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.
‘I’m Pushing for Our Younger Generation’
Former Educator Brings Learning to the Laundromat Once a teacher, always a teacher. Laundromat owner Sheleah McPherson is a former educator who knows first-hand the importance of early literacy to a child’s future success. And now – as the operator of Leah’s...
PUD: Your Game Plan for Success
Building and Promoting Your Laundromat’s Pickup-and-Delivery Business Waleed Cope believes that we’ve only just scratched the surface of what residential laundry pickup and delivery can be. “As more and more people incorporate more service-based businesses into their...
Knowing When the Price is Right
Laundromat Owners Share the Pricing Philosophies They Utilize to Keep Their Self-Service Customers Happy – And Their Bottom Lines Healthy [This is the second of a two-part series on vend price strategies for today’s self-service laundry businesses. Read Part 1 here.]...
Headlines
EVI to Acquire ALCO Washer Center
EVI Industries Inc. recently announced that it has executed a definitive agreement to acquire ALVF Inc. – dba ALCO Washer Center, a distributor of commercial laundry products and provider of related technical installation and maintenance services to the laundromat and...
A Fresh Spin on Your Laundromat’s Profits
Marketing Strategies to Boost Business with Ancillary Revenue Streams You know what’s impressive? A laundromat owner with big dreams. I was chatting with one the other day who wasn’t content with just making money from washers and dryers. She wanted to use every inch...
Wash with Wally: The Keys to Cleaning Cloth Restaurant Napkins
I have potential commercial account that would require us to launder cloth napkins for an Italian restaurant. The napkins are red and most certainly will have oil and other food stains. The client wants these napkins laid out flat for delivery. What are the best...
Relatively Speaking
How to Navigate the Minefield of Working with Family Members Years ago, after earning my master’s degree in clinical psychology, I went to work in my father’s foundry business as the company’s director of sales. At the time – and as is likely the case today as well –...
Alliance Distribution Announces Fall Shows
Alliance Laundry Systems Distribution-West Region in California has released its fall show schedule, which kicks off on September 8 in San Diego and wraps up September 16 in San Francisco. The Fall Laundry Festival will feature special rebates on Speed Queen models,...
ACI Unveils Bilingual Laundry Safety Resource
The American Cleaning Institute recently convened with hundreds of top safety experts and partners at the Safe Kids Worldwide Childhood Injury Prevention Convention for four days of conversation focused on preventing unintentional childhood injuries. During the event,...
All the Buzz
An Interview with Katy Chen of Laundrybee Katy Chen is the founder and CEO of Laundrybee, a chain of nine, branded laundromats located within the five boroughs of New York City. Ms. Chen has owned and operated numerous laundromats over that last 20 years. And, in...
At Your Service
Planning for Full-Service Offerings at Your Laundromat A growing number of vended laundries are now offering full-service wash-dry-fold and/or residential/commercial laundry services. And for good reason. After all, through this type of diversification of services,...
Alliance Distribution Expands West Region
Alliance Laundry Systems has acquired the distribution assets of Dynamic Sales and Service, based in Kirkland, Wash. Dynamic has more than three decades of experience providing commercial laundry solutions in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. “We remain committed to...
PayRange, Turns Announce Exclusive Partnership
PayRange Inc., a provider of mobile payments for unattended retail operations, has announced an exclusive licensing agreement with laundromat and drycleaning software provider Turnsapp Inc. “We are particularly impressed by the scope and caliber of Turn’s offerings,”...
More Than Just Laundry
Store Owners Share Profitable Business Options and Service Offerings They Run in Tandem with Their Laundromat Operations Successful laundromat entrepreneurs have always focused on two things – customer service and efficiency. In other words, best serving the customer...
CLA Promotes Gonzalez
The Coin Laundry Association has named Christina Gonzalez the organization’s new director of finance and human resources. Gonzalez, who joined CLA in April 2012, most recently served as the association’s director of administration and accounting. In her new role, she...
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
Eastern Funding Adds Brendan Ristaino to Commercial Financing Sales Team
Eastern Funding LLC, a financial lender to laundromats and other businesses, recently announced that Brendan Ristaino has joined the company as a loan officer. Ristaino joins Eastern Funding with several decades of experience in the laundry industry. He began his...
Paystri Introduces New Program to Protect Laundry Owners from Chargebacks
Paystri, a payment processing company based in Salem, Mass., has launched Laundry Guard, a new program created to protect its laundry-owner customers who utilize Card Concepts Inc. payment equipment from chargebacks and fees that cut into profits. According to...
Milnor Promotes Brock Pellerin to Vice President
Pellerin Milnor Corp., headquartered in Kenner, La., has announced the promotion of Brock Pellerin to the position of vice president. Pellerin began his career with Milnor in 2006 as a member of the company’s Application Engineering Department. However he previously...
LG Expands Relationship with WASH
LG Electronics recently announced that it has grown its relationship with WASH, one of the largest laundry route businesses in North America. The new agreement will enable LG to increase its position within the multi-family housing and university dormitory laundry...
Eastern Funding Launches Workshop Series for Laundry Businesses
Industry financial lender Eastern Funding LLC recently announced the launch of its latest round of workshops for laundry businesses. These in-person sessions are designed to provide a forum for laundry owners, prospective investors, and other industry participants...
FROM YOUR FAVORITE INDUSTRY EXPERTS
Columns
The Laundry Doctor
The Business Mind
Are Your Attendants Happy?
Developing a Positive Employee Culture is One of the Most Important Ways to Strengthen Your Laundry Business A large and growing body of research devoted to positive organizational psychology has demonstrated that not only is a “cut-throat” business environment...
Wash With Wally
Wash with Wally: The Basics of Building a Full-Service Laundry Arsenal
What types of cleaning products and other items are required for my laundromat to have what would be considered a fully stocked wash-dry-fold arsenal for my attendants? Essentially, to start a wash-dry-fold service, you need bagging supplies – plastic bags and cloth...
Viewpoint
Tempus Fugit!
Time certainly does fly. It’s hard to believe that the Coin Laundry Association first launched its monthly magazine 30 years ago! At the time, I had the privilege of being the CLA’s Chairman of the Board. And, as I recall, it was a much different environment in those...
Digital Marketing
Safety First
Four Basic Tips to Help Keep Your Digital Presence Secure When it comes to marketing, most people typically think of digital strategies such as social media and email campaigns. However, it’s just as important to have a security plan in place for your laundry business...
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.