A longtime dry-cleaning business was badly damaged by a fire in Skokie overnight Tuesday into Wednesday.

Hours later, investigators were looking for the cause of the fire — which closed the business indefinitely.

For longtime customers in Skokie, Kenny the Kleener at 3358 Dempster St. was a business they could count on seven days a week. But even for a veteran dry cleaners, some messes are just too big to clean up.

"All the clothes are like they weren't even there," said dry cleaner owner Ken Davis.

Davis opened up shop in Skokie 23 years ago. Now, his business is boarded up after the overnight fire.

Skokie firefighters met heavy smoke at the front door around 1:20 a.m.

"The heat was so intense that everything just melted," Davis said.

Eight neighboring fire departments came in to help.

"There was no machinery running. We're not operating at 1 o'clock in the morning," Davis said. "So, you know, something gave somewhere, and it started this fire."

Now, Davis has to break the news to longtime customers.

"Everything in there is a total loss, so there's no arguing about it," he told customers.

One man had a patchwork quilt in the dry cleaners.

"Well, we have a record of all this. It's just beginning," Davis told him. "Somebody will contact you and do something for you, okay."

The priority is serving customers and taking care of employees.

"Well, it's been our career," Davis said. "You know, this is our home — and the people who work here, they're our family."

The timing of the fire could not have been worse for Davis.

"A guy gave me a letter of intent yesterday to buy my business," he said.

Despite the destruction, Davis hopes the deal stays intact.

The next step for Davis and Kenny the Kleener will be the insurance adjuster. He also needs all the help he can get cleaning up the mess.

"It'll take a little while, but we'll get it," Davis said.

Fire officials confirmed no injuries were reported in the fire. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation.