised during the 1950’s and 60’s, they remember Gresset on television playing the guitar and singing this commercial jingle for his drive-in cleaner:
Eight forty-four South Riverside
Seven oh two West Main.
Come on down and see us folks
It will be your gain.
We’ll clean your clothes
We’ll mend the holes
To please you is our aim
At eight forty-four South Riverside
Seven oh two West Main.
Source: "Dalton Lee "Abb" Gresset." Mail Tribune 25 July 2012 [Medford, Ore.]. Web. 11 June 2015.
