It’s Gotta be the Shoes … Right?

It’s Gotta be the Shoes … Right?

Spike Lee’s famous Nike ads with Michael Jordan were always talking about shoes as if the shoes made the magic. But we know that the shoes are just part of the equation and the real magic comes from the person wearing them.  Bob Nieman spent more than two decades...
Viewpoint: What a Year It Has Been

Viewpoint: What a Year It Has Been

At the beginning of the year in this space, I posed the question: “What can the CLA do for you?” More than a catchy (and borrowed) tagline, it was a sincere effort to solicit feedback from CLA members – our customers – as to what they wanted the association to provide...
Our Industry is Alive, Well… And Thriving

Our Industry is Alive, Well… And Thriving

Having now had the opportunity to fully digest my time at last month’s Clean Show in Atlanta, I’m happy to report that the self-service laundry industry – as well as the residential wash-dry-fold and pickup-and-delivery segments of the business – are alive and well....
What’s Your Secret Sauce?

What’s Your Secret Sauce?

In researching and writing the July cover story on the use of ozone in laundromats, one main theme kept popping up among everyone I spoke with – differentiation. Of course, some laundromat owners have been incorporating ozone into their operations for years. And,...
Anticipating the Renewal of Clean 2022

Anticipating the Renewal of Clean 2022

“The waiting is the hardest part.” – Tom Petty, from “The Waiting” Although many of us initially assumed this classic rock staple from Tom Petty was yet another song about pining for the return to that special someone, Petty himself actually described it as an...
Not Your Father’s Laundromat Buildout

Not Your Father’s Laundromat Buildout

When it comes to building a new laundromat these days, it’s a whole different ballgame that it was 35, 25 or even 15 years ago. I can remember when all I needed was a clean, hand-drawn, to-scale plan with an architect’s stamp – and I could get a building permit within...