Soon Lee Hand Laundry in downtown San Diego has operated from C Street near 13th since a Chinese immigrant family opened the shop in 1948, making it the last surviving traditional Chinese hand laundry in the city. The hand-pressing method uses operable vintage clothing presses behind the counter — equipment from an era when more than 100 Chinese laundries served San Diego's naval population — producing crease work and fabric handling distinct from the machine-driven output at neighboring residential cleaners like Encinas Cleaning Services. Suit pressing, shirt laundering, and garment spot treatment make up the core menu, with turnaround typically next-day for standard orders. The shop's 1948 founding predates every other independent garment-care business in the 92101 ZIP, and the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum maintains a permanent exhibit documenting the trade that launders like House Cleaning Specialists in the Gaslamp Quarter now serve through modern methods. The most exacting work involves hand-pressed wool suiting and dress uniforms where machine contact would crush lapel rolls and shoulder construction.