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.
Go for ‘Broker’
Working with a Broker to Buy or Sell Your Next Laundromat With some 30,000 laundromats in the United States – give or take – there are stores perpetually being bought and sold in nearly every market throughout the country. This is where a reputable laundry broker...
The Heroes Among Us
Saluting Just a Few of the Many Military Veterans Who Continue to Serve… Now as Part of the Laundry Industry On the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, an armistice, or truce, was declared between the Allied nations and Germany, ending the First World War....
Weathering the Storm
Three Laundromat Owners Who Have Adapted – And Continue to Thrive – During the COVID-19 Pandemic Although the COVID-19 shutdown in March left many businesses out in the cold, laundromats – deemed as providing essential services – motored on, adapted to the changes and...
Headlines
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...
Wash with Wally: Installing an ATM
I just got into the laundromat business, and I’m considering installing an ATM in my store. My question is whether I’m better off buying a machine outright and installing it myself, or having an outside vendor own and install the ATM, with some type of commission...
Speed Queen Laundromat Franchise to Open Flagship Location
Speed Queen has announced the construction of its flagship laundromat in support of the brand’s franchise model. The 12,250-square-foot store, located in Chicago, is scheduled to open this spring and will feature an array of equipment, with washer capacities ranging...
Venturing into the Future
An Interview with Clean Ventures Managing Director Peter Stern Peter Stern is the managing director of Clean Ventures, a newly formed venture capital fund created to attract and invest in growth-stage laundry companies. Stern also serves as senior vice president of...
Eastern Funding Appoints Chief Operating Officer
Eastern Funding LLC recently named Nancy Robles its chief operating officer. Robles previously served as the company’s executive vice president of operations and compliance officer. In her new role, she will be responsible for all of the company’s day-to-day...
Equipment Replacement Survey Results
Click here to download this free laundromat-owner survey regarding the replacement of machines conducted by the CLA, sponsored by Maytag® Commercial Laundry.
Exploring the New Franchise Model
Attend this program to hear the pros and cons of buying a franchise so you can make the best decision for getting into the business. Click here to register.
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CLA COVID-19 Update
The Coin Laundry Association closely monitors updates regarding the coronavirus pandeminc. Click here to learn more and access resources.
This Month's Issue
- Laundry’s Changing Landscape: From Branded Concept Stores to Franchise Opportunities, Laundromat Investors Have Never Had More Choices
- Digital Marketing: Investing in ‘Online Real Estate’
- The Laundry Doctor:Creative Ways to Get Your Brand in Front of Customers
- A Laundry Life: An Interview with Store Owner Frank Lambing
- And more…
THE LATEST ON LAUNDROMATS
Industry News
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...
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...
FROM YOUR FAVORITE INDUSTRY EXPERTS
Columns
The Laundry Doctor
Shifting Expectations of ‘Laundry Day’
Drycleaners Raise Awareness of Wash-Dry-Fold Services One of the biggest potential opportunities for store owners offering full-service laundry programs in the current and post-COVID-19 world is – and will be – the heightened awareness of outsourced laundry. Much of...
The Business Mind
The Psychology of Risk
Mastering the Uncertainties of Laundromat Ownership “Ninety-five percent of thought, emotion and learning occur in the unconscious mind without our awareness.” – Dr. Gerald Zautman, Professor Emeritus, Harvard University It’s a well-accepted fact that all business...
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
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...
Digital Marketing
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....
FROM THE PAGES AND STUDIO OF PLANETLAUNDRY
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