A still half-asleep guest recently walked into the Clothing Care Center shortly after 6:30 a.m. The business had already been open for 30 minutes.

Robin Carstens, who bought the full-service dry cleaning and laundering business from her parents, Russ and Gladys Heys, a year ago, greeted the visitor. She had already been there for 90 minutes.

Upon buying the business, she obviously was able to choose her own hours. Get this: She chose to give herself a starting time of 5 a.m. as opposed to formerly showing up at 8. The business still opens at 6 a.m., but Carstens, a morning person who said she’s always operated on less-than-normal amounts of sleep, likes to get to the store and make sure everything’s ready when the rest of the help shows up.

“I love the people, I love the employees,” Carstens said. “I love what I do.”

Besides, come 4 or 4:30 p.m., Carstens changes roles from business owner to route driver, that is, for her busy children. Like the former Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, Carstens is a “hockey mom.” Brock, 11, and Maddy, 9, are both on traveling hockey teams. Between practices and games, there is someplace to be nearly seven days a week in the winter. When it isn’t hockey it’s something else.

Maddy “takes off that hockey uniform and jumps right into her dance gear,” Carstens said of her youngest, who also enjoys golf. Brock also plays baseball and golf.

The career stories of Mike and Robin Carstens are unique in today’s world. Both have worked at the same job nearly all their lives. Mike began at Interstate Meats, working in the plant at age 16. He was one of the few who made the transition when Interstate Meats sold to J&B Distributing.

“One day they just asked him if he’d be interested in trying sales,” said Robin, who added how fortunate they feel he was able to keep his job when the local company was sold.

Robin’s parents began managing Clothing Care Center in 1986, eventually assuming ownership. She began working there after cross country and track practices as a high school freshman.

“She immediately fell in love with the business,” Gladys Heys said.

Upon Robin’s graduation from Albert Lea High School in 1990, Russ and Gladys told their daughter she needed to continue on to college, even if she did want to continue working for them. According to Gladys, they told her she was too young to make such a huge commitment to the family business.

She did as they wished, earning an elementary education degree from St. Cloud State University, while coming back to work summers for them.

“We wanted to make sure she had choices,” Gladys said.

After college her parents made another request, that she give working outside the family business a try. She complied for one year. When that year was up she told them she was sure she wanted to work for them. At that point there was nothing left for the Heys’ to do, but welcome back the best employee they ever had.

“She said ‘OK, I’ve done as you requested,’” Gladys recalled. “We said ‘OK, if this is what you want, then you’re definitely ready.’”

Carstens said she loves all facets of the job, mentioning Clothing Care Center does more than laundering and dry cleaning. They also mend and fix a lot of clothing, doing all the work in house, except leather repair. That’s why the early — and long — hours don’t bother her.

“She’s such a people person,” Gladys said. “A lot of what she fell in love with is the people she encounters from day to day.”

Gladys, who along with Russ, still work some hours for their daughter, said people comment all the time on Carstens’ uncanny ability to recall names and details about people’s lives. That may have been part of what helped Clothing Care Center earn the 2006 Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year.

“She’s phenomenal” with names, Gladys said of her daughter. “She’ll ask them how so-and-so is doing. She’ll take the time to find out a little bit about them. They’re not just customers to her. They’re people.”

Carstens said she wakes up each day loving the idea of meeting that day’s challenges, first at work and then throughout her hectic weekends and evenings.

“I get so much out of it,” Carstens said of her job. “The pride I feel when something turns out the way it should. When I get to take a yellow-stained wedding dress and make it right. I love the pleasure that comes from doing my best.”