Dry Cleaning POS — Build Notes

Overview

Full-featured POS with order tracking, customer accounts, pricing rules, analytics, hardware integration, and SMS notifications. Built with Flask + SQLAlchemy and deployed as a local server for reliability.

Screenshots

Dry cleaning POS interface screenshot — POS interface for intake, status, and workflow tracking.

Problem

Legacy POS tools were brittle, expensive, and slow. Many owners kept spare parts for aging computers because a hardware failure could take the whole system down. The goal was a low‑maintenance, local system that stays fast and dependable without cloud dependencies.

Core Features

Order management from intake to pickup
Customer accounts with credit balance and audit trail
Multi-method payments (cash, card, credit)
Dynamic pricing by garment and service type
Analytics and reporting exports
SMS notifications via Twilio
Multi-station support (server, kiosks, scan stations)

System Architecture

Flask app with SQLAlchemy ORM
SQLite database in WAL mode
Waitress WSGI server in production
Bootstrap + vanilla JS front end

Hardware + Network Topology

flowchart LR R[Router] SW[Switch] AP[WiFi AP] MM[Mac mini] K[Kiosk] S[Staff] A[Admin] D[Other Devices] SC[Scanner] RP[Receipt Printer] LP[Label Printer] CC[Card Terminal] NET[Internet] R --> SW R --> NET SW --> MM SW --> AP AP --> K AP --> S AP --> A AP --> D S --> SC S --> RP S --> LP S --> CC

Software Data Flow

flowchart TB UI[Web UIs] WS[Web Server] APP[Flask App] BL[Business Logic] SMS[SMS] PR[Printing] DB[(SQLite DB)] BK[Backups] CR[Cron Jobs] PS[Power Scheduling] UI --> WS WS --> APP APP --> BL APP --> SMS APP --> PR APP --> DB DB --> BK CR --> BK CR --> PS

Data Model (Summary)

Customer → Order → Garment → GarmentService (pricing)
Payment + CreditTransaction for balance and audit trail
CashReconciliation for daily cash closeout
Employee + TimeLog for staff tracking

Deployment Modes

Server mode: main POS terminal (Waitress on port 5050)
Kiosk mode: customer pickup stations (Chrome kiosk)
Scan station: barcode intake workstations
Development mode: Flask dev server

Sitemap Summary

Public entry + health check
Admin dashboard, settings, and employee management
Customer management and order intake flow
Order builder, confirmation, and payment processing
Pickup kiosk + scan station workflows
Reporting, cash reconciliation, and exports
Printing pipeline and hardware services

Hardware Integration

Thermal label and receipt printers (Bixolon/Epson)
USB/Bluetooth barcode scanners (HID mode)
Cash drawer integration
Credit card terminal integration

Scalability

Scales from a single‑terminal shop to multi‑station operations with self‑serve kiosks. Because the system runs on a dedicated in‑store VLAN, any worker can access the software instantly from any device on the network (phones, iPads, scan stations, etc.).

Security & Privacy

Local-first data storage with scheduled backups
No customer data required to leave the premises
Configurable roles and admin settings

Challenges & Lessons

Legacy hardware and drivers across multiple printer models
Reliability under intermittent network and power issues
UX design for fast intake with minimal typing

Outcome

A stable, local POS platform that improves speed and reliability for daily operations while remaining flexible enough for shops of any size. Currently deployed across a small chain of dry cleaning stores in the Los Angeles area.

Next Steps

Continue expanding integrations (payments, printer models) and refine analytics/reporting workflows as the business grows.

Stack

Flask, SQLAlchemy, SQLite (WAL), Bootstrap, Waitress, Twilio.