New Genius Laundry Exceeding Expectations
– By Haley Jorgensen
Rodger Grossman isn’t new to the laundry industry. In 2008, he purchased and retooled an existing vended laundry in the heart of old Hollywood. A side hustle to his career in the film business, where he worked as a writer, director and producer, Grossman grew the laundry from $2,000 to $12,500 per week in revenue.
“After selling the business, I told myself if I ever went back in, I’d create the best store with the best technology and remove many of the barriers that previously put a ceiling on my success,” Grossman said. Long story short, he did just that. His new King Laundry debuted in August and is already exceeding expectations.
“I hoped to be cashflow positive in month six, but hit that mark in week one,” he said of his new high-speed laundry, in downtown Los Angeles. “The fact that we are where we are now — with a very comfy rate of return without any promotion — is extraordinary.”
He credits the early success to careful planning, a strip mall location with an El Pollo Loco anchor restaurant, great signage, unlimited parking, and Continental Girbau GS-Series Washers with Genius Control, which enable his 3,200-square-foot laundry to perform like a 5,000- or 6,000-square-foot store because of their exceptional throughput. “GS-Series Washers deliver higher customer rotation rates and lower dry times, which is essential because rent here is insanely expensive,” Grossman said.
All the Bells and Whistles
Fully attended and open 24 hours a day, King Laundry underwent a massive renovation and retooling. Grossman’s goal? To set it apart from the competition. So, in addition to GS-Series Washers and ExpressDry+ Dryers, the laundry showcases a San-O3-wash ozone system to ensure sanitized and super soft laundry loads, a Card Concepts FasCard payment system that allows customers to pay their way using a custom-designed King Laundry app, a custom filtration system providing the purest water, full-service WDF, and amenities including free Wi-Fi, Big Ass Fans, soap machines and 65-inch televisions.
During the renovation, Grossman worked closely with JARS & Associates, a premier architect, and Jason McAninch of Continental Girbau West, a laundry solutions provider in Santa Fe Springs, Calif. He also hired designer Bryan Wark to create what Grossman said looks more like an Apple store than a laundry.
450G GS-Series Soft-Mount Washers
Setting the stage for success are soft-mount GS Washers — in 23- to 80-pound capacities — with stainless construction, the industry’s largest 10-inch touchscreen user interface and 360° Vision Corner Status Lights. “They are stunning,” Grossman said. “The GS-Series with Genius Control provides a wow factor that is undeniable. They’re massively attractive to customers and contribute to a sleek look and modern vibe.”
Sustained extract speeds of 450 G-force remove more moisture from laundry, which in turn cuts drying time by up to 50%. Not only does this reduce natural gas costs because dryers operate less often, but it also significantly shortens the time it takes to wash, dry and fold laundry. As a result, King Laundry can support more paying customers per day with less square footage. Even better? Utility costs are lower, and customers are in and out in 60 minutes or less.
Largest Touchscreen User Interface in the Industry
Using the touchscreen, which is impact-, scratch- and water-resistant, customers choose from six or eight customizable cycle options — providing more control over how they wash their clothes. They can also select add-on options, including, “Extra Rinse,” “Extra Spin” and “Ozone,” each for an additional charge. Every time “Ozone” is selected, for example, it adds $1 to total vend price and ensures sanitization of laundry loads by injecting ozone into a cold-water rinse.
Not only does this sanitization differentiate King Laundry from other nearby stores, but it also ensures customer laundry is softer and fresher, too, said Grossman. Ozone also keeps the machines and drains sanitized. “I have the best smelling troughs in the business,” he said. At the end of the day, Grossman attests the multiple wash selections make for happier customers, while simultaneously maxing total store revenue.
“The touchscreen interface is intuitive and supports multiple languages,” Grossman said. “It reminds me of a MacBook in its design and its ease of use transcends any demographic.”
Switching to WDF & Commercial Programming
Furthermore, Grossman can use the touchscreen to display advertising promotions and services, or switch from customer-facing vended programming to attendant-facing WDF programming. This is critical because, according to Grossman, some WDF and commercial accounts require more sophisticated programming and automatic chemical injection to remove stains and oils.
Thus far, no other machine on the market offers this flexibility. “The goal is to integrate commercial programming with my WDF point-of-sale system, which will take some time,” he said. “I’m building my own WDF platform, and my intent is to integrate it with the Continental Genius software.” As full-service WDF business grows, Grossman will also launch pickup and delivery.
CCI FasCard
In the meantime, the FasCard payment system simplifies life for customers on the laundry floor. It allows them to pay using debit, credit, EBT and mobile wallet, or access the King Laundry app to add value, manage loyalty cards, remotely check machine availability, request cycle completion notifications and start machines. Behind the scenes, FasCard also simplifies laundry management — allowing Grossman to run promotions or pricing specials, access client data, refund customers, or view revenue and machine reports.
“It takes me one hour a week to collect the store,” said Grossman. “My last store was all coin and I was there two full days per week hauling quarters and managing cash. This is a game changer and massive life enhancer.”
Using Social Marketing
Beyond signage, dancing balloon guys and wavy flag signs, there’s been little marketing thus far. Nonetheless, business jumped 50% from month one to month two.
“My real marketing will focus on social media and in-store advertising,” said Grossman. “That’s all about to be launched.” Moreover, he’ll tap into social Wi-Fi, which allows customers to use their social media credentials to login to King Laundry’s guest Wi-Fi. As part of that process, customer names, demographics and emails are captured for future use.
Looking to the Future
“I’m happy with my laundry investment and I absolutely want more stores,” Grossman said. For now, though, he hopes to spend time developing new promotions and creating an outstanding customer experience.
To learn more about King Laundry, visit kinglaundry.com. To discover more about GS-Series Washers and other Continental Girbau vended laundry equipment, visit continentalgirbau.com or call 800-256-1073.
