Originally posted – Oct 11, 2013
Jason Dodge – who owns Milwaukee Laundry & Tanning in Milwaukee, Wis. – has been in the self-service laundry business since 2007. And, until recently, his store has looked pretty much like every other laundromat in town.
However, in recent months, he has tapped into two of the passions from his youth – skateboards and BMX bikes – and has used them to help create a unique laundry brand all his own.
Why did you choose to decorate your store this way?
I had never put anything on the walls other than laundry-related signs. So, the walls were pretty bare. And we have 4,500 square feet, so there was a lot of open wall space.
Over the years, I’ve had different décor ideas, but I but never acted on them because none of them seemed quite right; it was like I was just looking to fill the voids on my walls – and that’s no fun. Then, I read an article in PlanetLaundry about branding, so I was giving it some thought, but I still didn’t know quite what to do.
However, when I was younger, I had a few BMX bikes and skateboards, and really got into it. I decided I wanted to buy some old skateboards and BMX bikes, but I couldn’t really justify the expense. I’m not much of a collector, and I generally won’t buy things that I can’t use in some way.
However, after searching eBay and Craigslist, I discovered that there is a strong collectors’ market for that kind of stuff. I guess I am not the only one out there trying to stay young through reacquiring items from their childhood. Maybe it’s the fact that I just turned 40 – at least that’s what my wife, Stephanie, thinks.
So, I decided it would be a great way for me to collect some old-school skateboards and BMX bikes that were cool when I was a kid, and be able to display them at the store. Plus, it was a good way to sell the idea to my wife: “After all, honey, I’m just trying to create a brand for the laundromat.” It sounded good to me.
How did you acquire the bikes and boards you display?
The skateboards are all reproduction decks that can be purchased from skate shops. I was originally looking at buying actual ’80s decks, but some have collector values from $300 to $1,000 each. I wanted to put nice decks on the walls and soon realized that a good condition 1983 Tony Hawk deck is close to $1,000.
Then I discovered the limited edition reproduction decks. These reproduction decks are much more reasonable, although still not cheap. They look just like the originals, are all in new condition and still have been increasing in value because they are all limited production.
The bikes were a little tougher to get. I had to be creative because these also are very collectable, and good condition bikes can bring several hundred or even thousands of dollars. I studied the market and kept a close eye on Craigslist, eBay and BMXmuseum.com and bought whenever good deals came up. I also spread the word through some of my friends who are into collecting various things.
I was able to buy a couple of really nice complete bikes, but I had to build some myself. For example, I would find a nice frame, but the rest of the bike would be trashed; so then I would have to find the parts I needed on another bike or bikes, and sell what I didn’t use and recoup a few bucks. This seemed to work, but I still have at least a dozen BMX bikes at my house. Some I need to sell and some are just too rare to put at the laundromat.
Do you have plans to add more items to this collection?
Yes. In fact, I just added three more skateboard decks and have plans to add more. I also would like to add other BMX paraphernalia, such as BMX number plates, shirts and handle bars – or maybe just hang some wheels from the ceiling. It’s a work in progress, and I will add things here and there.
Do you worry about the security of the items on display?
We put a lot of thought into security. We are attended, so I wasn’t too worried about something disappearing during the day. But I was worried about at night. We have a web-based security camera system and an alarm, but I realized we couldn’t rely on just that.
The skateboards are mounted high on the walls, and I used security screws through existing holes in the decks to hang them. Someone would need a ladder and some special tools to get them without damaging them.
For the BMX bikes, I had to have custom wall brackets made. A friend of mine is pretty creative and can make anything. So we came up with a design that would allow the bike to hang from its frame and be clamped in two places. We also have visible aircraft cable looping around in two spots that are attached by two locks. It’s been done in a manner that doesn’t take away from the bike’s appearance, but there are visible security measures in place. I believe anybody can steal anything if they put their mind to it, but this will at least slow them down.
How have your customers responded to the new décor?
The response has been great. I’ve had many compliments from women, which I didn’t expect – and it seems most men and children just love it. We get a lot of questions about the bikes, and kids will just walk around pointing at the walls, talking about how they like this one or that one.
This has been a fun process, and I think the branding will work. It’s something you just don’t expect in a laundromat. Instead of being that laundromat in the corner of the strip mall, I’m that laundromat with all of the BMX bikes and skateboards on the walls. You can’t forget that, plus it works well with our store’s bike giveaways.
It fits my personality, and I certainly have more fun at work now.
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