520 Main Street
Oxford Cleaners
Built in the 1890s on the former site of the Oxford Hotel, this building has been home to several businesses, from a furniture store to a grocery store.
In 1946, though, Oxford Cleaners would open and stand the test of time. The building was purchased by Howard Bentley, who operated the business with his parents and brother-in-law, and later on became the sole proprietor.
Today, the Oxford Cleaners is still run by the Bentley family– the oldest continuously-operating business in Oxford by the same family. Oxford Cleaners has not only been a thriving business, but a service to the community.
Research by Hunter Chase Gentry and written by Julie Skinner Mangham, November 2023
Early view of Main Street, ca. 1900s
Oxford Cleaners Building located to the left.
Courtesy of "The Anniston Star", 29 November 1957
Early view of Main Street, ca. 1900s
Courtesy of "The Anniston Star", 7 March 1947
Howard Bentley, Jr. (1920-1997)
Howard Bentley, Jr. (1920-1997) owner and operator of Oxford Cleaners.
Courtesy of Kathy Bentley Hall
Oxford Cleaners on Main Street, ca. 1979
Courtesy of Lindblom Collection