Staying Fierce: Haley Gould Finds Perfect Fit in Vended Laundry

Haley Gould is the Director of Partner Success for HappyNest. She manages an internal team while leading more than 100 partners across the United States building a successful pickup and delivery operation in addition to running their laundromat business. A consummate...

Metrics That Matter

Profit, Performance, and Planning in Vended Laundry The laundromat business is like most businesses in that you need to do a lot of things right to be successful. But how do you know if it’s working? According to successful owners, you just need to look at the...

Startup to Scale

How Western State Design Has Been Helping Laundry Businesses Thrive for More Than 50 Years For more than five decades, Western State Design has been a leading provider of turnkey laundry solutions across the vended, on-premises, and commercial/industrial markets....

Member Spotlight: Lab-Tested, Laundry-Approved

How Laundry Labs Plans to Change the Industry In today’s business world, efficiency and quality are paramount – and the commercial laundry industry is no exception. Recognizing the need for superior cleaning solutions specifically tailored to laundromat operators,...

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A Sense of Community

Jan 26, 2015

Originally posted - Dec 20, 2013 When the Tasty Baking Company (makers of the popular Tastykake line of snack foods) decided to relocate its production facility, the move opened up a 30-acre parcel of prime real estate in northern Philadelphia, where the company's...

A New Beginning

Jan 26, 2015

Originally posted - Jan 27, 2014 After years of unclogging other people's pipes as a licensed master plumber, Florida's Willy Gibson turned his attention to a completely different type of pipe, as the co-owner - along with his wife Margie - of a Pensacola-based smoke...

Commercial Real Estate

Jan 23, 2015

Originally posted - Jun 27, 2013 Some of today's self-service laundry owners are multi-store operators who have studied and learned the real estate business thanks to a series of building purchases and retail storefront leases over the years. Others are real estate...

Headlines

Be Your Own Competition

Originally posted - Sept issue/2012 "I have been up against tough competition all my life. I wouldn't know how to get along without it." – Walt Disney Next to vend price, there isn't a more combustible topic of conversation among laundry owners than competition. In my...

Less is More

Originally posted - Oct 04, 2012 All five of my laundromats are strictly self-service operations – no wash-dry-fold service, no commercial accounts, no coffee shop. I do just one thing… and strive to do it very well. As small-business owners, we get offered all types...

Seeing the Light

Originally posted - Feb 26, 2014 An energy-efficient retrofit from T8 fluorescent lighting to state-of-the-art LED tubes at Holmen Coin Laundry in Holmen, Wis., will deliver savings on the owner's electric bill of more than 60 percent. Owner Karl Maas operates 31...

Making a Name for Ourselves

Originally posted - Mar 27, 2012 What is our industry's brand? I'm fond of the following motto that I derived from the insightful consumer research conducted by the Coin Laundry Association: Our customers want time-savings and convenience in a clean, safe environment...

Take Notes – And Then Take Action

Originally posted - Aug 15, 2012 Each year, one of the most valuable things a self-service laundry owner can do is attend distributor shows. And please notice that I didn't just say "your distributor show." The reason for this is because I personally go to several...

A Time to Reflect A Time to Move Forward

Originally posted - Dec issue/2012 As I write this column in late October, it seems to be more of a time of positive activity than a time of reflection. I just recently returned from the Coin Laundry Association's Excellence in Laundry Conference in Palm Springs. And,...

Open for Business

Originally posted - Jan issue/2012 You've searched far and wide for that perfect laundry location or undervalued existing laundromat. You've met with every distributor and examined each manufacturer's spec sheets with a fine-toothed comb before selecting your new...

‘Face’ the Facts

Originally posted - Mar 25, 2013 If you are like me, a small-business owner, you most likely have heard of Facebook. You may even have a Facebook page for your business, but you may be wondering how to use Facebook practically to promote your business. I say...

Now Trending…

Originally posted Dec.issue/2012 Eight Trends and Issues Sure to Impact Your Business Life in 2013 "I don't set trends. I just find out what they are and exploit them." – Dick Clark Yes, your small-business world can change quickly. And, yes, outside forces and new...

Don’t Be the ‘Fall Guy’

Orignially posted - Oct 23, 2013 Slips, trips and falls can cost you much more than money. They can rob you of public trust and damage your brand. And, according the National Safety Council, more than 9 million disabling slips and falls occur each year, costing an...

Be Aware, Be Prepared, Be Safe

Originally posted - Feb 14, 2012 How far do we need to go to protect our businesses, our customers, our property and, most importantly, our lives? As a former law enforcement officer and now a commercial laundry equipment distributor, I have combined my past...

A Plan Comes Together

Originally posted - Jun 11, 2013 In past columns, I've discussed the value of networking and the ideas I've picked up at industry events – ideas that have helped me save and make more money at my stores. A perfect example of this occurred last October, when I was in...

This Month's Issue

Green is Good Business: Green Operations Increasingly Important to Feed Consumer Demand
Women In Laundry: Lee Ann Geurts Loves a Challenge
Store Profile: Kings Laundry Kicking it in Los Angeles
Untapped Growth Opportunities
And More…

THE LATEST ON LAUNDROMATS

Industry News

Aaxon Event Draws New Investors

Aaxon Laundry Systems, based in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., held its second annual Aaxon Autumn Expo on October 3 at the company's headquarters. Leading industry vendors - including SpyderWash, ESD, Imonex, Rowe and others - were on hand to meet with attendees about their...

CLEC Expands Territory in Mississippi

Commercial and Coin Laundry Equipment Co., based in Gulf Breeze, Fla., recently completed the purchase of Delta Laundry Equipment Co., headquartered in Greenwood, Miss. This marks the second acquisition for CLEC." CLEC has been in a steady state of growth over the...

Statewide Salutes Successful Operators

Statewide Laundry Equipment - with offices in Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando and Miami - has awarded central Florida owners Ed and Rachael Ellis with the company's Statewide Success Spotlight Award in recognition of the couple's dedication toward operating a prosperous...

Free Laundry Day Announced to Aid Victims of California Wildfires

Three northern California laundry owners have teamed up with equipment manufacturer Dexter Laundry and its local distributor, Western State Design, to raise funds and sponsor a free laundry day on October 30, 2017, for those who were impacted by the area's recent...

Clean Show Committee Announces Future Event Sites

The Clean Show Executive Committee recently revealed some familiar host venues for the next four Clean Shows.As announced earlier, the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans will be the site for Clean 2019. This show will take place June 20-23, 2019, marking the...