Two military veterans are bringing the LaundroLab franchise concept to their Denver communities. Shannon Christianson and Evette Velez are laying the groundwork for a family venture in hopes that their 13-year-old daughter eventually can become involved in the operation.
“I am a veteran of the Navy, and Evette is a veteran of the Air Force,” Christianson explained. “I’ve had an interest in being an entrepreneur for many years. We’ve always wanted to have a business, and we have a history in residential real estate. Leveraging our portfolio from residential real estate to a business, we connected with a franchise broker through some friends, and we discovered LaundroLab.”
The pair was looking for a semi-absentee concept, as Velez intends to continue with her current occupation – contract work for the Navy – in the coming years. As Christianson shifts away from her current role in physical therapy, she will take on most of the daily LaundroLab requirements.
“I’m getting out of physical therapy,” Christianson explained. “I plan on being, initially, an owner-operator, but we’ve bought three territories, so we plan on hiring a manager to oversee all three over time. Right now, though, it’s kind of semi-retirement through semi-absenteeism.”
“The laundry space is an exciting one,” said LaundroLab President and co-founder Dan D’Aquisto. “It’s more of a passive business than most. People should look at this, versus buying another rental property or investing in stocks.”
As the duo searches for the perfect Denver location for their first laundromat, Christianson said they hope to have it open within nine months.
LaundroLab, which began offering franchising opportunities in 2021, has grown to include 23 store owners and has awarded 86 licenses. The franchise’s goal is to surpass 100 licenses by the end of 2022.
