Curtis Berger Owns Six Earlybird Laundromat Locations in Northern New Jersey
Huebsch has named Curtis Berger the latest recipient of its Store Owner of the Quarter Award for the growth and success he has achieved with his six – soon to be seven – Earlybird Laundromat locations, scattered throughout northern New Jersey.
“Curtis has seen tremendous growth since entering the laundry industry 15 years ago,” said Kathryn Rowen, North American sales manager for Huebsch. “He proves that a hard-working attitude, accompanied by a supportive distributor and manufacturer, will lead to success. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for Curtis and continuing to support him on his journey.”
After receiving his Certified Public Accountant accreditation and pursuing a career in mortgage-backed securities in New York City, Berger decided to leave banking and follow in his great-grandfather’s footsteps, pursuing a small-business venture.
He moved to New Jersey and opened his first drycleaning business in 1996, achieving great success. However, five years later, Berger decided to sell his drycleaning business and open retail self-service laundries equipped with technology that would enable him to manage multiple stores remotely. Since opening his first laundry in 2000, Berger has opened a new store every two years.
Throughout his journey, Berger has relied on Cliff Ross from Metropolitan Machinery to guide him.
“Cliff is familiar with the demographics of specific regions I’m interested in,” Berger explained. “He is able to help me make location decisions by reviewing variables such as percentage of renters, people per household and income levels of the local population.”
Berger added that Ross’s “invaluable industry knowledge”has not only made him a loyal customer but also a successful businessman, continuing to grow and expand his Earlybird chain. And it was this dedication to his laundry business and drive to continue to grow that earned him the Store Owner of the Quarter honor.
“I continue to choose Huebsch equipment not only because I have a strong relationship with my distributor, but because I have seen them evolve over the past 15 years, much like my own business,” Berger said.
Introduced last year, the Store Owner of the Quarter Award recognizes Huebsch operators who have excelled in entrepreneurism, technology adoption, innovation, and superior customer and community service.
