Jim Mason
South 4th Street Mega Grande Laundromat
DeKalb, Ill.
Before Getting into the Laundry Business…
Jim is a real estate investor who has serviced the laundry equipment in his apartment buildings all over the Midwest for 30 years.
Store Opening
May 22, 2015
Business Hours
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily
Staff
Three part-time employees
Total Square Footage
6,200 square feet
Parking Availability
50 parking spaces
Lease or Own?
Jim owns the building and the equipment.
The Building
“I built this store from the ground up in an existing building,” Mason explained. “The building was a vacant grocery store. When purchasing the building, I had plans to use 6,200 square feet for the laundromat and the remaining 21,000 square feet for a bowling alley family fun center with bar. The bowling alley family fun center is still in the initial planning stages, and the vacant space is currently available for rent or sale.
The Construction Process
It took one year to complete the laundry.
Marketplace Demographics
The store serves “hard-working people with dirty clothes,” according to Mason.
Payment Options
Coins
Washers and Dryers
16 Dexter 20-pound frontloaders, $2.50
20 Dexter 30-pound frontloaders, $3.50
12 Dexter 50-pound frontloaders, $5.50
8 Dexter 80-pound frontloaders, $9.00
2 Dexter 90-pound frontloaders, $10.00
36 Dexter 30-pound stack dryers
8 Dexter 50-pound stack dryers
Water Heating System
Lochinvar water heating system
Bill Changers
1 American Changer quarter machine
1 American Changer dollar coin machine
1 American Changer Bill Breaker machine
Laundry Carts
30 R&B Wire Products laundry carts
Folding Tables
13 customized, hand-built folding tables
Flooring
Floorguard epoxy flooring
Lighting
LED lighting
Beverage Vending
1 beverage vending machine, $1.25 per bottle
Arcade/Video Games
The store features eight arcade games, which are leased.
Televisions
14 55-inch LED televisions
Children’s Play Area
This area includes special seating, a television dedicated to children’s cartoons and an arcade-style crane machine.
Additional Amenities
• Free WiFi
• Cable television
• Satellite radio
Wash-Dry-Fold Service
$1.50 per pound; $10.00 minimum
Distributor
D&M Equipment Co., Chicago, (773) 889-5500
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