PlanetLaundry Podcast
America’s #1 Resource for Vended Laundry News & Info
PlanetLaundry is the official publication of CLA and is trusted by thousands of laundry professionals to deliver the latest news and industry-specific topics.
Providing Value, Creating Loyalty… Building Business
Laundromat Owners Discuss the Art of Crafting Creative Customer Promotions Customer promotions can play a crucial role in running a successful laundry business. Done correctly, they not only attract new customers, but also help to retain existing ones. In this...
Unfolding Opportunities for Laundromat Investment
Advice for Today’s New and Prospective Store Owners Throughout my career, I’ve been privileged to assist a wide spectrum of laundry investors – from those acquiring their very first laundromats to seasoned stakeholders managing portfolios of more than a hundred...
Still Serving
Former Marine Operates Laundromat/Fitness Center in Upstate New York Bryan Donegan’s first child was born while he was serving in Afghanistan as an intelligence specialist for the U.S. Marine Corps’ 1st Battalion, 9th Marines unit. However, once Donegan returned home...
Headlines
ACI Unveils Spanish Language Version of ‘Packets Up!’ Website
The American Cleaning Institute has launched a Spanish version of its Packets Up! webpage. The Packets Up! initiative was developed to help reduce the number of unintended exposures to liquid laundry packets among children. The new webpage features a whiteboard video,...
Laundromax Opens First Texas Location
Laundry Capital – a Rego Park, N.Y., company consisting of the Laundromax and Clean Rite laundromat brands – has announced the grand opening of its first Laundromax location in Texas. With more than 80 laundromats in the United States, the newest Laundromax, located...
Newsweek Names Whirlpool One of America’s Most Responsible Companies
Whirlpool Corp. has announced that it has been recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s Most Responsible Companies for 2024. The annual recognition, acknowledging the most responsible companies in the United States across 14 industries, is presented by Newsweek and...
Vive La Différence
How to Use Diversity Marketing to Boost Sales and Grow Your Laundry Business For a long time, marketing efforts for companies big and small had one major common denominator. Essentially, they all targeted an older, white audience. Years ago, this strategy may have...
An Active ‘Retirement’
Michigan Store Owner Thrives During ‘Second Act’ Laundromat Career Jim Legato has never been one to let grass grow under his feet. Following a 30-year career with the Michigan Bell telephone company, Legato’s initial entrance into the laundromat industry might appear...
Laundromats 2024: Opportunities, Challenges… and Industry Evolution
Business Leaders Take a Close Look at Key Factors Shaping the Vended Laundry Market in the Coming Year The laundromat industry is currently navigating a complex landscape shaped by economic challenges, technological advancements, and shifting consumer preferences....
The Many Faces of Modern Laundromats
Today’s Technology is Paving the Way for a Variety of Laundry Business Models In an industry as established as ours, it’s tempting to think there’s a sole blueprint for success. Yet, as we delve deeper, we discover a vibrant patchwork of innovation and individuality....
‘The Taj Mahal of Laundromats’
Venerable Drycleaning Business Evolves with the Launch of Modern, State-of-the-Art Laundromats Jeff Engle likes to use analogies. And the general manager for Sheldon Cleaners in Grand Rapids, Mich., has a great one for the two vended laundry operations his company...
EVI Reports Record First Quarter Results
EVI Industries Inc. recently announced its results for the first quarter of its fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, including record revenue and gross profit. Since 2016, EVI has completed 25 acquisitions, expanded into new geographies, retained and invested in...
PayRange Adds PayPal, Venmo to Digital Funding Options
Mobile payment provider PayRange Inc. has announced the integration of PayPal and Venmo (United States only) as funding sources within the PayRange wallet. PayRange’s growing user base of more than 7 million can now use these popular digital funding sources for...
4Ward Energy Solutions Announces Financial Commitment to LaundryCares
4Ward Energy Solutions – which teams with the Coin Laundry Association on the trade group’s energy management program – recently announced a long-term financial commitment to the LaundryCares Foundation. 4Ward Energy will donate $1 per laundromat location...
CLA, Industry Leaders Meet with California Lawmaker on Microfiber Issue
Representatives from the Coin Laundry Association and its lobbyists, as well as local southern California laundromat owners, held a one-on-one meeting with California Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, the sponsor of CA AB 1628, a bill that would require every washer sold...
SPONSORED CONTENT
This Month's Issue
- Reimagining the Laundromat Experience: Technology, Design, and a Strong Focus on the Customer Have Set a New Standard for Store Amenities
- Business Management: Building a Positive Workplace Culture
- Digital Marketing: Make Your Laundromat a Place People Love
- Company Close-Up: The Vision Behind Masters Laundry Equipment
- And More…
THE LATEST ON LAUNDROMATS
Industry News
Alliance Distribution Names General Manager for West Region
Alliance Laundry Systems has promoted John Endahl to general manager of the Alliance Laundry Systems Distribution West Region South Gate office. “John has been a proven performer since he joined the sales staff of our Los Angeles area office,” said Craig Dakauskas,...
EVI Industries Reports Third Quarter Results
EVI Industries, Inc. recently announced its operating results for the three- and nine-month periods ended March 31, 2024 – including record revenue, gross profit, and operating cash flows for the nine-month period, and record gross margin and operating cash flows for...
WASH Licenses PayRange Mobile Payment Technology
Mobile payment provider PayRange has entered into a non-exclusive licensing arrangement with WASH Multifamily Laundry Systems, one of the largest providers of laundry facilities management services in the United States. The agreement licenses PayRange’s patents for...
Laundrylux Distribution Opens New Office and Fulfillment Center in California
Laundrylux Distribution has announced the opening of its new distribution center in Commerce, Calif. The facility will enable the company to enhance its operations, product offerings, and overall customer experience for laundromat owners and commercial laundry...
CLA to Survey Laundry Owners
Each year, CLA and its flagship magazine, PlanetLaundry, publish an industry survey of laundromat owners nationwide. The purpose of the survey is to compose a profile of today’s laundromats in the United States – including key data on net profits, employee salaries,...
FROM YOUR FAVORITE INDUSTRY EXPERTS
Columns
The Laundry Doctor
Serving in Uncertain Times
The Laundry Doctor Shares His Plan of Attack During the COVID-19 Outbreak What we’re all going through right now with the COVID-19 pandemic is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event. It’s a test of who we are as people – and what we are as a civilization. As laundry owners,...
The Business Mind
Inflection Points: Preventive Maintenance for Your Laundromat
Quiet Reflection on the Future Path of Your Business May Be the Most Important Time You Spend All Week “Inflections points” are those moments in your life where events and decisions conspire to take you in a different direction, thus altering the course of at least...
Wash With Wally
Wash with Wally: Safe Bleaching, Cleaning Lint Screens, More…
I offer a wash-dry-fold service at my laundromat, and I was wondering if there is any product we could use in place of chlorine bleach. The problem we occasionally run into is that my attendants will mistakenly use the chlorine bleach on colored garments, which will...
Viewpoint
Enthusiasm for Our ‘Essential’ Industry
The laundromat business has proven itself to be recession-resistant, pandemic-resistant – and, yes, “essential.” As a result, the industry is growing at a rate at which I’ve never seen before. People are fleeing corporate America to build or buy laundromats. Current...
Digital Marketing
Localize Your Message
Five Local Marketing Tactics That Can Grow Your Laundry Business Marketing can be a tricky subject to approach. On one hand, you want to attract new customers and gain business. On the other hand, you have a lot of options, information, competing ideas, and most...
Strategic Corporate Allies Program
Our Strategic Corporate Allies support CLA’s mission through advocacy, education, and innovation to strengthen the industry, advance our members’ businesses, and prepare the next generation of laundry professionals for the future.
Interested in becoming a Strategic Corporate Ally of CLA? Contact President & CEO, Brian Wallace via email at [email protected] or call (630) 491-0499.