How to begin building your laundry mat business?

[Mr. Saluki]

I am interested in the laudrymat business but having trouble on where to start. If you can offer any assistance it would be deeply appreciated.

[maleficent]

I know nothing of the business itself, but spend a lot of time in laudromats....

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION... location is essential... you want to be around an area that has a bunchof apartment complexes (that doesn't have laundry on the premises) or at least crappy laundry.

Parking should be plentiful.

Open late hours or early hours-- 9 - 5 doesn't help most people.

A drop off service would be nice to offer...

A clean well lit area for waiting for your laundry, with perhaps a news stand or a coffee kiosk to keeep entertained. Or even, if zoning permits, a bar...

The building I am living in now, usesMac Gray equipment, the cool part of this, is the machine is operated by card - rather than having to squirrel away quarters... I can charge my card in the main office and not have to worry... It's kind of a cool feature.

[leftyderek]

Hm, I would suggest opening somewhere around a young residential area, like where university students or young Ugrads live. Usually we cannot afford a washing machine yet-

Also the idea of coffee kiosk is brilliant. Try to make it into a little... hang-out+laundry place for people. Sounds like fun

One thing about the card system though- the system in my uni residence is the card one too. But wouldn't it be rather expensive to get the whole system, you know, like, wouldn't it be cheaper to start with coin-operated ones first, then considering upgrading it? (i don't know if it's possible-the upgrading)

Good luck with the business!

Oh, oh! Some other essentials: vending machines for laundry soap and softener! Well, or just a kiosk selling those. And it's probably cool to have music playing in the shop, too.

[BadNick]

It seems from my experience that most people who use laundramats ...damn how DO you spell that word correctly... tend to be younger and single. Back when I was one of those, I always found laundromats to be good places to meet women who might one day do my laundry or for other reasons. So catering to that prospect seems to me to be a good business idea. Clean and safe are very important for success, too.

You could probably charge higher prices, make more profit, and still attract customers if you offer amenities.

Hey, how about a free WiFi hookup in your laundromat for those who want to ignore their fellow humans and just surf the net?

A good bristle dart board on the wall and some decent darts could be a cheap way to keep the troops entertained while they use the place.

Simple food and drinks are almost a necessity.

[BigBen]

There is a place I used to go.

It was called the "Wash and Slosh"

Laundry machines on one wall, bar on the other, pooltables inbetween, little cubbies to hang out in and chill; backgammon and chess sets everywhere. Crappy little stage where a local rock band can get some stage time and get famous.

Fucking brilliant. Only bad thing: I would often get so drunk that I would forget my laundry there. Others did too.

The owner put up a little kiosk where they paid someone to change your laundry for you, and you got a wristband with a number on it to identify your laundry. People were stealing the pretty girls panties, I suppose. The bouncer would then grab your arm as you were leaving and escort you back to your clean clothes. I paid alot in tips.

Eventually when the laundry machines fell apart, the owner didn't replace them. He ended up with a very cool bar/pub/lounge with a unique atmosphere.

Remember what a Laundromat (<---- correct spelling, BTW) is. IT IS A SERVICE INDUSTRY. Give your patrons more than what they are expecting. Have other services available at reasonable costs:

Drycleaning
Folding
Ironing
Beer
Games
Entertainment
Fast Food

There are a thousand things your establishment can become. Go Big or Go home.

The good news: It is a cash business. Small amounts of cash means that if properly managed, you won't get tapped out in a Cash-flow situation.

Don't cater to everybody. Create a niche that will attract some loyal customers. Listen to your customers. Offer free laundry to a couple of customers every week and have them submit to a survey: How are you doing? What do they like/dislike? What do they do in their free time? What is more important, cheap detergent or good detergent?
Market Research is time and money seldom wasted.

[Willravel]

Do you have the capitol, or are you getting a loan? If you're getting a loan, you'll need a buisness model and a decent pitch.

[BAMF]

the one I used to use had a tv and homeless people always came in out of the cold to watch TV all the time.

[Mr. Saluki]

Originally Posted by willravel

Do you have the capitol, or are you getting a loan? If you're getting a loan, you'll need a buisness model and a decent pitch.

I dont quite have the capitol, but am in great credit standings and recent college grad.

My father if needed can finance also.

[Grasshopper Green]

If there is still smoking allowed in public places, then either have a separate lounge area for smokers, or don't allow smoking at all. Non smokers don't want to go home with a carload of smoky smelling clean clothes. I hated that when I went to laundromats in North Carolina.

Besides that, video games/pinball machines, vending machines, tvs...things to help pass the time are good. Oh, and plenty of seating and folding tables. It sucks to have to stand around while your laundry is going, and then have to fight for a space to fold them.

[Randomfunk]

Have to agree with others here, somewhere where you could do your laundry, and while waiting hang out and have a coffee (or beer if possible) would be great, would sure take the boredom out of waiting for stuff to wash...

[superiorrain]

Just wondering in what city you want to start up this business. May help you focus on the type people you want to attract. Also make sure you think of a good brand name, trust me people like brand names. I have no sugguestions as yet to what that might be but sure people on here will give you some ideas.

The coffee idea is inspirational and an excellent source of revenue. I'm going away to think of some other ideas. I'll let you know when i have some.

[tecoyah]

Wireless internet....and the TFP logo...(you will need to team up with Halx for this)

[cyrnel]

I'll repeat the bar/bistro suggestion. We used to have a laundromat named "Suds & Suds." The bar was quite good, with great character and round-the-world awards if you could ever make it through their selections. Not sure what happened to them. Vanished sometime in the years I was out of state.

As for the basics, keep the dryers calibrated. It's frustrating when different dryers on the same setting with the same number of quarters give wildly different results.

Chairs, maybe with college desk fold-ups, a TV with Oprah V-chipped (maybe headphone jacks), WiFi, and Food. Deli style? Beverages & food could make as much as the laundry.

[Sage]

if you put in video games/pinball machines MAKE SURE THEY ALWAYS WORK!!!! Nothin so frustrating than finding your fave pinball machine at a laundromat only to find it doesn't work!!!

Keep it really spotlessly clean, well lit, with all the washers and dryers working. All the suggestions here about making it into a neat hangout spot are good too. I've *never* been to a decent laundromat... I'd pay $1 a load (or even more) if it meant I got free wi-fi, some good food, and a nice place to meet people.

[soundmotor]

Originally Posted by leftyderek

wouldn't it be cheaper to start with coin-operated ones first, then considering upgrading it?

Not to mention the cash business aspect..........ahem..........