[gumby]

> Companies whose unit economics don't work transfer wealth from investors to customers, then get out of the way.

Not always. Consider the rash of subsidized “we’ll pick up your dry cleaning and then save by doing the work at a centralized facility elsewhere). These parasites wiped out the network of local dry cleaners, in particular in SF.

You could say, well, they wiped out the buggy whip makers. But actually they wiped out the infrastructure and then went bust, leaving a desert (in dry cleaning terms) behind.

Parasite is too kind a word.

[MatthiasPortzel]

This is the pessimistic view of Uber. If Uber was just subsidizing car rides, that would be fine. But since they’re dominating the industry in an unsustainable way, they’re hurting public and private transportation infrastructure. Cities aren’t investing in trains or buses because of Uber, but if Uber goes under, we’re going to be out of luck.

[chii]

> they’re hurting public and private transportation infrastructure. Cities aren’t investing in trains or buses because of Uber

i dont think you can blame the lack of public transport investment on uber. and there's no hurting private transportation infrastructure - that's just private cars! People who ditched their car because of the availability of uber isn't getting hurt if uber goes away. They can just repurchase a car (after all, they saved money not owning a car previously, so they must be ahead already).

[elisbce]

So Uber is the culprit behind the lack of public transportation and infrastructure development? Lol...In 2006 when I came to the US, the train between LA and SF took 13 hours. Today in 2022, 18 years later, it still takes 13 hours.

[grandmczeb]

> These parasites wiped out the network of local dry cleaners, in particular in SF.

Huh? I’ve never had an issue finding a dry cleaning shop in SF and there’s tons that pop on Google maps - hardly seems like a dry cleaning “desert”.

[bombcar]

They mean "actual" dry cleaners that clean in the shop - almost all those you find are fronts for some massive cleaning warehouse somewhere else (check to see if they have any machines on-site).

[grandmczeb]

Even if that's the case, how does that make it a dry cleaning "desert"? I only care if I can get my clothes cleaned quickly and I've never had any problem with that.

[bombcar]

Not the OP but I assume it has something to do with the loss of same-day or 4 hour turnaround-type services (which if you need try laundromats, some offer fluff and fold services where they'll wash for you).

[closewith]

> Consider the rash of subsidized “we’ll pick up your dry cleaning and then save by doing the work at a centralized facility elsewhere).

Is that not the default business model of dry cleaners globally?

Chemicals like PERC are nearly completely banned in residential/commercial zones. Almost all dry cleaning in the developed world is done in centralised depots in industrial areas, for health & safety reasons.

[HWR_14]

No, most dry cleaners use more friendly chemicals locally, and only send out things like leather goods. Otherwise, how would they be able to do sub 8-hour turn arounds?