I passed by the old Central Wet Wash smokestack (Irving & Elston) today, and it made me think...when I was a kid, I remember quite a few smokestacks that had the company name inlaid in contrasting-color brick, usually a laundry service of some sort. They've disappeared so gradually I barely realized they were gone.

I remember one was Albany Wet Wash, which was blonde brick with the inlay in red. I can't remember where it was, though - Irving & California, maybe? I also seem to remember one for Garden City Laundry, which was off of the Eisenhower.

So...why does it seem the laundry services got all the fancy smokestacks?