Bought my third store

[merlin3]

Actually, December 1st but just now getting around to posting it.

The store has been in it's present location for over 25 years. At one point it had four dry cleaning machines in it as well. Two of those machines were in the public area and were self serve machines! :eek:

The morning attendant has worked there for 24 years! She is 73 years old and can pump out some WDF let me tell you! :eek:

This store is fully attended and does a booming WDF business.

With my purchase of this store, I now own the only two laundromats in this town. My other store in town is unattended and was completely rehabbed as a Dexter Express store in the summer of 2009.

This latest store is predominantly Dexter as well albeit older WCN equipment.

The equipment mix is as follows:

10 Whirlpool Tops
5 Dexter T-300
14 Dexter 400's
5 Dexter 600's
3 Dexter 900's
5 GE softmount frontloaders
9 Dexter 30# stacks
9 Huebsch Loadstar single pocket 30BG
Hamilton EVO599 boiler

Immediate (as in next week) equipment plans:

Whirlpool tops are being replaced next week with new SQ tops as the existing Whirlpool units are over 15 years old. (I know I know)

Add two additional folding tables as there are only six in the store now and there is PLENTY of room for two more.

Replace dated 70's orange, green, yellow seating that is in terrible shape with new seating units that match the folding tables.

Dryers:

Will keep the Dexter 30# stacks and go through them to make sure they are in top shape.

The older Huebsch dryers are the most popular dryers in the place and customers are begging for me not to take them out. What I personally want to do is pull out all 9 Huebsch and replace them with more Dexter stack 30's, 2 Dexter stack 50's and a Dexter 80 pound dryer.

The Huebsch dryers have been converted to electronic ignition and have the rotary style thermostat.

If I don't do that right away, I will probably think about converting the Huebsch to Set-O-Matic coin drops.

Washers:

I think we could probably use one additional 900 and I would like to add a T-1200 (80#) to the mix as well.

I'm not a big fan of those 5 GE softmounts sitting there and will be watching them closely. They do on average 0.7 TPD based on previous owners records and what I have seen in my short time here.

Overall, the store was very well maintained and came with a nice supply of spare parts.

Although it is located in a strip center, we are an end unit and parking is very good.

Guess that's about it in a nutshell. Fire away.

[Adamski]

...The older Huebsch dryers are the most popular dryers in the place and customers are begging for me not to take them out. What I personally want to do is pull out all 9 Huebsch and replace them with more Dexter stack 30's, 2 Dexter stack 50's and a Dexter 80 pound dryer...

Randy,

See, I told you guys that customers appreciate the convenience of single pocket dryers. They're telling you they'd rather have an old Huebsch single pocket dryer than a new Dexter stacked dryer. They've already seen the previous owner replace some of the Huebsch single pocket dryers with new Dexter stacked dryers and they don't want that to happen again.

Why do you feel you need more dryers? Are people having to wait for a dryer on a regular basis? Are people walking out with wet laundry because dryers are not available? Is the DOL service intruding on the self serve customer use of dryers? If so, is there a way you can add a few larger dryers without removing the existing dryers? Maybe the DOL department should have its own washers and dryers in a separate area. Think about all your options before making major changes to the equipment mix.

[merlin3]

Larry,

I do not disagree with you on single pocket dryers. If I ever build a store from scratch, it will have all single pockets.

We are out of drying capacity. There is usually a wait on weekends. I am out of room in the store to put dryers anywhere else.

We do have a separate 55# dryer in the back for WDF.

Two of the three 900's were added very recently and they are the most popular washers in the store. If I add a 1200, I'm sure that will be quite popular as well.

The store also sees a lot of self serve customers with big comforters. I really want to have bigger dryers for those.

My morning attendant still like to take comforters out to the Huebsch to dry them instead of using the new 55# in the back. I think they are all getting a lot hotter than the stacks. I need to get my temp probe in there and check them.

Randy

[Super Clean]

I've never had a customer complain when we removed our singles and replaced with stacks. There are very few laundromats around here that still wrong singles. Of course the debate is for another thread.

If they like the Huebsch, it may not be because they are single pockets but they may have a higher temp setting, they may be vented outside better, they may get more make up air then the dexters. SqFt'age is too expensive and valuable to take up tons of space with singles when you can double up with stacks...

[CanCanCase]

Small stores and stores without additional room for dryers probably need stacks. My customers still like the lower units more than the upper pockets... At least the short and hunched-elderly!

- Case