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.
2019: The Year in Review
Laundromat Industry Experts Review the Past 12 Months – And Share Thoughts on What May Lie Ahead It’s impossible to recap the past year in the laundromat business without acknowledging the clear-cut success of the Clean Show, which attracted more than 11,000 attendees...
‘AMP’ Up Your Business Marketing!
An Interview with American Marketing & Publishing Co-Founder Joline Staeheli Joline Staeheli is a co-founder of American Marketing & Publishing and has spent two decades in a range of operations, technology and marketing roles. Today, Joline leads AMP’s client...
When Competition Moves In…
How to Respond When a New Laundry Business Enters Your Market Bill Gates has carved into his desk a quote by Andy Grove, one of the founders of Intel. It states: “Success breeds complacency… complacency breeds failure.” This may sound strange or surprising, but there...
Headlines
CLA Surveys Store Owners on Worker Shortage
As laundromats begin to return to pre-COVID operations and start to increase business, the Coin Laundry Association has been hearing from a number of store owners who are experiencing issues with finding and retaining employees to operate at maximum capacity. As a...
‘Like a Fine Gumbo’
A Literacy Theme Runs Throughout Famed New Orleans Laundromat/Restaurant Combo Jane and Scott Wolfe, who own Wash World laundromat in New Orleans, are not novices when it comes to incorporating a literacy theme into their business ventures. In fact, the Wolfes also...
LaundryCares to Host Free Laundry, Literacy Day in Indianapolis
On Thursday, June 10, the LaundryCares Foundation will host a Free Laundry and Literacy Day, in collaboration with Too Small to Fail and Big Heart World. This event will be held from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Indyland II Laundromat in Indianapolis. Free Laundry and...
HappyNest Adds Customer Service Manager
Laundry pickup-and-delivery service HappyNest has named Alexandria Messom as manager, customer success. Messom previously served as team lead, customer onboarding at custom sports apparel provider, SquadLocker. “Our customers’ happiness is of utmost importance, as...
The Future of Wash-Dry-Fold
A Look at the Evolving Full-Service Laundry Business Model Long before COVID-19 turned many – at least for a while – into semi-reclusive shut-ins venturing out only as far as the front porch to retrieve their latest Amazon packages, numerous companies offering...
Wash with Wally: Installing Automatic Doors
I’m in the process of building a new laundromat from the ground up. The question I have is about the front and side doors to my facility. I’ve already decided that I will put in automatic doors. However, do you think I should install sliding or swinging doors? In your...
Creating a ‘Warm, Fuzzy Feeling’
Multi-Store Owner Explains How Commitment to Early Childhood Literacy Has Boosted Customer Loyalty A laundromat isn’t the easiest type of business in which to create that “warm, fuzzy feeling” for customers. Just ask Daryl Johnson who owns 10 (soon to be 11) Giant...
Payment Systems: Are You Confused Yet?
How to Decide Which Options Are Right for You and Your Business When I entered the industry in 2010, two types of payment systems were being widely used – quarters and prepaid loyalty cards. And quarters were the overwhelming favorite among store owners. In fact,...
Starchup, Drop Locker to Merge, Forming SUD Systems
Starchup and Laundry Locker, Inc. (dba Drop Locker) have entered into an agreement to merge the two companies into a new single entity – SUD Systems, LLC. Effective immediately, the two companies will begin to operate as a unified team, sharing the best from each...
Rinse Acquires ButlerBox
Rinse, a national brand in drycleaning and laundry delivery, has acquired ButlerBox, a Los Angeles-based drycleaning and laundry provider specializing in locker-based services with multifamily and commercial office partners. ButlerBox is the latest in a series of...
Clean Ventures, Mr Jeff Team Up to Bring Franchise to U.S. Laundromats
Mr Jeff, an international laundry service franchise, has signed an agreement with Clean Ventures, a venture capital fund that invests in growth-stage laundry companies, to help grow the franchise’s expansion within the U.S. Clean Ventures is managed by industry...
GNA Promotes Pollnow, Willman
Girbau North America has announced two promotions within the company. Brennan Pollnow has been named North American business manager, Girbau Industrial brand, and Tyler Willman has been promoted to regional business development manager – Canada and Northwestern U.S....
SPONSORED CONTENT
This Month's Issue
- Fast Forward: Industry Insiders Review the Past Year – And Unveil the Key Factors That Likely Will Shape the Laundromat Business in 2025
- Business Profile: The Community-Driven Mission Behind Wash Bar Laundromats
- Company Close-Up: Southeastern Laundry Equipment Sales Sets the Standard for Industry Excellence and Innovation
- Women in Vended Laundry: An Interview with Samantha Peters of Advanced Laundry Systems
- And More…
THE LATEST ON LAUNDROMATS
Industry News
Jobs Report: Unfilled Openings Abound
According to the National Federation of Independent Business’ monthly jobs report for May, the labor shortage continues to be a challenge for small businesses, with 51 percent (seasonally adjusted) of owners reporting job openings they could not fill in the current...
Franchise Development Veteran Joins Tide Cleaners
Tide Cleaners has announced Bill McCane as its new vice president of franchise development. Prior to joining Tide, McCane worked for a number of prominent franchisors with roles in franchise operations, product marketing and business development. Most notably, he...
CSC ServiceWorks Expands Social Impact Program
CSC ServiceWorks has announced it is expanding its social impact program, CSC CommunityWorks. In 2022, the company continues to extend its network of community center/local CSC branch partnerships in the company’s 40 markets – donating and servicing new equipment and...
HappyNest Expands Reach in Utah
Laundry pickup-and-delivery service HappyNest has expanded south of Salt Lake City and is now available in West Jordan, Utah, through its new partner, Midvale City Laundromat. This Midvale-based operation also provides PUD services to residents and businesses in the...
Industry Mourns Reed Hinrichs
HK Laundry Equipment co-founder Reed Hinrichs recently passed away at the age of 93. An icon in the laundry industry throughout New York and Connecticut, Mr. Hinrichs first established HK Sales in 1967, with his business partner Jim Kerr. The company started out by...
FROM YOUR FAVORITE INDUSTRY EXPERTS
Columns
The Laundry Doctor
Leather… Or Not?
Originally posted - Oct 25, 2013 If you offer a wash-dry-fold service, you will from time to time take in some leather garments. But don't be afraid of them. Leather cleaning is one of the easiest types of cleaning you can do, since most stains don't really soak into...
The Business Mind
The Mind of the Customer
7 Not-So-Obvious Insights into Customer Psychology Sure to Help You Grow Your Business I've come to the conclusion that the greatest threat to a self-service laundry's growth - and perhaps even its survival - in our modern, high-tech and significantly diversified...
Wash With Wally
Wash with Wally: Calculating Folding Space, Competing for Employees, More…
Is there some formula or rule of thumb that would guide me as far as how much folding space I should provide for my customers? According to most vended laundry industry data, three square feet of folding space for every dryer pocket in your facility is considered to...
Viewpoint
Get Involved… Stay Involved
The year is quickly coming to an end. The time seems to go faster and faster each year. As you reflect back on the goals you set out to accomplish this year, did you meet or exceed them? Did you do what you said you were going to do? It's never too late to set goals...
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.
