PlanetLaundry Podcast
America’s #1 Resource for Vended Laundry News & Info
PlanetLaundry is the official publication of the Coin Laundry Association and is trusted by thousands to deliver the latest news and industry-specific topics for laundry owners and professionals.
Coming Clean
Laundromat Owners Are in the ‘Business of Clean’ – Now More Than Ever, Your Facilities Must Truly Reflect This Mindset A recent survey conducted on behalf of the American Cleaning Institute showed a 14 percent decline in handwashing practices for the first time since...
The Road to Laundromat Ownership
Should You Build a New Store or Buy an Existing One? After much time thinking about it, you’ve decided that 2021 will finally be your dream year – your time to become an independent owner of a vended laundry business. The question then becomes should you buy an...
Keeping a Roof Over Your Head
Whether Buying an Existing Store, Building a New Facility or Just Trying to Maximize Your Current Laundromat, Don’t Neglect the Roof By definition, a roof with a hole in it is like devouring a Big Mac and a large order of fries right after your workout. It kind of...
Headlines
First Tide Laundromat Opens in Chicago
The first Tide Laundromat recently opened for business in Chicago, on the city’s far north side. According to the Procter & Gamble brand, it is a part of Tide’s strategic focus “to bring innovation and new technologies to the out-of-home laundry services...
Cents Announces $4.25M Financing Round
Cents, a leading business management and in-store operations platform for laundromat owners, recently announced a $4.25 million financing round. The round was led by Bessemer Venture Partners, with participation from Newfund Capital, Riverpark Ventures and 1517 Fund....
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...
HappyNest Launches Fresno Location
Laundry pickup-and-delivery service HappyNest has expanded its operations into Fresno, Calif. “California became a big growth market in the fourth quarter of 2020 and that expansion is continuing into 2021,” said HappyNest founder John MacKrell. “We are excited to...
The New Investors
As Interest in the Laundromat Industry Grows, Who’s Getting into the Business… and Why? Melody Fanto has never been afraid of hard work. She has been a registered dental hygienist in Long Island, N.Y., for 30 years. In addition, she previously owned an auto repair...
Keep Your Customers Coming Back for More…
…Or Why You Should Eat Pizza with a Knife and Fork I recently popped open a very good bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, and poured myself a glass. That first sip was amazing. The flavor was beyond overwhelming. Unfortunately, a few minutes and a few sips later, I hardly...
RKU Standard Acquires Standard Change-Makers
RKU Standard Inc. – under the direction of Rob and Kathleen Unterborn – has purchased Standard Change-Makers Inc. from the McNutt family, which has owned the currency changer manufacturer since its founding in 1955. Standard Change-Makers was established by James R....
CLA, LaundryCares Name Project Manager
The Coin Laundry Association and its charitable organization – the LaundryCares Foundation – jointly have named Tanisha Moore as project manager. Moore, who joined the CLA in 2015, has served the association in various managerial roles, from membership services to...
PlanetLaundry Podcast, Episode 18: Interview with “The Laundromat Millionaire”
In this episode of the PlanetLaundry Podcast, Editor Bob Nieman interviews "The Laundromat Millionaire" Dave Menz, owner and operator of Queen City Laundry, a chain of full-service full-attended stores in Cincinnati, OH. This podcast is brought to you by Continental...
Creating the Right Atmosphere
An Interview with Mike Kelly of Atmosphere TV Mike Kelly began his sales and marketing career in the wine and spirits industry, having built and executed marketing programs for some of the largest spirits brands in the world. “When I came across the opportunity to...
Creating a Winning Business Plan Webinar
Attend this program to learn what factors need to be included in a good business plan and leave with a template that will help you get started creating your winning plan.
A Prescription for Full-Service Profits Book
PlanetLaundry Editor Bob Nieman collected some of the best articles of Wash-Dry-Fold and commercial accounts Advice from Jeff Gardner, ‘The Laundry Doctor’ in this book. Get your copy!
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CLA COVID-19 Update
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This Month's Issue
- Just Who Do You Think You Are: It’s Not a Trick Question, But the Future of Your Laundromat Business Depends on the Answer
- Business Bio: A Look at Rocket Laundry in Spartanburg, S.C.
- The Laundromat Millionaire: What’s Your Business’ Value Proposition?
- LaundryCares Store Spotlight: Massachusetts Owner Gives Back to HIs Neighborhood Through Childhood Literacy Options
- And more…
THE LATEST ON LAUNDROMATS
Industry News
First Tide Laundromat Opens in Chicago
The first Tide Laundromat recently opened for business in Chicago, on the city’s far north side. According to the Procter & Gamble brand, it is a part of Tide’s strategic focus “to bring innovation and new technologies to the out-of-home laundry services...
Cents Announces $4.25M Financing Round
Cents, a leading business management and in-store operations platform for laundromat owners, recently announced a $4.25 million financing round. The round was led by Bessemer Venture Partners, with participation from Newfund Capital, Riverpark Ventures and 1517 Fund....
HappyNest Launches Fresno Location
Laundry pickup-and-delivery service HappyNest has expanded its operations into Fresno, Calif. “California became a big growth market in the fourth quarter of 2020 and that expansion is continuing into 2021,” said HappyNest founder John MacKrell. “We are excited to...
RKU Standard Acquires Standard Change-Makers
RKU Standard Inc. – under the direction of Rob and Kathleen Unterborn – has purchased Standard Change-Makers Inc. from the McNutt family, which has owned the currency changer manufacturer since its founding in 1955. Standard Change-Makers was established by James R....
CLA, LaundryCares Name Project Manager
The Coin Laundry Association and its charitable organization – the LaundryCares Foundation – jointly have named Tanisha Moore as project manager. Moore, who joined the CLA in 2015, has served the association in various managerial roles, from membership services to...
FROM YOUR FAVORITE INDUSTRY EXPERTS
Columns
The Laundry Doctor
Avoid Shortcuts
All Garment-Care Solutions Are Not Created Equal I often read the posts and subsequent comments on the various Facebook feeds targeting the laundry business. I love the idea of people interacting with each other and sharing ideas and best practices – especially with...
The Business Mind
Keep Your Customers Coming Back for More…
…Or Why You Should Eat Pizza with a Knife and Fork I recently popped open a very good bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, and poured myself a glass. That first sip was amazing. The flavor was beyond overwhelming. Unfortunately, a few minutes and a few sips later, I hardly...
Wash With Wally
Wash with Wally: Licensed to Launder?
I offer a drop-off laundry service at my store, and I’ve been doing so for years. However, a local business inspector recently visited my laundromat and told me that I need a special license to provide this type of wash-dry-fold service. Do you know anything about...
Viewpoint
Let’s Go! Let’s Grow!
As PlanetLaundry Editor Bob Nieman asked (and answered) in this column last month, “Has 2020 sucked? Yes, without a doubt.” I think we can all echo that sentiment. However, the stage is set to put 2020 behind us! As your CLA Chairman for 2020, I stated last March that...
Digital Marketing
Marketing Fads to Reconsider
When It Comes to Promoting Your Laundromat, Jumping on the Latest Marketing Bandwagon is Not a Great Idea Remember fidget spinners? It seems like 2017 was decades ago, but it’s only been a few years since the spinning fad took the world by storm – then disappeared to...
FROM THE PAGES AND STUDIO OF PLANETLAUNDRY
Highlights
Digital Marketing
Looking Forward by Looking Back
Why Marketing Your Laundry Business is Only Going to Get Better The world has changed quite a bit over the last three decades. Heck, it has changed a lot just in 2020 alone. But let’s not go into that here. If you were to take a time machine back to 1990, you wouldn’t...
Building a New Relationship with Consumers
Customer Service in Today's Turbulent, Information-Driven World Let’s talk about where businesses are in the world right now. 2020 has been quite a year. And we’re only six months in, which makes everything that’s already happened seem just that much more dramatic....
Viewpoint
Silver Linings
Typically, December is a time to pause, look back and take stock of your life and your business. It’s normally the perfect opportunity to reminisce about the 365 days gone by (366, in this case) – and to try to predict what the next 365 have in store. Not this year!...
Giving Thanks for 2020
“…enjoy every sandwich.” – Warren Zevon, songwriter/musician When Zevon uttered these quirky words of gratitude, it wasn’t in a clever lyric from one of his dozens of great songs. Rather, it came in response to a question posed by his friend David Letterman during...
Video
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