Clark's company graveyard page keeps a running tally of all the businesses we've loved before that later went bust. Today, the penny-pinching guru would like to share a bit about his latest entry.

Some businesses don't "scale" properly, which means the economics of opening one store isn't the same as opening 10 or 100. That's precisely what happened to a company called ZOOTS that tried to operate a high-volume dry cleaning business in this traditionally mom-and-pop industry.

ZOOTS was started about 10 years ago by one of the key players in Staples. Among the features ZOOTS offered was 24-hour service, easy online scheduling and pick up and delivery.

But the reality is that the dry cleaning business is a very personal one. Clark's wife has gone to the same dry cleaner for 12 years. The owners have watched their kids grow up and are like family friends. People develop a relationship with their local dry cleaner, and a chain like ZOOTS couldn't really offer that personal touch.

The company is being disassembled piecemeal, so you may still see select locations with the ZOOTS name.

Another factor also conspired against the success of ZOOTS -- what we wear has changed. Americans generally don't get dressed up for work anymore. In fact, managers have had trouble explaining appropriate attire to some workers in corporate America.

Clark typically wears shorts and a golf shirt to work. This outfit has been termed the "Clarkiform" by his staff. When he isn't completely dressed down, Clark will wear stain-and-wrinkle resistant slacks or a wash-and-go suit jacket that doesn't require dry cleaning.

Finally, many dry cleaners have been squeezed by the added expense of hangers. Imports of cheap hangers are all but banned. That's why your local dry cleaner may try to get you to return yours.