Death and Birth of a Laundromat

[barnettclay]

Originally Posted by CanCanCase

Okay, as some of you know, I've recently acquired our 4th location. At first, I was planning to operate it in "dumpy, I don't care" mode and just collect as many quarters as possible over the upcoming busy tourist season.

It's a 53-mile trip (one way) from my home to the new mat, so, at minimum, I had to hire someone to open, close and clean daily. After 3 weeks of operations, two things became apparent:

1) gross revenue coming in was barely "break even" with utilities and labor.
2) the place was the cheapest (charity mat) in town and was over run with bums.

With those two obstacles in mind, I decided to go ahead and close the doors today and begin the major overhaul and renovation process. Attached are a few pictures taken "before" and a few of the work accomplished today... I had to wait for a not-so-nice elderly couple to finish their last load at about 9:15 this morning. Once they were loaded up and off the property, the sledge hammers began flying...

More updates and pics as we progress through the summer.

-Case

Case,
Install security cameras with two way voice capability. I did this and have eliminated bums and loitering in both of my store. I view both stores on my computer and my phone and can talk into the stores. Great relief.
Clay

[CanCanCase]

Originally Posted by barnettclay

Case,
Install security cameras with two way voice capability. I did this and have eliminated bums and loitering in both of my store. I view both stores on my computer and my phone and can talk into the stores. Great relief.
Clay

I've looked into that. Our current systems all have 1 or 2-way audio capabilities, but Oregon has some tricky laws regarding recording conversations. As my attorneys have looked into it for me, we've decided that it's awfully tough to prove to every member of the general public that audio is NOT being recorded (how do you prove a negative?)

The other reason for not doing anything too high-tech is that nearly any money I put into the dumpy place is basically wasted... it was going to do whatever it was going to do for revenue anyway. New coin changer? Why? When we're all card after the renovation? Pay a $1300 parts and labor estimate to get 6 more washers working? Why? When our renovation includes all new Dexter Express machines? I think when there's only one store and no branding at stake, owners look at their mats differently than a chain-type operation.

Our bum problems are solved by 2 ideas:
1) in an ultra-new, shiny, well-kept establishment, if you set the standard high and maintain it, people really seem to respect it. It's only when a mat starts on the slippery slope towards dumpiness that the annoying and costly aspect of an unattended mat rears its head.
2) the bum issue is seasonal, and easily taken care of with one or two personal visits and arrests. Once the word gets out "on the grapevine" that we're not a B&B, I don't have many problems until the seasons change and the current crop of bums moves on making room for new folks who don't know better.

Originally Posted by Cruzx

The venture I’m pursuing probably won’t look as good as the pics you just posted. All the equipment will work and it will be clean, but as far as cosmetics, it won’t be much different. There will be on bums either. I do plan on building it up over time, but when I see posts like yours it makes me think I have to just rip everything out right then and there. ...

A big part of my gut-and-renovate practices have to do with owning the property, playing a very "long term" business game, and the branding that I do for my stores. Heck, I'm working on the vinyl or skinned logos for my new Prius while wearing a Green Lightning Laundry shirt right now...and I'm just sitting at home after a morning at the model airplane flying field! When I market or promote anything, from my perspective, it is the absolute best there is. My customers have learned this reputation, and it seems to build instant business whenever we do a new place...

-Case

[ldm]

Case: I want to see a logo model plane with a logo banner in tow photo. Do the photo magic on the computer and make a life size looking poster for your stores. Les

[Life of Brian]

Originally Posted by ldm

Case: I want to see a logo model plane with a logo banner in tow photo. Do the photo magic on the computer and make a life size looking poster for your stores. Les

Hey, that's perfect!

Great thread, Case. Entertaining as usual

[EJ333]

Originally Posted by barnettclay

Case,
Install security cameras with two way voice capability. I did this and have eliminated bums and loitering in both of my store. I view both stores on my computer and my phone and can talk into the stores. Great relief.
Clay

Clay,
What brand and model of camera can you recommend to talk to people in the store ?

[CanCanCase]

Most of them can. Geovision stuff has the features built in to the software, you just have to wire the hardware and enable those features. There are a number of "IP Intercom" hardware/software packages that can do the same thing as an addition to your cam system if your cam system isn't fully capable too...

-Case

[CanCanCase]

Weekend progress... No sign of old, broken down, second-life Speed Queen equipment anymore! The rumor is floating around that we may be close to getting permits too.

-Case

[Xiong]

case,
you are really moving

congratulation on your new toy

wish the dexter distributor here is as nice as yours

[CanCanCase]

A pic of the old electrical service (one of them) so I'll have a before and after comparison to make soon.

Ceiling is framed in - had to do scaffold word before the concrete saws come in and make a big hole! Curtain wall went up today, so it actually looks like half of a laundromat now... 6'6" aisles still look narrow to me in chalk and pencil on the floor... maybe the space will look more to scale after the WDF and vending walls are framed in.

Concrete saws are scheduled for end of week, jackhammers next week.

-Case

[billb]

Any updates?