Owner Kilja Kim is closing her business, Edelweiss Tailoring & Cleaners, on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, after 35 years. (Peggy Kim)
Orinda, Calif. - In a small, close-knit community like Orinda, many residents are well aware of the arrivals and departures of neighbors and businesses. And when a 35-year-old business decides to call it a day, residents will take notice.
On Friday, 85-year-old Kilja Kim will permanently shut the doors of Edelweiss Tailoring & Cleaners on Moraga Way.
Edelweiss has been among the few businesses that have stood along the city’s bustling Theater District for more than a generation.
It has remained open through at least two iterations of the popular Nation's Giant Hamburgers restaurant; it was there before chain coffee shops Peet’s and the now-shuttered Starbucks occupied the same stretch of Moraga Way; and it kept its doors open, even through cutbacks and threats of closure the landmark Orinda Theater faced over the years.
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Longtime customers have called Edelweiss an institution and in many ways a throwback, during a time when technology has embedded its way into virtually every aspect of life.
Kim, an expert tailor who learned her skills from her mother growing up, has used traditional methods and her skilled needle work to alter her customers’ clothing.
Community outpouring
Since word got out of plans to close, a consistent stream of longtime customers have stopped by to thank Kim for her work and for being a part of the community and their lives.
They have dropped off cards, flowers, and brought many well-wishes.
Some reflected on how she’s been there through the events of their own lives, commenting on how their kids have been born and raised during the time they’ve come to her seeking her services.
One customer, who came in to congratulate her on her retirement, noted how his son, now a grown adult, would come in as a toddler and stand only yea-high to the counter.
Another stopped in and shared how Kim’s alterations reflected her life’s moments through all the "taking in" and "letting out" of her clothes.
Many thanked her for coming through all those times they needed a last-minute, rush alteration for that upcoming special occasion.
A unique place
Over the years, passers-by who weren’t familiar with the services the business offered, might need a minute to figure it out.
Edelweiss Tailor & Cleaners in Orinda has been in business for 35 years.
The store has been adorned with the things the owner loves: dogs, impressionist art, and, of course, countless photos of her adored grandchildren.
And if your visual sense wasn’t stimulated, you couldn’t miss the booming, yet calming classical music that floats through the air, welcoming visitors.
The backstory:
Kim was 50 when she opened the shop, a dream fulfilled, to do what she loved for a living.
An immigrant from Korea, she spent some of her early 20s living abroad in Switzerland, where its national flower is the edelweiss, hence the store’s name.
She’s also a big fan of the classic Julie Andrews film "The Sound of Music," which made the song "Edelweiss" popular. The business’s walls also included many photos of the delicate white flower.
Recognition for her dedication and work
On Tuesday, the mayor of Orinda stopped by to congratulate Kim on her retirement, acknowledging Edelweiss’s enduring and dedicated presence in the community.
Kilja Kim was recognized by Orinda Mayor Latika Malkani for her longtime presence in the community on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (Peggy Kim)
Kim’s family and friends said she would famously vow to work until the age of 90, a goal she almost reached.
But her health and limited mobility have prompted her decision to finally stop working.
What's next:
Kim, a grandmother of four, including two teenage grandchildren who live in Dublin, Ireland, plans to spend more time with her family and to take care of her health.
When asked by a longtime customer if she was happy to be reaching this milestone in her life, her response was swift and definitive.
"No! I'm happy not to have to work as much, but I'm sad too," Kim responded. "I've had such wonderful customers over the years."
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Sharon Song knows the longtime business owner and her family.