Todd and Debra Whitehill
Evan Whitehill
Tom Aumiller
McPherson Express Laundry Center
McPherson, Kan.
Before Getting into the Laundry Business…
Todd and Evan Whitehill also own an independent insurance agency. Tom Aumiller is a facilities manager. And Debra Whitehill is the laundry’s on-site manager involved with its daily operations.
Store Opening
November 7, 2014
Business Hours
7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily
Staff
One full-time attendant
Total Square Footage
3,200 square feet
Parking Availability
There are nine parking spaces directly in front of the store, with an additional 15 spaces on the side of the building.
Lease or Own?
The store operators own the building as partners. The 3,200 square feet that the laundromat occupies is part of a larger 7,600-square-foot facility. The other 4,400 square feet houses the Whitehill’s insurance agency office.
The Building Retrofit
“The 3,200-square-foot area was being used as individual office space when we purchased the building,” Todd explained. “We stripped the entire 3,200 square feet down to the metal skin and built it back to accommodate the laundromat. This included replacing the entire sewer system – along with adding new water and gas lines, new single- and three-phase electrical, and two new 7.5-ton ground-mounted RTUs. We created openings for and installed two walls of low-E windows, as well as putting in R-33 insulation throughout. We also constructed a utility room, an office, restrooms, a dryer wall and venting, and a fabric ceiling. In addition, we installed all of the delivery and return ductwork, corrugated metal siding on the inside exterior walls, and a two-inch firewall between the laundromat and office building. We re-poured the concrete floor and painted, while on the outside of the store we installed a playground, artificial turf and fencing. We also poured a concrete parking lot and created a garden area. Lastly, we installed a nine-camera security system.”
The entire process was completed in 11 months, with the owners handling 90 percent of the work.
The Cost
• Cost of the entire building: $125,000
• Cost of the laundromat remodel: $205,000
• Cost of the equipment: $345,000
Turns per Day
3.8
Utility Costs
Utility costs represent 7 percent of the business’ gross sales. “I know that figure sounds really low, but it is a city-owned utility — and all of our utilities are included,” Todd explained. “It’s one good thing about doing business here. Also, that calculation factors in our revenue from both self-service and wdf/commercial accounts.”
Marketplace Demographics
McPherson is a manufacturing-based, rural/farming community. “There is very low unemployment, with above-average wages and a significant amount of shift work,” Todd said.
Competition
There is one competitor within a mile of McPherson Express Laundry Center, with no other laundries with a 15-mile radius.
Payments Options
Coins, credit/debit cards and loyalty cards
Washers and Dryers
11 Continental Girbau 20-pound frontloaders, $2.50-$3.25
5 Continental Girbau 40-pound frontloaders, $4.75-$5.50
4 Continental Girbau 55-pound frontloaders, $7.00-$7.75
2 Continental Girbau 90-pound frontloaders, $11.75
10 Continental Girbau 30-pound stack dryers, $1.00 to start (20 minutes); 25 cents for each additional three minutes
16 Continental Girbau 45-pound stack dryers, $1.00 to start (12 minutes); 25 cents for each additional three minutes
Water Heating System
Hamilton Evolution water heater – with two heaters, two pumps and one tank
Water Softening
Culligan Hi-Flo 3e water softener, which services all of the washers
Card System
CCI FasCard System, with 48 readers and one kiosk
Bill Changers
1 Standard Change-Makers MC520RL-DA bill changer
Laundry Carts
16 R&B Wire Products 2.5-bushel laundry carts with double poles
4 R&B Wire Products 6-bushel laundry carts
3 Uline 20-bushel basket trucks
Folding Tables
5 custom-made fired wood tables with varnish and heavy-duty tubing undercarriage and custom pipe clothes hangers
Flooring
“We used the original concrete floor of the building – including the new concrete that was replaced during renovations – and used a grinder/polisher to remove any debris to provide a smooth surface,” Todd said. “We then coated it with Armor-Poxy with flakes.”
Lighting
LED Lighting
Soap Vending
1 Vend-Rite Manufacturing VM360CS12 soap vendor
Beverage and Snack Vending
1 AMS60 full-view multi-vend machine, with drinks and snacks
Arcade-Style Games
1 crane machine
1 Merit Force 2006 video game
Televisions
6 32-inch televisions
1 55-inch television
Children’s Play Area
“We have a 16- by 44-foot outside, fenced-in area for our children, which has its entrance inside the laundromat,” Todd explained. “It is completely enclosed and includes benches and Astro-Turf for the children to play on. We also have a small children’s reading area within the laundromat, as well as an outdoor garden/sitting area that serves as a place for our smoking and non-smoking customers to relax or watch their children in the children’s area.”
Additional Amenities
• Free Wi-Fi
• Free pickup and delivery
• Coffee
Wash-Dry-Fold Service
$1.60 per pound; 10-pound minimum
Commercial Accounts
“In the first 12 months after opening, we were able to secure all of the uniforms for our local oil refinery and have been perfecting the processes involved in laundering fire retardant clothing of all types,” Todd said. “We pick up and deliver with a 7- by 16-foot enclosed trailer twice a week. As we provide many services for this account – including sewing, badging, barcoding and alterations – the pricing for this account varies widely. In general, for the laundering, we receive $1.50 per pound. We are now preparing to solicit additional commercial business within our manufacturing-based community.”
Distributor
Commercial Laundry Sales & Service
Wichita, Kan.
(316) 267-6650
