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,...

Wash-Dry-Fold POS Launches New Feature

Wash-Dry-Fold POS® has announced its new Attendant Checklist Feature. According to Managing Partner Ian Gollahon, it is a simple but integrated tool that is so powerful, it’ll make you wonder how you ever ran your business without it. "You can monitor the checklist...

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.

The Power of a Pro Forma

The Power of a Pro Forma

Don’t Neglect One of Your Laundry Business’ Most Important Planning Tools Whether you’re purchasing and renovating an existing laundromat or starting one from scratch, a pro forma income statement is one of an investor’s most important tools in not only attaining...

Join the Conversation, Part 2

Join the Conversation, Part 2

How to Build Your Laundry’s Brand Through Social Media Marketing [This is the second of a two-part feature on how laundromat owners can use social media to market their businesses and build their brands. You can read Part 1 here.] Long-time laundromat owner Patti...

Join the Conversation, Part 1

Join the Conversation, Part 1

How to Build Your Laundry’s Brand Through Social Media Marketing [This is the first of a two-part feature on how laundromat owners can use social media to market their businesses and build their brands.] Love it or hate it, social media is here to stay. Research shows...

Headlines

Managing Your Fleet, Part 3

A Look at One of the Most Critical Aspects for Successfully Scaling a Pickup-and-Delivery Service [This is the third of a three-part feature article on managing a fleet of laundry delivery vehicles. Here are links to Part 1 and Part 2.] One of the main elements in the...

CLA Announces Connect LIVE Events for 2023

The Coin Laundry Association has scheduled 10 Connect LIVE events in select locations for 2023. The main purpose of the events is to provide opportunities for laundry owners to network and share ideas over dinner at a local restaurant. The events scheduled for the...

SBA Adjusts Disaster Loan Program

The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced it will waive the interest rate for the first year on new disaster loans and extend the initial payment deferment period automatically to 12 months. “We must ensure that communities struck by disaster have the help...

Managing Your Fleet, Part 2

A Look at One of the Most Critical Aspects for Successfully Scaling a Pickup-and-Delivery Service [This is the second of a three-part feature article on managing a fleet of laundry delivery vehicles. You can read Part 1 here.] Make no mistake: your delivery vans are...

Six Regulatory Issues to Watch in 2023

Human resources and payroll solutions company Paychex recently unveiled its annual list of the most prominent regulatory issues employers will need to contend with in 2023. Here’s a look at the leading compliance-related topics laundromat owners should keep an eye on:...

Clean Rite Hosts Financial Literacy Graduation

More than 50 people representing nine nationalities recently participated in a free, eight-week virtual financial education session, which was led by Qualitas of Life, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving Hispanic family financial security. On December 10,...

CLA Promotes Thomas

The Coin Laundry Association has named Nika Thomas as the organization’s director of advertising and sponsorship sales. Thomas, who joined the CLA in August 2013, will lead all advertising sales for PlanetLaundry, as well as all sponsorship sales for the CLA’s...

States Upping the Minimum Wage in 2023

In 2023, 27 states will increase their minimum wages – with most of these hikes taking effect on January 1. California will have the highest minimum wage rate at $15.50, up from the $15 it set in 2022. Only Washington D.C. has a higher minimum wage of $16.10. D.C.’s...

Cleantie, Paystri Announce Payments Partnership

Cleantie – a cloud-based POS system developed for the laundromat, drycleaning, clothes alteration, and shoe repair industries – recently announced a partnership with payment processing company Paystri. The integrated payments partnership makes payment acceptance...

CLA Launches Virtual ‘Marketing Bootcamp’

The Coin Laundry Association is kicking off 2023 with the launch of a virtual “marketing bootcamp,” which has been developed to help laundromat owners grow their customer base and boost their revenue. Attend both online programs in January to develop a marketing plan...

Wash with Wally: The Advantage of Hot-Water Washing

I’ve received a number of inquiries about the overall ability and effectiveness of laundry detergents to clean clothes in cold water. In other words, is there a substantial advantage to using warm or hot water when washing? There is a definite advantage to using hot...

‘Tell Your Friends and Family!’

Here’s How to Transform Your Laundry Business – One Customer Referral at a Time “If you provide a great customer experience to current patrons, they will tell others about it.” – Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon As every entrepreneur knows (or should know) that there are...

SPONSORED CONTENT

Business Solutions

Laundromat Marketing

CleanCloud talks to industry experts about the tactics they use to attract new customers and encourage repeat business in our latest webinar

Watch Webinar

FC_plmag_March25_161x211px

This Month's Issue

 

  • Metrics That Matter: Profit, Performance, and Planning in Vended Laundry
  • Women In Laundry: Haley Gould Finds Perfect Fit
  • Company Close-Up: Company Founded to Help Small Businesses Shines
  • New Member Spotlight: How Robotics Could Change Laundromat Industry
  • And More…

THE LATEST ON LAUNDROMATS

Industry News

Tide Opens Third Chicago Laundromat Location

Tide Laundromat has announced the opening of its third Chicago location in the city’s North Riverside neighborhood. To celebrate the grand opening, the community was invited for a Free Wash Weekend on October 14-15. “We are thrilled to open our third location in the...

Laundrylux Distribution to Host Educational Events

Laundrylux Distribution will host The Laundry Experts Forum, a series of free educational and networking events focused on laundromat owners and potential investors in the vended laundry industry. These events will take place at four separate locations and will...

New Jersey’s Minimum Wage to Exceed $15 Per Hour

New Jersey’s statewide minimum wage will increase by $1 to $15.13 per hour for most employees on January 1, 2024. This surpasses the goal set by legislation signed by Gov. Phil Murphy in February 2019 to raise the minimum wage to at least $15 per hour by 2024. “When I...

HappyNest Expands Reach within New Jersey

Laundry pickup-and-delivery service HappyNest has expanded its availability into Egg Harbor, N.J., through the company’s new partner, Harbor Island Laundromat. The facility is now providing HappyNest laundry services to residents and businesses in Atlantic City,...

Milnor Salutes Top Distributors

Pellerin Milnor Corp. has recognized the leading distributorships within its dealer network, naming Western State Design – headquartered in Hayward, Calif., and founded in 1974 – as its top distributor of 2022 for machinery sales and service support to Milnor...

FROM YOUR FAVORITE INDUSTRY EXPERTS

Columns

The Laundry Doctor

Pound Foolish

Here Are a Couple of Unique Pricing Models to Consider That May Help You Present and Market Your Wash-Dry-Fold Business I'm always looking for different ways to market and develop a wash-dry-fold service. So, this month, I'd like to discuss a couple of ideas that are...

read more

The Business Mind

What, Me Worry?

What, Me Worry?

You’ll Never Eliminate Anxiety from Your Business Life, But Here’s How to Control It “Stop worrying about what can go wrong, and get excited about what can go right.” I’m confident you’ll agree that owning a business such as (but not limited to) a laundromat can be,...

read more

Wash With Wally

Viewpoint

A New Laundromat in the Neighborhood?

Not that long ago, I had a competitor build a store right across the street from me. Literally, I could stand at the front door of my laundromat and throw a rock through his window. (Just for the record, I didn’t.) Fortunately, it takes a while to build a store from...

read more

Digital Marketing

Marketing Fads to Reconsider

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...

read more

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.