Montgomery Overall’s six-decade history in the Hudson Valley tells you everything you need to know about what a local uniform service built on hard work and family values actually looks like in practice.

Why History Matters When Choosing a Local Uniform Service

Choosing a uniform rental partner isn’t just a purchasing decision — it’s a relationship. You’re trusting someone to show up every week, keep your team looking professional, and handle problems quickly when they arise. The best indicator of whether a company will do those things? Look at where they came from.

Montgomery Overall Service has operated as a family-owned, local uniform service in the Hudson Valley since 1960. Our story isn’t a marketing pitch. It’s a track record built one route, one customer, and one delivery at a time — for over 60 years.

It Started in a Garage, With a Dream and a Work Ethic

Pete Zwart grew up on a farm in Bullville, New York, the son of Dutch immigrants who taught him that hard work and integrity were non-negotiable. After graduating from Pine Bush High School, Pete worked the family farm, then held a series of jobs including work at a sewing machine factory, a farm equipment dealer, and an auto sales company. At every stop, his reputation for dedication preceded him.

When an opportunity at Mechanic’s Overall Service in Kingston came along, Pete seized it and built a sizable customer route. Driven to do more, he eventually left to start his own business. Montgomery Overall Service Inc. launched out of the garage behind his house — with a single, clear vision: deliver quality service and treat every customer right.

He shook hands with an equipment dealer who financed a boiler, washer, presses, and an air compressor. Pete paid every cent back. That handshake deal says a lot about the man, and about the company he built.

A True Family Operation From the Beginning

From the earliest days, Montgomery Overall ran on family. Pete’s wife Marilyn handled deliveries. His mother Elsie pitched in alongside him. When the business grew, Pete’s children grew with it — all eight of them worked for Montgomery Overall at some point, learning the same values their father embodied.

Today, Pete’s son Ed serves as vice president and plant operations manager. His son Arnie serves as vice president and daily operations manager, with his wife Gina as office administrator. Pete’s youngest son Brian works as a maintenance mechanic and substitute route driver. This isn’t a company that talks about family values. It’s a company that has lived them across multiple generations.

Marilyn served the business until she passed away in 2003. Pete’s mother Elsie worked alongside her son until she was 97 years old, passing away at 101 in 2007. That kind of commitment doesn’t come from a policy manual. It comes from people who genuinely believe in what they’re building.

Growth Built on Reliability, Not Just Ambition

By 1980, Montgomery Overall had outgrown Pete’s garage entirely. He purchased the old Toyota dealership building on Homestead Avenue in Maybrook, New York. By 1997, the company expanded that space with a 9,000-square-foot addition to keep up with demand.

That growth happened because customers stayed. And customers stayed because the service never slipped. Reliable weekly uniform delivery, consistent quality, and direct communication kept businesses in the Hudson Valley coming back year after year. Pete attributes the company’s success directly to the high level of customer service and the family atmosphere Montgomery Overall has always maintained.

What Local Means for Your Business Today

Montgomery Overall now serves businesses across Orange County, Dutchess County, Putnam County, Westchester, and Northern NJ, including Sussex and Bergen. As a local uniform service, we offer something national chains simply cannot: direct communication, fast problem resolution, transparent billing with no hidden fees, and a team that knows your account by name rather than by number.

When something goes wrong — a missed delivery, a sizing issue, a garment that needs replacement — you reach a person who can fix it quickly. That’s the practical difference between a family-owned uniform company and a national provider that routes every call through a call center.

National chains offer scale. Montgomery Overall offers accountability.

Over 60 Years of Showing Up

The most important thing a uniform rental service can do is show up. Clean uniforms, on time, every week — that’s the job. Montgomery Overall has done that job for over 60 years because we built the company on the same values Pete Zwart’s parents brought with them from the Netherlands: hard work, honesty, and pride in what you do.

If you’re looking for a local uniform service that treats your business like family, not like an account number, Montgomery Overall has already proven we can deliver — literally and figuratively.

Montgomery Overall serves the Hudson Valley, Northern NJ, and surrounding areas. Contact us today at (845) 427-2183 for a free evaluation and experience the difference a family-owned uniform rental service makes.