Jay Desai
Green Laundry Lounge
Greer, S.C.
Before Getting into the Laundry Business…
Green Laundry Lounge founder and part-owner Jay Desai is a design engineer, a self-described foodie and a hobbyist photographer. Desai is passionate about the environment, and he developed his vision for “reinventing the laundromat” to ensure that his venture into entrepreneurship also reflected his commitment to the environment.
Store Opening
Green Laundry Lounge had its soft opening in December 2021.
Business Hours
6:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. daily
Staff
Five employees in the café and three laundry attendants
Total Square Footage
4,000 square feet
Parking Availability
52 parking spaces
Lease or Own?
Green Laundry Lounge is on a 15-year lease.
The Building
Desai built the laundromat from the ground up. It is located in Palms at Brushy Creek, a new retail strip center in Greer. Due to the pandemic, the project suffered from equipment delays, as well as some unexpected holdups in construction.
The Café
“Green Laundry Lounge features a café with a dedicated barista, as well as both indoor and outdoor seating,” Desai explained. “Customers can enjoy a fresh coffee, a smoothie or a snack, while waiting on their laundry to process.
“Our vision for café is to provide fresh, organic, healthy, farm-to-table food options, and most will be sourced locally. Freshly roasted coffee beans are supplied by Greenville’s own Due South Coffee Roasters, and the food is created through a partnership with Oak Hill Café and Farm in Greenville.”
Marketplace Demographics
Desai described his laundromat’s customer demographics as “mid- to upscale.”
Payment Options
The washers and dryers at Green Laundry Lounge accept $1 coins. Desai said he also plans to install a SpyderWash payment system.
Washers and Dryers
- 22 Electrolux washers – in 18-, 25-, 45- and 80-pound capacities
- 22 Electrolux dryers – in 35-, 50- and 83-pound capacities
Flooring
Sealed concrete flooring
Lighting
LED bulbs and skylights
Arcade/Video Games
The store features an iPad station.
Televisions
Three televisions – with 55-, 65- and 75-inch screens
Wash-Dry-Fold Service
- $1.50 per pound
- 10-pound minimum order
Wetcleaning Service
“Green Laundry Lounge will offer a state-of-the-art wetcleaning system,” Desai said. “It won’t feature any harmful chemicals, rather it will use water and eco-friendly soap.”
Additional Amenities
- Beer and wine
- Specialty coffees
- Electric car charging stations
- GLL’s own brand of eco-friendly soaps and other laundry products
- Indoor and outdoor children’s play areas
Upcoming Locations
Desai has plans to open two additional Green Laundry Lounge locations in the future.
Distributor
Barry Carter, Highland Equipment, Ashville, N.C., (828) 274-7343
