John Pinnock
Laundry City
Baltimore, Md.

Bio MarchBefore 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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