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Rego Park Locals Mourn 'Kind and Generous' Dry Cleaner Owner

By Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska | April 26, 2017 5:14pm
 Paul Kim, the owner of Paul's Sunshine Cleaners at 65-39 99th St. in Rego Park, died unexpectedly last week.
Paul Kim, the owner of Paul's Sunshine Cleaners at 65-39 99th St. in Rego Park, died unexpectedly last week.
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GoFundMe

QUEENS — Neighbors, customers and family members are grieving after a beloved Rego Park shop owner, nicknamed “the mayor” of 99th Street, died unexpectedly last Thursday.

Joo Yup Kim, 56, better known as Paul, owned Paul's Sunshine Cleaners at 65-39 99th St. for more than a decade, locals said.

Neighbors described him as “kind and generous,” always happy to greet his customers and passersby while encouraging them to stay fit and healthy, they said.

Residents, who have been leaving flowers, hand-written notes and candles at the now closed storefront, set up a GoFundMe page on Sunday trying to help his wife and four children.

“A hard worker, he was always willing to lend a helping hand,” they wrote on the page. “He has saved us from tickets by throwing quarters in our expired meters, watered an occasional lawn if his clients asked him to, cheered us on as we made our way to the gym, wished us a good day as we shuffled to work in the mornings. His presence was a staple and is now irreplaceable.”

As of Wednesday, the campaign raised more than $1,000 of its $5,000 goal.

Pat Morgan, who lives nearby and had her clothes cleaned at Sunshine Cleaners for years, called Kim “a fixture on the block.”

“You knew you were safe walking on the block because when kids on bikes might get wild he would remind the kids gently to not ride on the sidewalk because they might knock someone down like a senior or a disabled person,” she said.

Kim, who was also an avid fitness fan and marathon runner, was never driven by money, Morgan said.

“When people came in and the bill was more than they had in their pockets, he would say he knew the customer well enough to let it slide until the next day,” she said.

Sometimes he would not charge at all, neighbors said.

Seiko Rosen, who shared the news with the community on a local Facebook page, said that she often saw Kim "pushing out heavy fruit and vegetable stands on wheels to the store front" as he was helping the owners of a nearby grocery store.

"He joked that it was his gym," she said.

Rosen said that even though there was another cleaner closer to where she lives, she would always go to Kim instead, "because he was so friendly."

"I always expected him to be there and say 'hi' and that made me feel better," she said. "I will miss him every time I walk by."

“In mundane drudgery of every day routine, Paul added a much needed sparkle,” his friends wrote on the GoFundMe page.

“Rest in peace Paul, the "mayor" of 99th Street." 

Kim's funeral services took place Tuesday in Flushing, according to the Central Funeral Home's website