Huebsch has named Mark Hickey the latest recipient of its Store Owner of the Quarter Award. Hickey owns and operates two successful Spin City laundromats, located in Millington, Tenn., and Horn Lake, Miss.
“Mark Hickey is an accomplished laundromat owner and is dedicated to providing quality customer service,” said Kathryn Rowen, Huebsch North American sales manager. “He always puts his customers first and goes out of his way to make them feel welcome. We look forward to building this partnership with Mr. Hickey and watching his businesses continue to grow.”
Prior to investing in the laundry industry, Hickey used his accounting degree to work his way up to treasury manager for Circuit City in Richmond, Va. In 2009, the company closed and he decided to move back to Memphis to be closer to his family – and he began researching potential investment opportunities that would provide a stable income.
Following his research, Hickey made the decision to purchase a self-service laundry, and he turned to Mike Leake from Memphis-based Larry & Mike’s Laundry Services for guidance. Leake helped Hickey find and evaluate a number of existing stores that were available for sale, and Hickey purchased his current two stores.
He needed to replace some of the machines immediately and wanted to feature a single brand of equipment in his stores.
“There were already a few Huebsch machines in my stores, and they were more durable and efficient compared to the other equipment,” Hickey said. “Mike Leake helped advise me on the equipment, as well as many other important decisions I needed to make in order for my laundromats to succeed.”
A few years after acquiring his laundromats, Hickey decided he wanted to move his businesses to new buildings to improve the look and feel of his stores. He worked closely with Huebsch Laundry Design services to determine the best layout for his stores, as well as Huebsch Financial to finance his equipment replacement to provide the best mix of machines for his customers.
Both new stores were designed to provide customers with plenty of space. Hickey also offers a variety of amenities to make the experience at the new Spin City stores more enjoyable, including free Wi-Fi, a wash-dry-fold service and vending machines, as well as an ATM at the Horn Lake store.
“The existing customers are happy with the new locations and new customers are drawn to the businesses due to the extra space, amenities and Huebsch equipment,” Hickey explained. “Mike Leake really took me under his wing when I was getting started, and I’m so grateful for his continued support over the years. He’s been a great partner.”
Introduced in 2014, the Store Owner of the Quarter program recognizes Huebsch laundry owners who have excelled in entrepreneurism, technology adoption, innovation, and superior customer and community service.
