John Pinnock
Laundry City
Baltimore, Md.
Before Getting into the Laundry Business…
Pinnock was a consulting arborist, as well as involved in real estate investment.
Store Opening
November 15, 2014
Business Hours
Laundry City is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Staff
Five full-time staffers and five part-time attendants
Total Square Footage
10,000 square feet
Parking
The store features is own dedicated parking lot with 84 spaces.
Lease or Own?
Pinnock owns the entire shopping center, which includes a 6,000-square-foot building that houses a restaurant, a daycare center and a phone store.
Existing Location or New Store?
Laundry City was built from ground up.
Construction Process
The entire project took 11 months, for a total cost of $4 million.
Utilities Costs
Approximately 15% of gross revenue
Demographics
90 percent African-American, 65 percent renters and mainly low-income
Competitors
Four other stores within five miles
Payment Options
A coin-less laundry card system that accepts cash and credit/debit cards.
Washers and Dryers
20 Electrolux 20-pound frontloaders
27 Electrolux 30-pound frontloaders
35 Electrolux 45-pound frontloaders
22 Electrolux 62-pound frontloaders
12 Electrolux 77-pound frontloaders
84 Electrolux 30-pound stack dryers
30 Electrolux 45-pound stack dryers
Water Heating System
Bradford White water heater
Laundry Carts
60 R&B Wire Products laundry carts
Bill Changers
Rowe bill changers
Card System
CCI X-Changer system
Folding Tables
24 customized granite tables
Flooring
Ceramic tile flooring
Lighting
High bay lighting fixtures
Beverage/Snack Vending
Vend-Rite Manufacturing combo vending machine
Detergent Vending
Vend-Rite Manufacturing soap vending machine
Televisions
25 50-inch HDTVs
Children’s Play Area
The laundry has designated a 300-square-foot play area, which features a padded floor, books, toys, etc.
Additional Amenities
• Free customer pickup shuttle (9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily)
• A 400-square-foot adult lounge
• 2 quiet rooms, featuring free computer access
• Free Wi-Fi
• Free charging station
• Text messaging system, which allows customers to run errands and receive text messages when their laundry is almost finished
• 40 leather, vinyl and cushioned chairs
Wash-Dry-Fold Service
$1 per pound; $15 minimum. Laundry City offers free pickup and delivery for wash-dry-fold customers with orders of $50 or more.
Commercial Accounts
$1 per pound. Current clients include hair salons and nursing homes.
Distributor
U.S. Machinery, Beltsville, Md., (301) 345-8437
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