American Coin-Op -January 2021

In an April 2020 study by Mastercard, 79% of respondents worldwide say they are now using contactless payments, citing safety and cleanliness as key drivers. Further, in 2021 Visa expects that there will be more than 300 million contactless cards in the hands of American consumers.

CRAFTING AN EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

Such a handbook serves to prevent misunderstandings and dissatisfaction that can lead to what human resources professional Karen Young describes as “HR drama.”

CLEAN SHOW POSTPONED UNTIL SUMMER 2022

The coronavirus pandemic prompts show organizer Messe Frankfurt to push the next edition in Atlanta to July 30August 2, 2022.

BRINGING A LAUNDROMAT-CAFE VISION TO LIFE

A virtual visit to David Swissa’s Bims Laundry Cafe in Everett, Washington.

FINE-TUNING LAUNDRY PICKUP & DELIVERY

COLUMNS

16 MOTIVATING EMPLOYEES TO DO THEIR BEST

In a self-service laundry, employee motivation starts at the top with the owner, the boss. This person’s behavior is critical, because they can raise employees up or shoot them down without even realizing it.

Columnist Paul Russo suggests some ways through personal appreciation and incentives to create an environment where employees are eager to help build the business that values them.

(Cover image:(Photo: © kaczor58/Depositphotos)

Bruce Beggs

GET YOUR MOTOR RUNNIN’

Charles Thompson, Publisher

E-mail: cthompson@ATMags.com Phone: 312-361-1680

Donald Feinstein, Associate Publisher/ National Sales Director

E-mail: dfeinstein@ATMags.com Phone: 312-361-1682

Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

E-mail: bbeggs@ATMags.com Phone: 312-361-1683

Mathew Pawlak, Production Manager

Nathan Frerichs, Digital Media Director

E-mail: nfrerichs@ATMags.com Phone: 312-361-1681

Ready to move beyond a challenging 2020, I think it’s appropriate that our cover story this month is, in part, about hitting the road—the road between your laundry and your customer’s home.

Laundry pickup and delivery has been picking up steam for a while now. And when the pandemic kept many Americans home, we learned a new term from the retail sector: contactless. Those who were too busy or disinterested to do their own laundry found pickup and delivery to be well worth the cost.

My story beginning on page 12 features four operators ranging from a relative newcomer to a veteran of 30-plus years. They warn that pickup and delivery is a completely different business than simple wash-dry-fold. It’s a service built on marketing and logistics. If you’re going to go that route, it sounds like you better be in for the long haul.

Elsewhere in this month’s issue is a feature on “Crafting an Employee Handbook,” news about The Clean Show’s postponement to 2022, and a virtual visit to a new laundry-cafe in Washington state, among other content.

To borrow the lyrics of Steppenwolf, get your motor runnin’. •

The American Trade Magazines family lost a dear colleague and true fan when retired publisher Ed Goldstein died Nov. 11 at the age of 90.

Ed spent nearly 25 years as publisher of American Trade Magazines, including American Coin-Op, American Drycleaner and American Laundry News, retiring in 1997. When I joined our company two years later, he was still making fairly regular visits to our Chicago offices and attending the Clean Show, where he knew everyone

I didn’t know Ed well but his love for the textile care industry was unmistakable. Thank you, sir, for paving the way for the rest of us.

Bruce Beggs Editorial Director

American Coin-Op (ISSN 0092-2811) is published monthly. Subscription prices, payment in advance: U.S., 1 year $46.00; 2 years $92.00. Foreign, 1 year $109.00; 2 years $218.00. Single copies $9.00 for U.S., $18.00 for all other countries. Published by American Trade Magazines LLC, 650 West Lake Street, Suite 320, Chicago, IL 60661. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER, Send changes of address and form 3579 to American Coin-Op, Subscription Dept., 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Volume 62, number 1. Editorial, executive and advertising offices are at 650 West Lake Street, Suite 320, Chicago, IL 60661. Charles Thompson, President and Publisher. American Coin-Op is distributed selectively to owners, operators and managers of chain and individually owned coin-operated laundry establishments in the United States. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertising for any reason.

© Copyright AMERICAN TRADE MAGAZINES LLC, 2021. Printed in U.S.A. No part of this publication may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher or his representative. American Coin-Op does not endorse, recommend or guarantee any article, product, service or information found within. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of American Coin-Op or its staff. While precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the magazine’s contents at time of publication, neither the editors, publishers nor its agents can accept responsibility for damages or injury which may arise therefrom.

an Employee HandbookCrafting

by Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

An employee handbook clearly states what the business expects of an employee, as well as the employer’s legal obligations, protecting a small business like a self-service laundry against employee lawsuits and claims.

It serves to prevent misunderstandings and dissatisfaction that can lead to what Karen Young describes as “HR drama.”

Young, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is a veteran human resources professional and author who’s beginning her 16th year as president of HR Resolutions. Her Pennsylvania-based firm supports small businesses like self-service laundries on a national basis.

“We’re advocates for the organization so (it) can have employees but we have to be advocates for the employees also so that the work of the organization can get done,” she says.

DOES WORKFORCE SIZE MATTER?

The size of a small-business workforce plays a factor in how it’s regulated and can influence how far a business owner must go when it comes to documenting and communicating HR responsibilities, Young says.

“If it’s just a handful of people, I mean two or three, I don’t know that you need to go to the investment of having a formal handbook put together, depending on what state you’re in,” she says. “There are certain regulatory guidelines that you’ll need to follow.”

For example, in her state, if a company employs four or more people, it must follow the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, which Young says is similar to the Equal Employment Opportunity Act at the federal level, which comes into play when a workforce reaches 15 employees.

“If you don’t have a whole handbook, you want to have a few key documented policies. For example, an equal employment opportunity policy. ‘How am I going to determine whether I hire someone or not? How am I going to select the individual? How am

I going to make decisions about terminations?”

You’ll want to have at least minimal guidelines on record to minimize your risk and exposure of being sued, Young says.

A handbook also gives your employees, in writing, your expectations for their performance.

“Naturally, you should still communicate your expectations to them, but I take handbooks one step further,” Young says. “I let the employees know in the handbook what they can expect of me.

“‘If you have a challenge, I want you to come talk to me, because I want to try to work it through with you. You can trust that you can have a safe conversation with me. I will treat you fairly. I will treat all of our employees the same.’ So I am letting them know what they can expect of me (as their employer) as well.”

AREAS TO COVER

“Generally, you want to start out with a welcome. I’m not an attorney but I can assure you that any attorney will reinforce this: you really need to put it in writing that you are an ‘at-will’ employer if you are in an ‘at-will’ state.”

At-will means that an employer can terminate an employee at any time for any reason, except an illegal one, or for no reason without incurring legal liability. Likewise, an employee is free to leave a job at any time for any or no reason with no adverse legal consequences.

“I think the next thing you want to talk about is … the regulations and the things that are applicable. Employment. Talk a little bit about wages. Definitely—particularly in your industry—talk about overtime. Make sure you define overtime.”

Most states stick with the federal definition, with overtime kicking in after 40 hours per work week, Young says.

“But you have to remember to define what ‘work’ is. Does that include any holidays? Does that include any paid time off?”

Documenting policies, explaining expectations can help avoid ‘HR drama’

(Photo: iStock.com/Andrii Dodonov)

If you’re going to include a holiday section, whether you treat them as paid or unpaid, make sure you carry the definitions through so you’re reinforcing it throughout the handbook, she says.

“After regulations, I’m going to go into benefits. And when I say ‘benefits,’ I don’t just mean medical, dental and vision. I don’t mean the typical. Are you going to offer discounted laundry? Are you going to offer free laundry services? Are you going to offer discounted dry cleaning? That’s a benefit to an employee.

“Do you offer a flexible schedule? … If you have a policy that employees will have every other weekend off, that’s a benefit. Think about all those things you offer that are available only because they’re a part of your family.”

Make sure you publish your pay frequency (biweekly on Fridays, for example) and explain what an employee should do if they discover an error in their paycheck.

Writing for American Coin-Op in 2017, multi-store owner Brian Brunckhorst said a good employee handbook specific to laundry operations should contain a welcome letter; important contact numbers; a detailed job description; operating instructions for each type of washer and dryer; your customer service policy; daily duties, policies and procedures; and a summary of employee benefits.

Young doesn’t favor including procedures in that document.

“Policies are going to remain relatively consistent and stable across time,” she explains. “It’s very rare that your policy on how you define overtime is going to change. But your procedure for ringing a customer out or providing change, that might change regularly. That’s why you want to be sure to keep the two separate.”

If you’re distributing a handbook for the first time, or distributing an updated handbook, make sure you have an acknowledgement form signed by each employee upon receipt, Young says.

“And even if your handbook is online, which is the way a lot of these are going now, make sure there’s some type of signature (from the employee) acknowledging, ‘I know where it’s located and I understand I’m responsible for it.’”

If possible, have your handbook translated into Spanish and perhaps other foreign languages widely spoken in your area. If that’s not possible, make sure you have an interpreter (a staff member?) available on the day that you review the material with employees.

“The more we demonstrate that we are pro-employee, that further mitigates our risk as well,” Young advises.

The coronavirus pandemic created an unusual work environment for many in 2020. Businesses haven’t necessarily updated their employee handbooks because of it, she says, but instead have issued addendums specifying additional policies.

READ ANNUALLY, REVIEW EVERY FEW YEARS

“I do recommend that managers and leaders should read (handbooks) every year, and probably have them reviewed every two to three years. I would not go longer than five years. Five is really pushing it in an HR world.

“The reason I say read it every year is because of getting into what can get you in trouble, which is if I have a policy published that I don’t follow anymore but I still have it in the handbook, that’s trouble.”

Young offered an example that doesn’t necessarily fit the laundry profile but is worth sharing. A company has an attendance policy—“be at your workstation by your assigned start time”—and

a separate work-from-home policy that prohibits working from home. It hasn’t issued any handbook revisions, yet it’s now allowing employees to work from home due to the pandemic.

The business owner notices an employee who’s consistently failing to log on to her computer by her assigned time every day. He’s spoken to her about it, documented it, and put her on notice that there may be disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Ultimately, the owner decides he’s had enough, terminating the employee based on the attendance policy.

When filing for unemployment, the ex-employee points out that she’s been allowed to work from home despite the company’s established policy, so she’s not sure which of the company’s policies are current.

“That’s why it’s so important to review the employee handbook every year. I’m not saying you have to reissue, but if you do have a policy that you’re not going to follow anymore, issue a notice to be attached.”

YOU CAN DO IT YOURSELF, BUT SHOULD YOU?

Small-business owners are known for being jacks of all trades but Young doesn’t recommend tackling the creation or revision of an employee handbook alone.

“They should look at their payroll company. They might have HR support available. … They should talk to their attorney. … Do a search for an independent HR consultant in your marketplace. Reach out to them.”

Your regional chamber of commerce is another potential source. However you choose to handle your company’s employee handbook, it’s always recommended that an attorney review it and sign off. And if a consultant states that they can handle it alone without legal review, that’s cause for concern, according to Young.

“Talk to your employees. Let them know what you’re doing. Seek some input from them. What would they like to see? And look at it as guidelines not written in stone. Don’t write a policy that you have to follow letter by letter. Write it so it is flexible for your business.”

If it’s your first time creating a handbook, share it publicly during an employee meeting, allow time for review, then set aside time to speak to each employee one on one to answer any specific questions they may have.

In Young’s experience, the most common error a small business makes with its handbook is including unnecessary policies.

“Putting policies in place that they don’t need. For example, family and medical leave. If you have less than 50 employees, do not say that you offer family medical leave, because as soon as you publish it in the handbook, you’ll be obligated to follow the family medical leave guidelines.”

The Family Medical Leave Act entitles eligible employees to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

“Don’t do that to yourself,” Young says. “Make sure that the handbook is applicable to the regulations applicable to your size of organization and your state.”

An employee handbook is a worthwhile tool that can save you time and money if handled properly.

“It’s worth a small investment on the upside,” Young says. “An average Equal Employment Opportunity claim settles for around $292,000 and takes two years to get to that point but most likely it’s five to six. Who has that kind of time? How much laundry do you have to wash to take $292,000 off the bottom line?” ACO

CLEAN SHOW POSTPONED UNTIL SUMMER 2022

PANDEMIC PROMPTS DECISION TO PUSH EVENT TO JULY 30-AUGUST 2, 2022

by Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

The planned 2021 edition of The Clean Show has been postponed until 2022 due to the continued global impacts of COVID-19, show organizer Messe Frankfurt announced in mid-November. The next edition is now scheduled for July 30-August 2, 2022, in Atlanta; those dates are Saturday through Tuesday.

After months of strategic conversations with Messe Frankfurt’s global leadership, partner associations and representatives from the show’s key exhibiting groups, the team has decided that pushing the show and its subsequent edition is in the best interest of the industry as a whole.

The decision will affect at least the next two editions, with Clean 2023 also being moved to now take place in August 2024.

“Although this has been a tough decision to make, we are confident that moving The Clean Show will allow us to provide the quality experience and return on investment our exhibitors and visitors have come to expect from Clean,” says Show Director Greg Jira.

“While we all wish we could bring the industry together safely in June, we understand and fully support Messe Frankfurt’s decision to postpone The Clean Show until summer 2022,” Brian Wallace, CEO of the Coin Laundry Association, tells American Coin-Op. The CLA is one of the five associations that collaborate with Messe in presenting the show. “As important as The Clean Show is as an engine driving the industry forward, the health and safety of our stakeholders come first.

“In the meantime, the Laundromat business continues to meet the challenge of this COVID moment and I could not be prouder of all that store owners, distributors and manufacturers are doing to deliver our essential service to the public.”

Messe Frankfurt says exhibitors have reacted positively to the decision.

In a statement to American Coin-Op, Alliance Laundry Systems, maker of Huebsch and Speed Queen equipment, writes, “While we know the decision to postpone the 2021 edition of The Clean Show was a difficult one, we believe Messe Frankfurt made the correct call to keep exhibitors and attendees safe. Alliance Laundry Systems looks forward to an even bigger event in 2022 in Atlanta.”

“The Clean Show has traditionally been a very important platform that allows us to showcase our current and future products,” Craig Kirchner, president of Dexter Laundry, tells American Coin-Op “We appreciate Messe Frankfurt taking the current global pandemic concerns of our industry into consideration. We stand behind Clean in their decision to move the next show to 2022.”

“Although the Clean Show is always a highlight of the year for us to be able to connect with so many of our friends and customers, we understand the decision to postpone due to the current COVID-19 pandemic,” says Jeff Schapiro, president of Cleaner’s Supply. “We’re all going to miss the Clean Show in 2021, but look forward to an even greater show in 2022!”

“While we always look forward to the Clean Show and have exhibited … every year since its inception, we 100% agree with the decision to delay the show,” says Setomatic Systems President Michael Schantz. “The health and safety of our employees, customers, and all attendees is by far the No. 1 priority. We appreciate Messe Frankfurt making a very quick and decisive decision to delay the show and putting everyone’s safety over anything else.”

“I have been very pleased with the response from Messe Frankfurt to understand the issues the exhibitors face in light of the world-changing event of COVID19,” says Jeff Frushtick, chairman and

CEO of Leonard Automatics, as part of Messe’s press release announcement. “I feel that Messe has been very open with their conversations and very understanding of the exhibitors’ issues in this very troubling time.”

“We have always valued our relationship with The Clean Show and are proud to have established such a prominent role in the event,” says Engelbert Heinz, Kannegiesser managing director who served as an adviser during the decision-making process and endorsed the move. “While postponing the show is regrettable, we believe it is in the industry’s best interest.”

“The Clean Show has traditionally been a very important platform that allows us to showcase and demonstrate our industries’ leading automation equipment,” says Jesper Munch Jensen, CEO of JENSEN-GROUP. “We appreciate Messe Frankfurt taking the global scheduling concerns of the manufacturing sector into consideration.”

As the show pivots to its new dates, Messe Frankfurt will be announcing important changes and deadlines for exhibiting companies and individuals planning to attend.

Additionally, the team is working on alternative opportunities for the textile care industry to do business until meeting in person again in 2022.

Along with the CLA, the Association for Linen Management, Drycleaning & Laundry Institute, Textile Care Allied Trades Association, and TRSA, the association for linen, uniform and facility services, collaborate with Messe in presenting The Clean Show.

The Germany-based trade fair organizer purchased the show in December 2018 and retained longtime manager Riddle & Associates to oversee Clean 2019 before taking the reins of future editions. ACO

Fine-Tuning Laundry Pickup Delivery

&

by Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

Consumer interest in wash-dry-fold (WDF) services had been on the upswing for quite some time when the coronavirus pandemic created an environment that emphasized staying clean to stay healthy. But what if a customer, aware of the risk of catching the virus by being around others, wouldn’t visit their local Laundromat but still wanted someone else to do their laundry?

Hello, pickup and delivery.

Now, this aspect of laundry service isn’t new. There are laundries, especially those in heavily populated metropolitan areas, that have been picking up and delivering for years. But if ever there was a time to consider adding the option, this may be it. And even if your operation hits the road as a matter of routine, growth in the WDF marketplace could signal the need for you to fine-tune things to stay top of mind in your area.

The Coin Laundry Association (CLA) recently hosted a webinar that focused on starting a pickup and delivery service. President Brian Wallace moderated a panel of four operators whose experience ranges from roughly a year to more than three decades.

A STATE OF READINESS

Before offering to pick up and return a customer’s goods, it’s important that laundry owners evaluate the market potential as well as their operation’s capabilities.

“Do a Google search in your area for pickup and delivery and see what the competition is, if there is any competition,” says Chris Balestracci, owner of Super Wash Laundromat in East Haven,

This service is uniquely about marketing and logistics, operators say

Connecticut. He’s been in the business since 1988 and has purchased, renovated and sold four different stores during that time.

“Do you have the infrastructure, in other words, do you have the size of Laundromat that can facilitate both pickup and delivery and your regular business? And do you have the employees? Do you have a manual that shows each employee how to do the laundry exactly the same way every time, like McDonald’s? You can’t have Sally come in and do it one way and Jane does it another way.”

Dave Menz owns four Queen City Laundry locations in the Cincinnati area. He launched his delivery service in 2016 and now has three trucks handled by seven full- and part-time drivers. Once his stores were retrofitted with brand-new equipment, he found that he had a lot of excess capacity. Offering pickup and delivery was a way to generate additional volume.

“Pickup and delivery came up at one of the Clean Shows. I just did some due diligence, looked into it … we already had a pretty mature team as far as wash/dry/fold. … Market potential is there, excess capacity is there, team already knows how to process laundry professionally … so it just made all the sense in the world to dive in.”

Matt Simmons of Super Suds Laundry in Long Beach, California, says one of his goals was to “have machines spinning at nighttime.” The operation now handles at least 600 pickups a month.

“The best way to determine if there’s a market is to look around your Laundromat—is there a market for wash and fold? If there isn’t, is there a place that you could drive where there is a market for wash and fold? People are paying a premium for wash and fold. It’s a

(Photo: © kaczor58/Depositphotos)

different business, different client expectations. It’s a service business.

“What do they value? They value convenience and saving time. If someone is OK taking their clothes to the Laundromat, they’re probably OK with you picking up their clothes from their house. It’s more convenient and it saves them more time. … We’re doing pretty well in pickup and delivery but we feel like we’re just scratching the surface.”

DEPARTURE FROM THE NORM

Jonathan Babcock opened a WaveMAX laundry franchise in Knoxville, Tennessee, in late 2019. He has found pickup and delivery to be something completely different than self-service laundry.

“It really is a totally different business than owning a Laundromat. The skill set to operate it is totally different,” says Babcock, whose professional background is in technology and mobile business. “In my mind, pickup and delivery is a marketing and logistics business. The product is the same as what you’re offering in the store … but it’s all about whether you can run a logistics business. Can you implement systems and processes … so that you’ll do it the same way, every time, no matter who the employee is? Do you have the backend software that can handle making sure clothes don’t get mixed up?”

“Even with in-store wash and fold, you have a lot of moving parts,” Simmons says. “Did they pay? What are their preferences? The weight. Customer information. Then it becomes exponentially more when it’s pickup and delivery, because you’ve got the payment information, address, driver notes. I’d say the No. 1 thing to automate, in a sense, is communication.”

And just because you have a healthy WDF business doesn’t mean those customers will readily convert to pickup and delivery.

12,000 miles on it for half the price of a new one. Or you can buy a used van that doesn’t look good but when you wrap it, it looks brand-new. You don’t have to spend $40,000.”

“We have hightop Nissan vans that are 9 feet tall,” Menz says. “They’re covered in our brand and our phone number and our website. We have three on the road roughly 12 hours a day. Let me tell you, it’s tough to beat that because you’re where your customers are.”

Outfitting your drivers with branded apparel also projects confidence in your service.

As far as marketing goes, the discussion ranged from website development and online advertising using search engines and social media to print advertising and promotional materials.

all about

logistics business.

“We have brought in customer after customer through our Facebook ads and Google ads. They end up working together with each other,” says Babcock. “Plus, you can’t neglect the grassroots stuff: boots on the ground, calling on different customers from the commercial side, door hangers and flyers. The one fun thing about Laundromats is the traditional stuff still works really well.”

“One of the things I highly recommend is have a great brochure with pictures, prices, and why it’s so valuable,” Balestracci says. “We put those in small plastic bags and put those on door handles and mailboxes (in homes) in higher-income neighborhoods.”

“No channel by itself really works,” adds Babcock. “It’s all the channels working together, where the customer sees you all over the place, is what really starts to work.”

“If we had this webinar five years ago, we wouldn’t be talking about search and social,” Wallace points out. “We’d only be talking about postcards and door hangers.”

“Of the number of (pickup and delivery) customers we got from our existing WDF customers, very minimal. Maybe 5%,” says Balestracci. “Those customers like the lower price point. They like to bring it in and they don’t care about making the drive. The pickup and delivery customer is very busy working from home, has two or three kids, doesn’t have the time, has the extra money and wants to have the pickup and delivery.”

“Traditional demographics as we know them in the Laundromat business aren’t very applicable to drop-off or pickup and delivery,” says Menz. “Really, what you’re looking at is disposable household income.”

LOOK GOOD AND SPREAD THE WORD

Customers who are paying for someone else to do their laundry have certain expectations about appearance and presentation, the panelists agreed. Pulling up in front of someone’s house driving a beat-up Honda doesn’t easily equate to high quality.

“I think it’s very important to have a branded, wrapped van,” Balestracci says. “If you want to get started on the cheap, what I did, you can go to U-Haul and buy a 1-year-old van with 10 or

COMMITMENT TO THE CAUSE

If you’ve never offered pickup and delivery service before, the panelists don’t recommend taking it on with anything less than total commitment.

“We’ve all talked about how this is a different business. Even if you’ve been in the Laundromat business for 10, 15, 20 years, you’re entering a new business, make no mistake about it,” Menz says. “You probably wouldn’t open a coffee shop if you’ve never done it before and show up once or twice a week and expect it to run smoothly.”

“If you want to dabble, drive your own vehicle and pick up your friends’ laundry,” Babcock adds. “If you want to dominate, you really have to do everything. You can’t dominate and still drive your own car. You can’t dominate and not use great software. You can’t dominate and not do marketing well.” ACO

The Coin Laundry Association frequently offers webinars that cover topics such as marketing, store operations and management, and new investor education. Visit www.coinlaundry.org/events/ webinars to learn more.

“In my mind, pickup and delivery is a marketing and logistics business. The product is the same as what you’re offering in the store … but it’s

whether you can run a

Can you implement systems and processes … so that you’ll do it the same way, every time, no matter who the employee is? Do you have the back-end software that can handle making sure clothes don’t get mixed up?”

— Jonathan Babcock

BRINGING A LAUNDROMAT-CAFE VISION TO LIFE IN WASHINGTON

MONTHS

When someone enters Bims Laundry Cafe in Everett, Washington, they’re struck by an attractive interior featuring modern décor and lighting, along with comfortable tables and chairs. They’re greeted by the smell of coffee and freshbaked falafel, which may make them feel like they’re in a trendy coffee shop/cafe.

But the walls of gleaming commercial laundry equipment visible beyond the front section of the store make it clear that this is no ordinary cafe. It’s also a state-of-the-art Laundromat.

Owner David Swissa envisioned creating a warm and welcoming space that would not only provide an essential service but also function as a community gathering place. He turned to laundry specialist Rick Hall and his team at distributor Western State Design to help make it a reality.

VISIONS OF A GATHERING SPOT

Swissa’s brainchild didn’t pop into his head out of the blue. Some years ago,

he ran a quirky neighborhood cafe on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He eventually gave up the restaurant for a more lucrative career as a management consultant but never forgot that gathering spot. Travels overseas to Copenhagen and Brussels, where such establishments are common, also influenced his vision.

After a long globe-trotting career, Swissa decided it was time to slow down a bit and spend more time with his family closer to home. He wasn’t ready to retire yet, so he cast about for appealing small-business ideas that would generate a reliable income. He quickly seized on the idea of opening a Laundromat. After all, everyone needs clean laundry.

His experience with Laundromats was that they were dark, dingy, and uninviting. That led to an “aha” moment: what about developing a Laundromat that was completely different? What about an appealing destination where locals would want to hang out while doing their laundry? Doing

the laundry wouldn’t be so bad, he reasoned, if you could spend the time in comfort sharing a cup of coffee with neighbors.

The other key element of a Laundromat is, of course, the laundry equipment. Swissa knew that he needed to equip his store with top-quality, high-efficiency washers and dryers that would keep customers coming back over time. And not only would the equipment have to be durable and reliable, it would have to be user-friendly.

Swissa did his research, speaking to representatives from the commercial laundry equipment manufacturers. He says he ultimately chose Dexter Laundry because of its American-made equipment and employeeowned company, plus the sturdiness and modern appearance of its products. The DexterLive technology that allows for different forms of payment also influenced his decision.

It was then that Swissa connected with Hall, representing Dexter distributor WSD. Hall spent a lot of time educating the investor about the retail laundry industry and ultimately helped Swissa with some key decisions, including the right mix of equipment for optimal customer flow.

COVID-19 DELAYS OPENING BY THREE MONTHS

For the laundry portion of his business, Swissa decided to buy four 20-pound washers, four 30-pound washers, five 40-pound washers, four 60-pound washers, two 90-pound washers, seven stack dryers with 30-pound pockets and five stack dryers with 50-pound pockets, all from Dexter.

Swissa also decided to utilize the company’s DexterLive management system, including the DexterPay payment app.

He was hesitant about ordering the largecapacity washers at first but is now glad that he did. He says they’re the most-used machines in his store.

PANDEMIC PAUSED COMPLETION OF BIMS LAUNDRY CAFE BY A FEW

The walls of commercial laundry equipment visible beyond the front section of Bims Laundry Cafe make it clear that this is no ordinary cafe. (Photo: David Swissa)

“Single guys come into the Laundromat and don’t want to be bothered sorting their laundry, so they’re happy dumping one big load into one of the big Dexter washers and getting it done all at once,” he says.

Inevitably, this project hit a few bumps in the road on its way to completion. Swissa spent almost a year trying to find just the right space, in the right neighborhood. He finally found a location in a busy shopping center featuring popular businesses such as a drug store, a hardware store, and a

24-hour recreation center.

The biggest challenge was ill-fated timing related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Swissa signed his lease in October 2019 and immediately started renovating the space, with a plan to open the store in early April 2020. But when the pandemic hit the area in early March, his subcontractors stopped coming to work and the renovation ground to a halt. In addition, many city workers were furloughed, making it impossible to get permits and schedule inspections. So he

had to wait.

Swissa says that it was eerily quiet during that period. The shopping center’s huge 300-space parking lot was largely empty, and there were few people out and about.

He finally opened the doors to Bims Laundry Cafe in mid-July. He says customers rave about the business in person and in online reviews. Their comments frequently touch on the brand-new laundry equipment and Bims’ customer service. Other high points include the ambience, amenities and cleanliness.

Swissa says he’s pleased with how the store turned out and that his regular customer base is growing quickly. He manages the store himself with help from family members, so there’s always someone on hand to address customers’ needs.

And that falafel? He makes it himself from scratch using fresh, all-natural ingredients. He’s proud to explain that his falafel is baked, not fried, which means it’s healthy and nutritious as well as delicious.

So for the customer who wants to enjoy a tasty snack or a gourmet coffee while washing their clothes, Bims Laundry Cafe checks all the boxes. ACO

David Swissa)

MOTIVATING EMPLOYEES TO DO THEIR BEST

t can be difficult to motivate employees who are incapable of, or unwilling to, respond to motivation. It all begins with the hiring.

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Start with people with whom you can reasonably work. You have to let gamblers, drug addicts and anyone with an anti-social personality go because just one can dishearten the whole team. Happy at home usually means happy at work.

Motivation starts with you.

YOUR BEHAVIOR IS CRITICAL

Employees are very sensitive to your moods, probably more than you think, so leave your “cranky pants” at the door. As boss, you can raise them up or shoot them down without even realizing it.

And it can be hard to “read” employees because “the boss” can be intimidating. Some will “yes” you a lot simply because you are in charge.

Never humiliate an employee publicly. Anything negative you say or do to an employee, especially if done in front of others, will be griped about behind your back. And you may see passive-aggressive behavior, if not someone outright quitting on you, so choose your words wisely (and privately, if you can).

Also, when you need to correct an employee, don’t insult their character. Instead, make it clear you are correcting their behavior. Big difference.

Give compliments, the opposite of “cranky boss” behavior. But they must be sincere and honest. If you give someone a fake compliment, it will be worse than offering no compliment at all.

If you give an employee an honest compliment, it raises them up. It makes them feel valued by the boss. It makes them happy.

It’s not hard. Just be on the lookout for something good that an employee does and thank them for that specific deed.

So guess what happens next? Most will work even harder knowing that you value them. Some will work harder just to get a compliment. They will be more likely to protect your mat and to grow the business because they will feel like they’re a part of it.

Smile a lot! It’s well documented that smiling boosts moods. Not just for everyone around you, because it’s contagious, but yours, too.

Don’t show any favoritism. Always try to be fair. If you favor one employee too much, others will see it before you even realize and will probably resent it.

Employing someone who has trouble finding work due to a disability is magical. They come with their own motivation, as long as the job can be matched to their abilities.

I once employed a man who had polio and walked with a serious limp. He showed up like clockwork for years, worked hard when he came in, showed off-the-charts honesty, and had customers who loved him!

Employees who demonstrate chronic bad behavior are a drag on their coworkers as well as your customers, so I say three strikes and you’re out! If you have a bad apple who’s been duly warned (document those instances to protect yourself), you must let them go.

If you’ve issued warnings to try to correct their behavior, staff morale will go up once the change is made.

Paul Russo

COLUMNISTS/FEATURES

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OUR SISTER WEBSITES

From AmericanLaundryNews.com:

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• In Memoriam: Ed Goldstein, American Laundry News Publisher (Ret.)

From AmericanDrycleaner.com:

• In Memoriam: Ed Goldstein, American Drycleaner Publisher (Ret.)

• Company Culture vs. COVID (WE)

ENCOURAGE TEAMWORK

Give them some autonomy and ask for their opinion.

The boss can’t think of everything. If I had a problem and wasn’t sure how to find a solution, I would ask the crew for suggestions. Most will be happy that you considered their opinion, and you will get answers.

If you encourage them to work together as a team, you’ll create a positive feeling that their input is valuable. This boosts morale and motivates them to look at the business with a positive, problem-solving attitude.

Case in point: We folded our cleaned comforters, which left them bulky with too many creases, taking up precious storage space.

So I wrote a memo asking my employees to talk it over among themselves to think of solutions. They came up with rolling the comforters like a sleeping bag. Since there was now only a single lengthwise crease, we rolled them up tightly, cutting the size nearly in half. They looked better on the shelves. To save shelf space, they also squeezed the air out while double-bagging them. When the customer opened the bag, it would magically “inflate.”

This idea alone boosted morale in the store because we stood out over our competitors, which brought pride in the crew to be working there. Especially since it was their idea.

WHAT ARE THE “PERKS”?

Think long and hard about what perks you may want to offer, because sometimes they can backfire on you in the future.

Will you be able to maintain a certain perk years down the road? Once given, perks are not easy to take away from employees. Doing so can have a negative effect.

Pay — People need to eat and to pay their bills. Pay your workers as much as you can afford. Certainly, you should pay great workers more than your competitors would or else you’ll lose them to the highest bidder.

Incentive-Driven Bonuses — If done right, giving an employee a “piece of the action” can be a great motivator! This term

means that you tie bonuses to the income for wash/dry/fold, for example.

It gives employees a sense of ownership and a true interest in helping your business grow. Now, everyone is on the same side to impress customers. It’s exciting to earn a little more from a busy week.

Use your creativity: try 1-2% of the drop-off gross, or a flat bonus for hitting a new high in drop-off poundage in a week.

Tips — Tips are excellent motivators, but you need rules. You want your crew to earn as many tips as possible. Make sure every employee knows that excellence will bring them more and larger tips. That’s not just excellence in processing but also in how they treat the customers.

However, you must be clear that you will allow no cherry picking of drop-offs from big tippers. If you don’t, you will see employee infighting. Your policy should be fair: “except for rush jobs, all drop-offs must be done in number and time order.” Cherry picking will drag morale down real quick!

I’ve heard of mat owners offering less pay because of tipping, or the boss takes all tips to “fairly distribute” them. You won’t get happy workers by doing that!

I considered it tacky to have a tip jar on the counter, but I know they do work.

If your employees work hard, if they perform quality work, and act professionally with customers, the tips come.

Make Your Mat the Best — Everyone likes being part of a winning team, so if your mat is clean, attractive and busy, your employees will take pride in working there. It’s depressing to work in a run-down store.

Free Laundry for Employees — Yes, it’s a natural perk for laundry workers. In my case, I felt I had to control any potential abuse.

My rule was that employees could bring in and process their own laundry, but not on company time, and they had to pay to use the machines. Everything else—soap, booster, bleach, softener, hangers, bags, shoulder guards, sock wrappers, spotting chemicals, whatever—was free.

Surprise! — Surprise your staff once in a while. Bring in some treats, like a box of donuts or a pizza.

Opportunities for Greater Earning — Give workers the chance to earn more. I

offered certain jobs apart from laundry. For instance, we screen-printed our nylon bags and T-shirts in the basement of one mat. Doing that job paid them more, but I saved money by doing it in-house.

I know of a business that gives a nice bonus to each employee who convinces a customer to leave a great online review. The review has to include the employee’s name for the bonus to be paid. Doing something similar will help proactive employees earn more but it’ll also help your business gain more positive reviews.

Safe and Comfortable Environment — Your employees must feel safe and comfortable in your mat. You should have written policies protecting them from harassment (whether based on sex, race, religion or gender) clearly spelled out in your employee manual.

Install plenty of cameras. Plenty of good lighting also helps.

Some mats have no heat or air conditioning. Who’s happy about going to work at a place knowing that they’ll feel too cold or too hot the whole time they’re there? Not your workers, and not your customers, either.

Reward Loyalty and Longevity — If a worker believes there is a future working for you, that helps. Try things like offering rewards for working a certain number of years.

I gave a 1-week vacation after one year, then two weeks after five years. A 10-year anniversary earned a gold coin (you can buy them as small as a quarter ounce) and a nice little party to celebrate their milestone. A paid day off on the employee’s birthday is nice, too. And a Christmas bonus is a must, as far as I’m concerned.

Once you get a few great workers and you treat them well, you know what happens? It comes back to you in employee retention and behavior. And when you need to hire a new employee, they will recommend your business to their friends … who, if you’re lucky, will be just like them. ACO

Paul Russo owned and operated multiple Laundromats in New York City for more than 40 years before retiring in 2018. You’re welcome to direct any questions or comments for Russo to Editor Bruce Beggs at bbeggs@atmags.com.

NEW!

Round-the-Clock Management

Sharon Sager, owner of the Sierra Madre (Calif.) Laundry, describes her store’s 24/7 operation and talks about what’s needed to see that self-service laundries are running smoothly any time of the day.

Commercial Account Strategies

Joel Jorgensen, vice president of sales for Continental Girbau Inc., offers advice to Laundromat owners looking to build and grow a commercial customer base.

Every FREE episode offers:

• Topics of specific interest to self-service laundry owner/operators like you

• Engaging industry-specific conversation with an expert

• Business-building tips you won’t find anywhere else

• Convenience of listening anytime, either online or downloading for later

• Information and insight to get a leg up on competitors – give us a listen!

Freshen Things Up

With a little creative thought, laundry owners can utilize some inexpensive ways to improve their store and attract new customers. Brad Steinberg, co-president of distributor PWS - The Laundry Company, looks at the possibilities.

Building New vs. Rehabbing

Carl Graham, VP of sales for distributor Scott Equipment, compares and contrasts the two approaches to store creation.

IN MEMORIAM: ED GOLDSTEIN, AMERICAN COIN-OP PUBLISHER (RET.)

Edwin J. (Ed) Goldstein, retired publisher of American Coin-Op magazine, died Nov. 11 in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the age of 90. His funeral service and interment took place Nov. 17 at Mt. Sinai Cemetery, Phoenix.

A U.S. Navy veteran, Goldstein held undergraduate and graduate degrees from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, where he was a letterman and a member of the Praetorians fraternity. Among many leadership roles, he was president of the District 69 School Board, president of Temple Judea Mizpah in Skokie, Illinois, and president of the Temple Brotherhood.

The Chicago-born Goldstein spent nearly 25 years as publisher of American Trade Magazines, including American Coin-Op, American Drycleaner and American Laundry News

He joined the American Drycleaner staff as director of marketing in 1959. When Publisher Don Martin retired in 1974, Goldstein was promoted to that role. He ran the magazine group until retiring in 1997, selecting current Publisher Charlie Thompson as his successor.

“Ed was a friend and mentor, and I learned a lot from him,” Thompson says. “He was as smart as he was kind.”

Goldstein’s mathematical mind solved spreadsheet problems faster than his protege could key a calculator, plus he had a wide depth of knowledge in sports, arts, music and cuisine.

Thompson says Goldstein knew “absolutely everyone” in the industry: “We could walk the aisles of the Clean Show together, and there was no one that he did not know.”

“Ed was of a generation that allowed him to know both my father, who passed away over 25 years ago, and me when I was just starting out in the laundry industry,” says Bruce Johnson, president of flatwork finishing equipment manufacturer Chicago Dryer Co. “In addition to having a great sense of humor, he was a fountain of information about laundry and drycleaning companies, both past and present, as well as the back stories behind those companies and personalities who were the cornerstones of our industry.”

Surviving Goldstein are his wife of 67 years, Carole; children Beverly, Brad and Rhonda; four grandchildren; and one greatgrandson.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lena and Reuben; his brother, Milton; and a grandson, Jonathan.

MOUNTAIN ELECTRONICS ACQUIRES ALJ ELECTRONICS/ALJCO

Two of the long-standing circuit board repair businesses serving the commercial laundry industry are now united. Mountain Electronics, Burnsville, North Carolina, reports it acquired ALJ Electronics/ALJCO of Hawthorne, California, in October; terms of the deal were not announced.

Al Johnson, who founded ALJ Electronics in the 1980s, was a pioneer in the laundry electronics repair industry, says Mountain Electronics. Its team is excited and honored to continue the legacy of quality repairs and excellent service that the Johnson family maintained for decades.

Mountain Electronics has been repairing circuit boards for the

commercial laundry industry since 1999. The company remanufactures circuit boards from every manufacturer and from nearly every model of machine and card reader, it says.

Each board received is washed, parts that tend to fail are removed and replaced, and a trained technician performs the final testing, diagnostics and repairs. This process allows Mountain Electronics to confidently offer one-year warranties on all repairs; it will also honor all valid ALJ warranties.

Mountain Electronics also offers free inbound or outbound shipping, next-day repairs with its “Rush” service, and an inventory of refurbished boards and new parts for sale.

GIRBAU NORTH AMERICA HONORS LONG-SERVING EMPLOYEES

Girbau North America (GNA) reports it recently recognized more than a dozen team members for company service up to 25 years.

“The fact that our employees continue to find our company a favorable career choice lends itself to the idea that our work environment, customer base and philosophies are leading-edge,” says GNA President Mike Floyd. “We are grateful to them for their contributions over the years.”

Manager-Eastern U.S. Ed

Floyd is one of five team members celebrating their 25th year with the company. Others are Director of Customer Experience Laurie Kilgore, Manager of Inventory Control and Operations Jay Leitz, Director of HR and Strategic Business Kelly Zabel, and Commercial Technical Service Trainer Gary Clark.

“These folks helped grow GNA shortly after it was founded in 1995,” says Floyd. “Together, Laurie, Jay, Kelly, Gary and myself have witnessed the exponential growth of the company, the development of many, many new products, and the establishment of multiple brands. They continue to excel in performance, attitude and teamwork.”

Other GNA staff celebrating service milestones are Sales Manager-Eastern U.S. Ed Ziegler, Director of Operations Andy Davis, and Office Operations Coordinator Julie Zeitlow, each with 20 years; Director of Marketing Tari Albright, Girbau Industrial National Sales Manager Seth Willer, and Director of Finance Administration Christine Skupas, each with 15 years; and Vice

Celebrating their 25th year with Girbau North America are (top row, from left) President Mike Floyd, Director of Customer Experience Laurie Kilgore, Manager of Inventory Control and Operations Jay Leitz, Director of HR and Strategic Business Kelly Zabel and Commercial Technical Service Trainer Gary Clark. Celebrating 20 years are (bottom row, from left) Sales

Ziegler, Director of Operations Andy Davis and Office Operations Coordinator Julie Zeitlow. (Photos: Girbau North America)

Ed Goldstein

President of Continental Girbau West Tod Sorensen and Sales Manager-Central U.S. Wes Kraemer, each with 10 years.

GNA’s brands include Continental Girbau®, Express Laundry Centers®, Girbau Industrial®, Sports Laundry Systems®, OnePress®, and Poseidon Textile Care Systems®

GNA is the largest of 17 subsidiaries in the Girbau Group, which operates in more than 100 countries. It has subsidiaries in Europe, North America, Latin America, Oceania and Asia

Daniels will represent Speed Queen throughout New England, including Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut, taking on the Alliance Laundry Systems brand’s Laundromat and on-premises laundry equipment lines.

“Daniels Equipment Co.’s representation of Speed Queen in New England will be transformative and meaningful for store owners in the market,” says Kathryn Rowen, general manager of the Laundromat segment for Alliance Laundry Systems. “The reputation that [President] Ralph Daniels and his entire team have cultivated is nothing short of impeccable. They are synonymous with service excellence; Speed Queen customers will be well cared for before, during and after the sale.”

Since Daniels’ inception in 1973, an array of customers have relied on its staff to improve efficiency and profitability, Speed Queen says. An extensive inventory and parts department, team of highly trained service technicians and a fleet of well-stocked service vehicles ensure customers stay up and running in the event of a service issue.

“The addition of the Speed Queen product portfolio opens an exciting new chapter for our whole family of team members and customers,” says Ralph Daniels, president of Daniels Equipment. His company is “especially eager” to offer Quantum Touch and Speed Queen’s suite of technology solutions for Laundromats.

WAVEMAX LAUNDRY INKS 100TH DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT

Laundromat franchise WaveMAX Laundry, Jacksonville, Florida, recently reached a major milestone in its aggressive growth strategy, inking the 100th development agreement since launching in 2017. This adds to the franchise’s plans to have over 50 WaveMAX laundry facilities open and operating by 2022.

Recent agreements have been signed to bring the brand to New Orleans and Houston as demand for trusted, quality Laundromats continues to increase in markets across the country. The brand says its strong 2020 performance has primed it to forge ahead into the fourth quarter as the need for cleanliness among consumers and business owners is at a high.

Building on this momentum, WaveMAX says it has immediate plans to expand into New Mexico and Central Florida.

The newest franchisee, James Allen, signed the milestone 100th agreement to bring a WaveMAX Laundry to New Orleans. With site selection next up, the brand anticipates a grand opening in the second quarter of 2021.

“The first time I stepped foot inside a WaveMAX, I thought to myself, ‘New Orleans needs this,’” explains Allen, who has been a law firm executive director and COO for over 28 years. “The services and experience customers feel in a WaveMAX are unparalleled bar none. This will no doubt be an incredible asset to the community, and I’m looking forward to leading the charge on this development.”

WaveMAX is actively seeking partners to help the brand continue its growth.

SPEED QUEEN WELCOMES DANIELS EQUIPMENT TO DISTRIBUTION NETWORK

Speed Queen has added Daniels Equipment Co., based in Auburn, New Hampshire, to its distribution network.

“Speed Queen is a brand with a storied legacy of reliability and quality. Now, couple that with our company’s commitment to the pinnacle of service, and we have an unbeatable formula to help propel customers to new heights of success.”

PWS EXPANDS COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY SERVICES TEAM

Commercial laundry distributor PWS – The Laundry Company, Los Angeles, has added four industry experts to a team that already has a combined 250-plus years of industry experience, the company reports.

PWS says its new hires will enable its customers to obtain even more localized and personal service from personnel who understand every aspect of commercial laundry operations. They are:

• Carolyne (Johnson) Smigelski comes to PWS after decades of owning ALJ Electronics, a California company offering commercial laundry equipment sales and the refurbishment of electronic circuit boards common in today’s equipment.

• For the past 10 years, Steve Nunes has been an integral part of running commercial laundry distributor Nunes Appliances, also based in California, PWS says. Nunes has significant experience in Laundromats, on-premises laundry and multifamily sales, and will be serving the area from San Jose to California’s Central Coast.

• Gabriel Gonzalez brings years of experience in the real estate and laundry markets to PWS. He owns a laundry in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles. Active in his local community, Gonzalez will provide sales and consulting services in the Valley and surrounding area.

• Longtime Laundromat owner Terrence Lewis also brings a background in marketing to his new post consulting with

A look at the exterior of a WaveMAX Laundry in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo: WaveMAX Laundry)

store owners in San Diego. Longtime PWS team member Ana Figueroa now leads the San Diego team, which has seen tremendous growth in sales and customer satisfaction under her direction, the distributor says.

Founded in 1968, PWS says it’s the nation’s largest distributor of commercial laundry equipment and parts and a premier broker and developer of Laundromats in California, Nevada and beyond.

marks a “significant milestone” not only in the Chicago market but in its quest for national expansion.

Rinse offers a simple, consistent, high-quality solution to laundry in the San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, and Washington, D.C., markets. Acquiring Dryv will accelerate Rinse’s capabilities and solidify its market position in Chicago.

“We’re thrilled to expand Rinse’s presence and capabilities in Chicago with the acquisition of Dryv,” says Ajay Prakash, CEO of Rinse. “Chicago is a great market and we’re seeing a lot of positive momentum here with demand back up to pre-COVID levels. The timing of this acquisition couldn’t have been better.”

LAUNDRYCARES SUPPORTS CHENMED FREE-LAUNDRY EVENTS

ChenMed, a national senior healthcare organization, recently sponsored the “Lighter Loads” initiative with the support of the LaundryCares Foundation. The one-day program on Nov. 20 featured free-laundry events hosted by 14 Laundromat owners throughout the country.

Participating stores included:

• My Sunny Day Laundry, Miami, Florida;

• Melba’s Wash World, New Orleans;

• Coin Laundry, New Orleans;

• Laundry Land locations in Richmond, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, and Chesapeake, Va.;

• Three of The Laundry Café locations in Philadelphia;

• Laundromat at Westgate in Orlando, Florida; and

• Linton Blvd. Laundry in Palm Beach, Florida.

CLEAN LAUNDRY OPENS THIRD FLORIDA LOCATION

A Clean Laundry store opened in Kissimmee, Florida, in November, making it the third location in the state to feature the Iowa-rooted brand. A Clickstop Inc. business unit, Clean Laundry licenses the brand name, concepts and standards of excellence to store owners and investors.

The new store is located on East Vine Street in Kissimmee and is co-owned by Scott Stackhouse; his other local Clean Laundry store is some three miles away on West Vine Street. He offered free wash and dry during the Nov. 4 grand opening and plans to offer free dry during certain hours every Tuesday and Thursday.

“Our customer base was growing rapidly, we knew early on that we needed to add a second location,” says Stackhouse, who also owns a Clean Laundry in nearby Orlando. “We know Clean Laundry serves a need in this community as a cleaner, faster, and more efficient way to get your laundry completed.”

Father-son duo Phil and Ethan Akin developed the first Clean Laundry store in 2014 in Waterloo, Iowa. Over the years, stores with the Clean Laundry brand have opened in several other states.

RINSE ACQUIRES DRYV IN CONTINUED EXPANSION

National drycleaning and laundry delivery brand Rinse, based in San Francisco, reports it has acquired Dryv, the Chicago-based on-demand drycleaning and laundry provider. Terms of the deal were not announced.

Dryv is the latest in a series of acquisitions for Rinse that includes OffToYou in 2020, Cleanly’s San Francisco operations in 2019, and Washio in 2016. Rinse says its acquisition of Dryv

More than 40,000 pounds of laundry were washed in serving 361 families. Some locations offered gift bags and presented story times.

Also during this multi-store, multi-community event, more than a thousand books were distributed to families to take home and add to their personal libraries to foster early childhood literacy.

Participating locations followed local and national health guidelines in taking measures to monitor and ensure safety, LaundryCares says, including maintaining social distancing, wearing protective equipment that included face coverings and gloves, and maintaining a clean, disinfected environment.

ACO

The new Clean Laundry in Kissimmee, Florida, is equipped with machines capable of washing and drying loads in as little as one hour, Clean Laundry says, and features bright LED lighting and state-of-the-art security surveillance. (Photo: Clean Laundry)

A group of laundries around the country hosted a Free-Laundry Day Nov. 20 as part of ChenMed’s “Lighter Loads” initiative with support from the LaundryCares Foundation. (Photo: LaundryCares Foundation)

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