Types of Laundromats

Laundromats come in many shapes and sizes, but they will generally fall into two broad categories: fully-staffed, full-service stores and unattended, self-service stores.

Unattended - Self-Service Laundromats

If you want a simple, hassle-free business that only offers one type of laundry service, an unattended, self-serve store could be the solution. This type of store is popular in high-density areas like downtown or near college campuses.

Fully-Staffed - Full-Service Laundromat

If you like the idea of employing staff and offering a variety of laundry services to your customers, a staffed laundromat is the way to go. This type of store usually provides different sizes of washers and dryers and a range of specialty services like bundle services, pick-up and delivery and dry cleaning that support all of the laundry needs of customers.

Hybrid Laundromat

For differentiation, you may choose a hybrid model that offers a stable amenity to customers while they wash their goods in your store. Adding a coffee bar, small cafe or arcade to your laundromat can convert your laundromat into a destination your customers will look forward to visiting.

How much time will you dedicate to your laundromat?

Your weekly time commitment to your laundromat will depend on the type of store you choose to open and whether you plan to hire staff.

Less Time On-Site - Unattended Laundromat

Unattended laundromats, naturally, require less time in the store. Management of the store will include collecting revenue, cleaning the store, making sure the store is safe and monitored, maintaining washers and dryers, and opening and closing. If you plan on opening a laundromat as a side business, there are ways to further minimize your time in the store, like electronic payment systems and using industry-leading managerial software to help manage your laundromat from anywhere.

More Time - Attended, Full-Service Laundromat

Running a fully-staffed store will require more of your time. It is worth noting that a laundromat’s busiest hours will generally be mornings, evenings and weekends. Tuesdays and Wednesdays will be the slowest days, while Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays will be the busiest days. Most staffed stores keep hours from 6 am to 10 pm or 11 pm, and the most profitable laundromats offer extra services like wash-dry-fold and delivery, so hiring good staff is very important.

Business Skills and Experience

The laundromat industry has a relatively low barrier to entry. There are no certifications and there are no franchise fees to pay. There are some specific skills and types of experience that will definitely help you succeed as an investor.

Managerial Experience

Any experience you may have in managing a retail store and/or employees will help your laundromat succeed. If you provide quality service to your customers while managing your overhead appropriately, your business will have the best chance to thrive. If you do not have managerial experience, there are lots of resources, like us at Arrow Machinery, that can help you along the way.

People Skills

Your ability to connect with your customers can play a big role in the success of your laundromat. For full-service stores, it is critical to employ a team with strong customer service skills that foster a welcoming environment. Do not be afraid to talk to your customers to get feedback on their experience when using your laundromat.

Customer Experience

The services laundromats provide are relatively similar no matter which laundromat a customer chooses, so the customer experience is a crucial factor in determining whether or not they become a regular at your store. This gives great value to the extra features in a laundromat. Comfortable seating, good lighting, free wifi, big screen TVs, a kids area, and clean restrooms can all be important assets in making your store stand out amongst the crowd.

Technical Knowledge

Owners with a mechanical and/or electrical background may save on equipment maintenance and repairs by servicing their own equipment. Although, modern washers and dryers are built for reliability, so if you do not have these skills do not fret. However, installing, maintaining and repairing commercial laundry equipment requires specialist training. When choosing your equipment distributor, always make sure they provide you access to trained commercial laundry technicians. At Arrow Machinery, our technicians are experts in laundry equipment repair.

Capital Investment

The capital required to start a commercial laundromat will be to build out your property and purchasing the necessary equipment for your store. Once the store is in business with daily customers, the bulk of your expenses will be your utility bills, lease payments (if you are leasing), finance payments, equipment upkeep and employees.

Laundromat Site

Your upfront capital expenditure will depend partly on the type of property you are acquiring, the location and whether you plan to buy or rent the space. If you are buying an existing laundromat, capital will be required to check the condition of the existing equipment, any renovations you choose to do, and the purchase price of the business. If you are building from the ground up, your costs will center around the design and construction of your planned laundromat.

Laundry Equipment

Once your location is secured, you will obviously need washers and dryers, change makers, FF&E and other equipment to successfully run your store. Commercial laundry equipment is built for 24-hour, reliable performance. Seek the most efficient brand for your equipment to lower operating costs and increase profitability. Electrolux and Wascomat laundry equipment are the most efficient on the market, bar none. Let us show you why.

How Much Capital Do You Need?

Small laundromats (800 sq ft to 1,500 sq ft) typically spend $200,000 to $300,000 on washers and dryers alone. For coinless laundromats, that cost can be as high as $350,000. If improvements to the building are required, that cost will rise based on the condition of the space. For laundromats that are 1,500 to 2,500 sq ft, the cost of washers and dryers can range from $350,000 to $500,000. For larger laundromats, 2,500 to 5,000 sq ft, equipment can be between $500,000 and $1,000,000.

Ready to start your own laundromat business?

Arrow Machinery has been helping laundromat investors open and operate laundromats for over 60 years. We can help you achieve your business goals.

Contact us today!

405-424-4318

9 Steps to Opening a Laundromat

So, you’ve decided you want to own a laundromat. Where do you start? New investors often face challenges that include securing a loan to start the business, finding a location or existing store to buy, purchasing the right equipment, building out the store space and attracting customers, among others.

Here’s the good news: you do not have to do all of this alone. Arrow Machinery has helped many new investors enter the lucrative laundromat business over our 60+ years in business. We help drive your success at every step of the journey with our comprehensive suite of services, and our extensive industry experience will go a long way to help you avoid common pitfalls new laundromats face.