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.
Renovate, Renew, Reimagine
Best Practices for Transforming Existing Laundromats for Greater Profit Breathing new life into that old laundromat you just bought may present as many challenges as opportunities – at least in the beginning. Navigating the journey of laundromat renovation requires a...
Garment Care Demystified
A Comprehensive Guide for Full-Service Laundry Operators Your customers’ garments are more than just pieces of fabric. They hold the stories and experiences of those who wear them. As wash-dry-fold and pickup-and-delivery services continue to grow, laundromat owners...
All the Buzz
An Interview with Katy Chen of Laundrybee Katy Chen is the founder and CEO of Laundrybee, a chain of nine, branded laundromats located within the five boroughs of New York City. Ms. Chen has owned and operated numerous laundromats over that last 20 years. And, in...
Headlines
Digital Marketing’s Role in Your Laundromat’s Makeover
Merging Physical and Digital Transformations with Your Store Renovation One morning, I walked into this quaint neighborhood coffee shop that I frequent occasionally, and something just felt off. The rustic tables had been replaced with sleek, minimalist designs. There...
‘We Have Become a Force in This Industry’
An Interview with Ana Figueroa of Alliance Laundry Systems Distribution Ana Figueroa is the vice president of operations and finance for Alliance Laundry Systems Distribution – West Region, headquartered in South Gate, Calif. Ms. Figueroa graduated from California...
Whirlpool Unveils New Technology Center
Whirlpool Corp. has unveiled a new, 153,000-square-foot technology center in St. Joseph, Mich. The more than $60 million project expands and replaces much of the current St. Joseph Technology Center – and represents the first of a three-phase plan to redesign an...
WashClub Expands DoorDash Partnership
WashClub, a New York-based on-demand laundry and drycleaning service, recently announced the expansion of its partnership with DoorDash to serve laundry customers in the Bronx. The laundry service first launched this offering to residents of Brooklyn and Queens in...
Garment Care Demystified
A Comprehensive Guide for Full-Service Laundry Operators Your customers’ garments are more than just pieces of fabric. They hold the stories and experiences of those who wear them. As wash-dry-fold and pickup-and-delivery services continue to grow, laundromat owners...
American Trade Magazines Names New Publisher
American Trade Magazines, LLC – the parent company of textile-care B2B publications American Coin-Op, American Drycleaner, and American Laundry News – has announced a change in leadership. Effective August 1, Associate Publisher and National Sales Director Donald...
HappyNest Hosts Annual Partner Conference
Laundry pickup-and-delivery service HappyNest, headquartered in East Greenwich, R.I., hosted its 2nd annual Partner Conference on June 20-22 in Newport, R.I. – with more than 50 of the company’s laundromat partners from across the U.S. gathering for the event. The...
Wash-Dry-Fold POS Names New Sales Representative
Wash-Dry-Fold POS has hired Rebecca Clay as a sales representative. To ensure that every member of its team grasps the challenges that laundromat owners face daily, Wash-Dry-Fold POS follows a unique approach to training. Immediately after hire, Clay underwent an...
EVI to Acquire ALCO Washer Center
EVI Industries Inc. recently announced that it has executed a definitive agreement to acquire ALVF Inc. – dba ALCO Washer Center, a distributor of commercial laundry products and provider of related technical installation and maintenance services to the laundromat and...
A Fresh Spin on Your Laundromat’s Profits
Marketing Strategies to Boost Business with Ancillary Revenue Streams You know what’s impressive? A laundromat owner with big dreams. I was chatting with one the other day who wasn’t content with just making money from washers and dryers. She wanted to use every inch...
Wash with Wally: The Keys to Cleaning Cloth Restaurant Napkins
I have potential commercial account that would require us to launder cloth napkins for an Italian restaurant. The napkins are red and most certainly will have oil and other food stains. The client wants these napkins laid out flat for delivery. What are the best...
Relatively Speaking
How to Navigate the Minefield of Working with Family Members Years ago, after earning my master’s degree in clinical psychology, I went to work in my father’s foundry business as the company’s director of sales. At the time – and as is likely the case today as well –...
SPONSORED CONTENT
This Month's Issue
- Artificial Intelligence: Transforming Laundry Day: The Practical Impact of AI on the Laundromat Industry
- Store Operations: The Art and Science of Managing Slip and Fall Injuries
- The Business Mind: Proven Techniques to Help Manage Your Laundry Business and Its Employees
- Women in Vended Laundry: Laundrylux’s Gianna Guerra Shares Her Outlook on the Future of Women in Laundry Leadership
- And More…
THE LATEST ON LAUNDROMATS
Industry News
Alliance Distribution Acquires Statewide Machinery
Alliance Laundry Systems has acquired the distribution assets of Statewide Machinery Inc., based in Batavia, N.Y. “As a family-owned company, Statewide Machinery has built a reputation for providing customers with value that extends well beyond the premier equipment...
LaundryCares Teams with Supermatt for Free Laundry and Literacy Day in Florida
The LaundryCares Foundation has announced a collaborative initiative with the Supermatt Laundry location in Kissimmee, Fla., to bring free laundry services to the neighborhood, as well as to help bridge the literacy gap within the community. On November 8, Supermatt...
CLA, Industry Leaders to Meet with California Lawmaker on Microfiber Issue
Coin Laundry Association President and CEO Brian Wallace, CLA Board Chair Brian Holland, and a group of influential Southern California laundromat owners are scheduled to meet with California State Assemblymember Tina McKinnor on November 7 at Coast Laundry in...
Star Distributing Celebrates 65 Years of Industry Service
Established in 1958 by Durwood R. Davis Jr., Star Distributing – headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. – this year celebrates 65 years of serving the laundry industry. A long-time full-service distributor, Star has provided laundromat owners in the Southeast with sales,...
EVI Reports Record Growth
EVI Industries Inc. recently reported record results in key financial metrics for the fourth fiscal quarter and the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023. The company also announced that its board of directors has declared a special cash dividend on the company’s common...
FROM YOUR FAVORITE INDUSTRY EXPERTS
Columns
The Laundry Doctor
PlanetLaundry Podcast, Episode 19: “How’s Business” with the Laundry Doctor
In this episode, Brian Wallace, President/CEO of the Coin Laundry Association interviews Jeff Gardner, the Laundry Doctor. You may recognize Jeff as a regular columnist in PlanetLaundry. Jeff is a laundromat owner, pickup-and-delivery business operator, and...
The Business Mind
‘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...
Wash With Wally
Wash with Wally: Making ‘Scents’ of WDF Laundry
My store handles a good amount of wash-dry-fold laundry, and lately I’ve been using a lot of detergent and softener. When I approached my laundry attendants about this issue, they told me that many of the customers indicated that they wanted their clothes to smell...
Viewpoint
Measure Twice, Cut Once
I have a fond memory of my grandfather, a contractor by trade, helping me build a stepstool as a child. He wisely said, “Be sure to measure twice, and cut once.” That wisdom has stayed with me throughout my life. Within our industry, there are countless things to...
Digital Marketing
The Anatomy of a Successful Landing Page
Follow These Guidelines to Help Grow Your Pickup-and-Delivery Laundry Service Managing your fleet of vehicles is an important part of building a winning pickup-and-delivery service. But it’s just one piece to the puzzle. The question I always like to ask laundry...
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.
