Former Marine Operates Laundromat/Fitness Center in Upstate New York
Bryan Donegan’s first child was born while he was serving in Afghanistan as an intelligence specialist for the U.S. Marine Corps’ 1st Battalion, 9th Marines unit.
However, once Donegan returned home to northern New York – and with a second child on the way – he knew it was time to make a change professionally.
Upon his discharge from the military, the former Marine has stayed more than active as an interior firefighter, an EMT, and the captain of his fire department’s dive rescue team. Along the way, he also eventually became involved in his family’s local land development and real estate business – which led Donegan down an unexpected path… that of a laundromat owner.
Why laundry?
“I had this building,” he stated, matter-of-factly. “I was the landlord for a Dollar General store at this location. And, when the lease came up for renewal, they didn’t want to renew.”
Besides already owning the building in Evans Mills, N.Y., and having the newly vacant space, Donegan noticed a gap in the area coverage with regard to laundry facilities.
“There wasn’t a single laundromat around,” he explained. “The gap in coverage alone was enough to make putting a laundromat in that building a no-brainer.
“Another big advantage on my list was the fact that laundromats are a relatively recession-proof business, and they contribute to the good of a community’s public health and safety. They’re needed businesses.”
At 9,100 square feet, the former Dollar General location was too large for just a laundry business, so Donegan split the space into a 3,600-square-foot laundromat and a 5,500-square-foot fitness center.
“I had space left over that I needed to fill,” he said. “I thought about what else was lacking in this area, and that’s when the fitness center came to mind.”
Donegan opened Laundry 24 and 24 Fitness – both 24-hour operations – in May 2021. However, retrofitting a dollar store into a dual purpose vended laundry/fitness center was not without a few headaches.
The project began in November 2020 – at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Building a location with all of the utilities a laundromat needs is a complicated process,” Donegan said. “And the pandemic just made it that much more complicated.
“COVID-19 impacted this project entirely, in almost every single detail and aspect,” he continued. “I was planning this business before the pandemic, and I had to re-attack every detail – construction, store design, business model and plan, employment, SOPs, SOGs, and so on. It was one of the most difficult challenges I’ve ever faced.
“With regard to the development of this business and facility, I would’ve reused less materials from original Dollar General store. In all honesty, Dollar General makes their buildings in a very economized method – thin concrete, thin metal, and thin roofs. I didn’t reuse a lot, but I definitely regret reusing the metal roof more than anything.
“Also, I wouldn’t undertake such a project again during a global health crisis, or during a labor and materials shortage. That made everything 1,000 times more difficult and stressful than it needed to be. However, as the saying goes: ‘God put some of the most rewarding and serene experiences on the other side of risk and fear.’”
Within a five-mile radius of Laundry 24, the population is nearly 27,000, with 8,384 households. The median household income for the marketplace is just below $44,000 annually.
“As far as income levels, the market is middle class to somewhat lower middle class,” Donegan explained. “It’s also a very rural community.”
Given that, Laundry 24 is located on the main road through town on the way to the much larger Watertown, which is a popular destination and, thus, provides Donegan’s laundry operation with a great deal of through traffic and visibility.
In addition, the laundromat and fitness center are just a little over a mile away from Fort Drum, a U.S. Army base that is practically a city unto itself. In fact, Donegan estimated the about 60 percent of his laundry business comes from soldiers living and working on the base.
“I’m on a commercial drag outside of Fort Drum,” he said. “We’re literally the first business off the base.”
Based within a hub of activity, Laundry 24 shares the area with a grocery store, a Subway, a nail salon, a Dunkin’ location, a 7-Eleven, a Wendy’s, a Walmart, and other destination businesses. Moreover, Donegan added that Fort Drum has announced plans to expand, which will only add more business and more consumers to the marketplace.
Despite this fact, there currently are only three other laundromats within 15 or 20 miles of Laundry 24.
“There is a laundromat one village over, and two stores on the north side of the neighboring city,” Donegan said. “But, along the main drag that heads into Fort Drum, this is the only laundromat, as well as the only gym.”
Despite running two separate and very different businesses under one roof, Donegan also has been smart enough to take advantage of his unique offerings.
“The laundromat alone is like a bit of a billboard for the gym,” he explained. “There is a lot of synergy between the two businesses.”
For instance, while he obviously offers 24 Fitness memberships, as any gym does, Donegan also promotes “VIP memberships,” which include both gym access and a wash-dry-fold package. What’s more, the laundromat’s commercial-grade equipment makes quick work of the fitness center’s towels and other laundry needs.
“And, when it comes to advertising and marketing, I always try to split it up so that I can get two advertisements in one.”
With regard to promoting his business, Donegan has implemented a healthy mix of Facebook ads, local radio spots, and other online marketing options, including a realty website that caters to military personnel who are looking to buy or rent houses.
Then again, the best advertising may be the positive word-of-mouth promotion Laundry 24 receives from its customers.
“My machines are new and high-tech,” Donegan said. “It’s the cleanest laundromat in northern New York. Plus, I’ve created a slightly more open floorplan than many other stores, with wider aisles and a spacious lounge area so that customers don’t feel boxed in. I have the brightest lights allowed and security cameras – and, of course, we’re conveniently open 24 hours.
“I’ve spared no expense with either business, and that reflects in how we take care of the place. As a former first responder in the Marine Corps, I’ve instilled that attention to detail into my staff.”
Donegan noted that his military training and experiences have provided him with a unique skill set as both a business owner and employer.
“Having been deployed, I feel it’s given me the ability to make do with what I’ve got, to make something happen out of nothing,” he said. “I have it programmed within me to make it happen, no matter what it takes.
“And, because of all the things I’ve experienced, I try to make the work environment fun for all of us. I have a higher standard, but my employees also enjoy coming to work. I take care of them, as though we’re family. I try to make the work environment positive and beneficial, rather than just about money.”
As with any new business venture, there were a few surprises along the way, Donegan admitted.
“Renovating the building was a big surprise,” he said. “I didn’t think I would run into such serious structural issues. Another big one was just learning the trade. All I knew about the laundromat business was from talking to other people, as well as what I learned online on my own. There’s a lot to learn.”
Donegan was also shocked at the volatile nature of the laundry customer.
“Generally, I would say that ‘laundry day’ in my area is Sunday,” he explained. “But it still can be an unpredictable and surprising business. Just when I think there’s a pattern, there isn’t – some rainy days are good for business, and others aren’t.”
Donegan added that he also was taken aback a bit by the rising expenses involved in running Laundry 24.
“Utilities and labor costs keep creeping up,” he said. “With labor, I’m paying my employees extra, because I’m tired of training new attendants, and I require a certain caliber of individual to work for me. I’m not treating my employees like Marines, but I do have a certain expectation level. So, in order to retain a quality staff, I feel obligated to offer them competitive pay, similar to a skilled trade.”
Donegan employs one full-time manager and, at any given time, between four to seven part-time attendants, who cover both Laundry 24 and 24 Fitness.
“My laundry employees also are responsible for cleaning the fitness center, as well as signing up gym members and giving tours of the facility,” he said.
Donegan indicated a strong interest in growing beyond his initial Evans Mills location someday.
“I’m working on a second store,” he divulged. “I’d like to do the hybrid, laundromat/gym idea at the next one as well.
“In fact, I’m thinking about running with this idea in two ways. First, with myself in my local area in northern New York and also maybe in southeast Florida. Then, secondly, I wouldn’t mind finding a partner who believes in this idea as a franchise.”
With Bryan Donegan behind it, who knows how far the Laundry24/24 Fitness concept can spread? Stay tuned…
