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.
60 Years… And Counting
An Interview with Laundromat Owner Frank Lambing Frank Lambing is one of the laundromat industry’s true pioneers. He opened Lamb Launderette on his family’s farmland in Williamstown, N.J., in 1961. And he’s never looked back. Today, still in the very same location,...
Laundry’s Changing Landscape
From Branded Concept Stores to Franchise Opportunities, Laundromat Investors Have Never Had More Choices “I hate that word ‘franchise.’ It always makes me think of French fries.” – Sigourney Weaver French fries? Yes. Cheeseburgers? Definitely. Dirty laundry? Maybe not...
What’s Your Value Proposition?
Understanding and Leveraging This Concept Will Elevate Your Laundromat Business to New Levels of Success and Profitability What if I told you that you could increase your prices anywhere from 25 percent to 100 percent and end up with a stronger, healthier business....
Headlines
Industry Mourns the Loss of Kenneth Cherry
Laundromat industry pioneer Kenneth Cherry passed away on March 3 at the age of 91. A long-time resident of Columbia, Tenn., Mr. Cherry was born in Clay County, Tenn., and raised on his family’s farm. After graduating from the University of Tennessee, he taught school...
Deadline Looming for California Retirement Savings Plan
According to the latest numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 45 percent of employers with fewer than 100 employees don’t offer a retirement plan. California is one state looking to bridge that gap with a state-sponsored IRA savings plan called CalSavers....
NFIB: Small-Business Owners Report Inflation as Top Issue
Last month, the National Federation of Independent Business’ Optimism Index decreased by 1.4 points to 95.7, the second consecutive month below the 48-year average of 98. Twenty-six percent of owners reported that inflation was their single most important problem in...
Idaho Laundry Business Focuses on Childhood Literacy
General Laundry Co. in Victor, Idaho, has partnered with the Valley of the Tetons Library to install a LaundryCares’ Family Read, Play & Learn Center within the laundromat. In addition to a wide selection of quality children’s books, the literacy-rich space...
Playing the Numbers Game
A Closer Look at the Operational Metrics and Key Data Laundromat Owners Should Monitor to Stay on Track for Success In the February issue of PlanetLaundry, some of the most successful laundromat operators in the U.S. shared the key performance indicators they use to...
Mr Jeff Opens Franchise in Miami Market
Home-delivery laundry service Mr Jeff opened its first Florida location in Coral Gables on March 16. The new Mr Jeff location is owned and operated by local entrepreneur and Miami resident Sergio Aguirre. “After learning Mr Jeff was expanding into the United States, I...
Rinse Buys FlyCleaners, Launches in New York City
Laundry and drycleaning service Rinse recently acquired its New York-based competitor, FlyCleaners, and has launched in New York City. Founded by Ajay Prakash, James Joun and Sam Cheng, the San Francisco-based startup said it will expand its laundry...
Pickup-and-Delivery Pricing Done Right
Are You Charging ‘By the Bag’ or ‘By the Pound?’ I don’t think any of us would be surprised to hear that pickup and delivery is the hot topic in our industry today. In fact, this month I presented a keynote presentation on this very topic at the inaugural Laundromat...
Laundromat Contributes to Local Nonprofit
Washin’ Coin Laundry, based in Anniston, Ala., recently donated a percentage of the proceeds from its operations to 2nd Chance Inc., a local nonprofit group that provides support for the victims of domestic and sexual abuse. Laundry owner Ken Barrett presented a check...
Whirlpool Commits to ‘Low-Carbon’ Future
The U.S. Department of Energy has recognized Whirlpool Corp. for committing to reduce portfolio-wide greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent within 10 years and to work with the DOE to share successful solutions and decarbonization strategies. As a...
Smooth Operators (Part 2)
From Preventive Maintenance to Equipment Repair, Store Owners Share Key Strategies for Keeping Their Laundromats Running Smoothly and Profitably [This is the second of a two-part feature article. You can read Part One here.] In a continuation of PlanetLaundry's March...
Curbside Laundries Announces Client Appreciation Dinner
Curbside Laundries will host a dinner reception on July 29 – the day before the opening of Clean 2022 – in appreciation of the company’s clients. According to the company, more than 130 Curbside clients will be attendance at the free dinner reception in Atlanta, which...
SPONSORED CONTENT
This Month's Issue
- Reimagining the Laundromat Experience: Technology, Design, and a Strong Focus on the Customer Have Set a New Standard for Store Amenities
- Business Management: Building a Positive Workplace Culture
- Digital Marketing: Make Your Laundromat a Place People Love
- Company Close-Up: The Vision Behind Masters Laundry Equipment
- And More…
THE LATEST ON LAUNDROMATS
Industry News
Laundry Tech Platform Raises $7M in Seed Funding
Tumble Smart Laundry, a smart laundry technology platform based in San Francisco, recently raised $7 million in seed funding. Founded in 2019, the company intends to use the funds to scale its proprietary software platform – powering an all-digital experience from...
RJ Kool Acquires BDS Laundry
RJ Kool – a commercial laundry distributor with headquarters in Kansas City, Mo. – recently purchased BDS Laundry, a distributorship based in St. Paul, Minn. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. The sale of BDS includes its vended and on-premises laundry...
Curbside Laundries Opens New Office, Adds Key Hires
Curbside Laundries – a full-service SAAS company for laundromats specializing in wash-dry-fold and pickup and delivery – has opened a new facility in Los Alamitos, Calif. The move was required to meet the company’s business demands, as well as to help facilitate the...
Small-Business Tax Incentives, Grants and More…
Laundromat owners can find themselves in a dilemma – they want to grow their businesses to meet demand, but tight financial circumstances can make it difficult to expand. Fortunately, there are a number of tax credits, grants and incentives that can encourage...
HappyNest Adds New Jersey Laundromat Partner
Laundry pickup-and-delivery service HappyNest has expanded its availability to Middlesex County, New Jersey, through the company’s new partner, Sudz N Dripz Laundromat. Based in North Brunswick, the facility now provides HappyNest services to residents and businesses...
FROM YOUR FAVORITE INDUSTRY EXPERTS
Columns
The Laundry Doctor
Finding Your Comforter Zone
The Finer Points of Washing, Drying and Processing Comforters For the next few months, my store will be inundated with customers bringing us their comforters to wash. Comforter cleaning has grown to become a sizable segment of my operation, and it can be a hugely...
The Business Mind
Spread Your Wings – And Don’t Look Back
It May Be Time to Give Your Vended Laundry Operation a Reboot “There ain’t no future living in the past" – George “Sparky" Anderson, former Major League Baseball manager Human organisms come equipped with memories for a good reason. One is to retain things learned,...
Wash With Wally
Wash with Wally: Saving on Utilities, Adding Wash-Dry-Fold, More…
I own a small self-service laundry, and I’ve recently been considering adding to drop-off wash-dry-fold service to my business. Are those types of services profitable, or will I just be wasting my time and money? Yes, wash-dry-fold services can be extremely...
Viewpoint
Reimagining Our Future Potential
Welcome to 2017! I’m honored to be serving as your Chairman of the Board for what I envision will be a historic year for the Coin Laundry Association. For the first time, we are embarking on a comprehensive process to reimagine the future potential of our trade...
Digital Marketing
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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.
