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.
 
														Diamonds in the Rough
What Makes a Laundry Ideal for a Successful Turnaround? There’s been a lot of talk about purchasing and retooling older, neglected laundromats. And, in recent years, it has proven to be a great strategy for many savvy laundry operators looking to grow their...
 
														Clean 2019: A Recap from New Orleans
Taking a Look Back at the Industry’s Trade Show and Convention Technology was center stage at this year’s Clean Show in New Orleans. “Technology is beginning to rapidly disrupt the vended laundry world,” noted Sharon Brinks, who owns The Laundry Station in Wichita,...
 
														The First Lady of Literacy in the Laundromat
An Interview with New York University’s Dr. Susan Neuman Dr. Susan B. Neuman is a professor of childhood and literacy development at New York University. Previously, she has been a professor at the University of Michigan and has served as the U.S. Assistant Secretary...
Headlines
On the Money
An Overview of the SBA’s 504 Loan Program The Small Business Administration’s 504 Loan program is a powerful economic development program that offers small businesses, such as laundromats, another avenue for business financing, while promoting business growth and job...
First Tide Laundromat Opens in Chicago
The first Tide Laundromat recently opened for business in Chicago, on the city’s far north side. According to the Procter & Gamble brand, it is a part of Tide’s strategic focus “to bring innovation and new technologies to the out-of-home laundry services...
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....
Enthusiasm for Our ‘Essential’ Industry
The laundromat business has proven itself to be recession-resistant, pandemic-resistant – and, yes, “essential.” As a result, the industry is growing at a rate at which I’ve never seen before. People are fleeing corporate America to build or buy laundromats. Current...
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...
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...
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Scaling Wash & Fold Operations
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This Month's Issue
- Connecting, Learning, Advocating: CLA Maximizes Impact at Clean Show 2025
- Member Spotlight: Finding a Niche in the Laundromat Industry
- PlanetLaundry Podcast: Turning Setbacks into Success: Saichelle McNeill’s Journey
- A Laundromat With Heart: Inside Cherry Drive’s Customer-First Approach
- And More…
THE LATEST ON LAUNDROMATS
Industry News
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...
HappyNest Partners with Arizona Laundromat
Laundry pickup-and-delivery service HappyNest has expanded into North Phoenix, Ariz., through its new laundromat partner, My Laundry Room. HappyNest’s laundry services are now available in North Phoenix, as well as portions of Scottsdale. “Prior to partnering with...
EVI Completes Acquisition of Clean Designs, Clean Route
EVI Industries Inc. – headquartered in Miami – has announced it has completed the company’s acquisition of Clean Designs Inc. and Clean Route LLC, based in Lakewood, Colo. Known collectively as Clean Designs, the company is a distributor of commercial laundry products...
Alliance Adds Quality Assurance Positions
In its North America service area, Alliance Laundry Systems has created the position of quality assurance specialist – with industry veterans Tony Berton and Scott Demotts taking on those roles focused on large-chassis and small-chassis products, respectively. Berton...
Texas Laundry Chain, Libraries Without Borders Expand Internet Access in San Antonio
Laundry Rey’s Wash ’n Fold recently partnered with Libraries Without Borders to launch an internet-enabled library at one of the San Antonio laundromat chain’s locations, as part of the international nonprofit group’s Wash and Learn initiative. “When I would come to...
FROM YOUR FAVORITE INDUSTRY EXPERTS
Columns
The Laundry Doctor
Stains Are Not Created Equal
Originally posted - Apr 04, 2014 When it comes to drop-off laundry, there are different levels of wash-dry-fold service. And it's up to each individual owner to define what that level of service should be for his or her particular store. For instance, I recently spoke...
The Business Mind
On Your Best (Financial) Behavior
How Understanding Behavioral Economics Can Help You Make Better Financial Decisions Have you ever heard of behavioral economics? If not, you have now! But what exactly is it? In a nutshell, behavioral economics can best be defined as how our individual psychology and...
Wash With Wally
Wash with Wally: Cloth Napkins, Throw Rugs and More…
I have a commercial client who wants my store to take over the cloth napkin laundry service for his Italian restaurant. I’m not sure what is required to perform a quality service for this specific account. The napkins are red and often will have oil and other food...
Viewpoint
Clean 2015 Attendance Tops Previous Show
Just two days into Clean 2015 in Atlanta, the laundry industry's biennial trade show has already surpassed the attendance figure of the 2013 event in New Orleans by approximately 5 percent. What's more, the Atlanta show's net square footage of 189,300 square feet is...
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.
 
					


 





 


