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.

Going Forward… (Part 2)
Industry Insiders Recap the Past Year – And Look Closely at the Factors Shaping the Laundry Business in 2023 [This is the second of a two-part feature article reviewing the year in laundry and taking a glimpse at what 2023 and beyond might hold for store owners. You...

Going Forward… (Part 1)
Industry Insiders Recap the Past Year – And Look Closely at the Factors Shaping the Laundry Business in 2023 [This is the first of a two-part feature article reviewing the year in laundry and taking a glimpse at what 2023 and beyond might hold for store owners.] It’s...

CLA Member of the Year
An Interview with Colleen Unema of Brio Laundry in Bellingham, Wash. Colleen Unema is the owner of Brio Laundry in Bellingham, Wash. She’s also a nationally certified teacher, who taught the sciences for nearly 25 years – from the high school level to college classes....
Headlines
GNA Honors Fowler Laundry Solutions
Fowler Laundry Solutions, based in Union, N.J., has received its fifth consecutive Girbau North America Multi-Housing Distributor of the Year Award for outstanding service, sales, and support in the multi-housing laundry market. Led by Doug Fowler and founded in 1952,...
Navigating Two Male-Dominated Industries
An Interview with Nancy Robles of Eastern Funding Nancy Robles is president and compliance officer of Eastern Funding LLC, a leading commercial lender to the laundry industry based in New York City. She is responsible for all of the finance company’s day-to-day...
‘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...
GNA Adds to Headquarters Staff
Girbau North America recently welcomed Barb Kramer as national accounts coordinator and Paige Paulick as inside sales associate. Kramer handles multiple duties in support of national accounts sales and customer relations, including order processing, assisting...
Speed Queen Adds Third Franchise Location in Dallas Market
Speed Queen has continued to expand its laundromat franchise in Dallas. The newest Speed Queen Laundry – located at 2950 Walnut Hill Lane – is the third such store in the Dallas area. “We’re excited to add another great location to the Dallas market and give these...
Wash-Dry-Fold POS Expands to All 50 States
Software provider Wash-Dry-Fold POS recently announced that it has expanded its services to all 50 states in the U.S. Since its inception in February 2016, Wash-Dry-Fold POS has grown rapidly, selling 124 systems in the state of Florida alone. The company has even...
CLA Agrees to Share Compliance Information from NJDOL to Ensure Fair Treatment for Laundromat Employees
First announced in November 2022, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Wage and Hour Division recently completed a strategic enforcement initiative involving the laundromat industry, which included a comprehensive analysis of industry...
New Bill Supports Entrepreneurship for Those Formerly Incarcerated
Senator Ben Cardin, chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, has introduced his NEW START Act, which is legislation aimed at creating reentry programs with the SBA, awarding grants for business counseling and entrepreneurial development training to...
OSHA Announces New Enforcement Guidance
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued new enforcement guidance regarding penalties for repeated violations of workplace safety and health requirements. OSHA regional administrators and area office directors now have the authority to cite certain...
States to Consider Predictive Scheduling Mandates
Some states – mainly those controlled by Democratic lawmakers – are now considering enacting further “employer mandates,” which are laws that spell out certain aspects of the employer-employee relationship. These states have enacted mandates such as $15 per hour...
Lawmakers Look to Ban Natural Gas in Commercial Buildings
In January, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission created a flurry of controversy over a rumored proposal to restrict the use of gas-powered stoves in homes. Although fears over that federal proposal were exaggerated, state and local lawmakers have been active...
Service Taxes: An Update on State Sales Tax Expansion
State legislators continue to express ongoing interest in expanding the sales tax to new services, according to MultiState Associates, a government relations firm headquartered in Alexandria, Va. Here’s a look at where those efforts stand: Income tax...
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This Month's Issue
- ‘I’d Like to Speak to the Manager’: On the Front Lines with Some of the Laundry Industry’s Leading Store Managers
- Business Management: Generate Additional Income Through Greater Market Penetration
- Company Close-Up: Western State Design Has Been Helping Laundry Owners Thrive for More Than 50 Years
- New Member Spotlight: How Laundry Labs Plans to Change the Industry
- And More…
THE LATEST ON LAUNDROMATS
Industry News
Alliance in Negotiations to Acquire REM
Alliance Laundry Systems and REM Company Inc. have entered into an exclusive agreement, subject to due diligence, to acquire the distribution assets of REM, with a target closing of early February. “From the very beginnings of the company, the Moore family made...
The Laundry Boss Appoints New Chief Product Officer
The Laundry Boss, a provider of technology solutions for the laundry industry, has named Adam Dill its new chief product officer. Before joining The Laundry Boss, Dill most recently served as director of information technology for Alliance Laundry Systems. During his...
HappyNest Expands Service in New York
Laundry pickup-and-delivery service HappyNest has expanded its availability to Queens Village, N.Y., through the company’s new partner, So Fresh So Clean Laundromat. The store is now providing HappyNest PUD laundry services to residents and businesses in the cities of...
Whirlpool Named to Dow Jones Sustainability World Index
Whirlpool Corp. recently was named to the 2023 Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, in recognition of the company’s dedication to responsible and ethical business practices. This marks the second consecutive year the manufacturer has been named to the World Index....
NJDOL Encourages Laundry Owners to Comply with State Labor Laws
To kick off 2024, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development is sending the state’s laundromat owners a package of materials to help ensure they begin the new year in compliance with the state’s labor laws. The January mailing is part of an ongoing...
FROM YOUR FAVORITE INDUSTRY EXPERTS
Columns
The Laundry Doctor
What’s Your Number?
[Knowing How Much Finished Laundry Your Staff Can Produce is Vital to the Health of Your Wash-Dry-Fold BusinessSeveral months ago in this column, I discussed the Japanese principle of Kaizen, which is a philosophy that embraces constant and continual improvement in...
The Business Mind

Feeling Emotional (Part 1)
How to Use Emotional Intelligence to Better Manage Yourself and Your Laundry Business “When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures of emotion.” – Dale Carnegie Until recently, psychologists defined a person’s...
Wash With Wally

Wash with Wally: Sports Bars and Laundromats Typically Don’t Mix
The storefront right next to my laundromat recently became available. I was thinking of leasing this extra space and putting in a small sports bar. I could remove a portion of the wall separating the two units and create a passageway between the laundromat and the...
Viewpoint
United We Stand
We are all in uncharted territory these days. No doubt, the news regarding the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) changes by the day, the hour… and sometimes the minute. As unsettling as this situation may sometimes seem, be assured that the Coin Laundry Association is...
Digital Marketing

‘Web’ Site Selection
Developing a Strong Online Community for Your Laundry Business We all know that finding just the right site for your laundromat can make all the difference in whether or not your new business is a success. And the same goes for your “digital site” – that is, your...
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.