Phillip and Lois Irwin
Waters Express Laundry Center
Tampa, Fla.

Waters BioBefore Getting into the Laundry Business…

Phil Irwin is retired from the United States Air Force and is a former McDonald’s franchisee, with three locations.

Store Opening

December 2013

Business Hours

• Monday – Thursday: 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
• Friday – Sunday: 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.

Staff

Six part-time attendants and one full-time manager

Total Square Footage

3,200 square feet

Parking

21 spaces

Lease or Own?

A seven-year lease, with three seven-year options

Existing Location or New Store?

Waters Express Laundry was built from the ground up.

Construction Process

Six months

Cost, Including Laundry Equipment

$1,275,000

Turns Per Day

6.3

“We’re still growing at a rate of three to five new customers per week,” Phil noted.

Utility Costs

9.7 percent of gross revenue

Marketplace Demographics

“The market is 79 percent Hispanic and features mostly renters,” Phil explained. There is a low-income section of the marketplace, as well as a high-end area with incomes above $60,000.

Competition

There are eight other self-service laundries within the marketplace.

Payment Options

Waters Express Laundry is a card store that accepts all forms of payment, except for debit cards.

Washers and Dryers

24 Continental 20-pound frontloaders, $2.19
12 Continental 40-pound frontloaders, $4.19
4 Continental 55-pound frontloaders, $7.25
4 Continental 90-pound frontloaders, $10.49
20 Continental 30-pound stack dryers, 34 cents for six minutes
18 Continental 45-pound stack dryers, 54 cents for six minutes
4 Continental 75-pound dryers, 79 cents for six minutes

Water Heating System

5 Rinnai on-demand water heaters

Card System

Card Concepts Inc. X-Changer card system

Bill Changer

1 American Changer AC-7815 bill changer

Laundry Carts

22 R&B Wire Products laundry carts

Folding Tables

12 customized granite tables

Flooring

Slip-resistant ceramic tile

Lighting

LED lighting

Soap Vending

1 Vend-Rite Manufacturing soap vending machine, $1.00

Beverage Vending

1 BevMax 3800-4 beverage vending machine

Snack Vending

1 Dixie Narco AMS-35 snack vending machine

Arcade Games

• Galaga
• Ms. Pac-Man
• Silver Strike Bowling
• Pirate’s Chest

Televisions

5 50-inch HDTVs – two of them are LG EzSign televisions, which enable in-store training, sales and other information

Additional Amenities

• 16 security cameras
• Free WiFi access
• Baby-changing stations in the restrooms
• Dyson hand dryers

Wash-Dry-Fold Service

$1.10 per pound; 15-pound minimum

Commercial Accounts

$1.00 per pound

Drop-Off Drycleaning

$3.99 per piece

Distributor

Laundry Pro of Florida, Lakeland, Fla., (863) 701-7714

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