American Coin-Op - September 2020

Stain Removal Tips for

Wash-Dry-Fold I N S I DI EN :S IJ DU EL :Y S 2E 0P 0T 5E M B E R 2 0 2 0 THE BENEFITS OF POINT OF SALE SYSTEMS FOR LAUNDRIES

GOIN’ WITH COHEN REDUX: SURVIVING & THRIVING

BUILDING A HEALTHY WASHDRY-FOLD SERVICE

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CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2020 VOLUME 61 ISSUE 9

COVER STORY

STAIN REMOVAL TIPS FOR WASH-DRY-FOLD Paul Russo, a retired store owner with 40-plus years of experience, talks about his favorite stain removers and offers tips to reduce the amount of stains you must treat ... and maybe even prevent them in the first place!

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(Cover image licensed by Ingram Image)

INSIDE

COLUMNS

6 POINT OF SALE SYSTEMS FOR LAUNDRIES Offering a wash-dry-fold service can bring greater volume and revenue but tasks a laundry with handling and tracking customer goods. We look at how integrating computer-aided solutions can simplify and even boost WDF management.

18 PREPPING CLEAN 2021 AMID UNCERTAINTY

Messe Frankfurt is actively preparing for Clean Show 2021 in Atlanta but if COVID-19 pandemic restrictions ultimately derail the onsite event being planned for June, rescheduling it to 2022 won’t be an option, according to organizers.

24 WHY HAVING A LARGE-CAPACITY WASHER IS ESSENTIAL Girbau’s Tod Sorensen is a firm believer that you’ve got to have more than just one large-capacity model (80 to 130 pounds) in your vended laundry.

26 BUILDING A HEALTHY WASH-DRY-FOLD BUSINESS Justene Clark of Spot Laundromats describes her company’s WDF approach and convincing customers to see the service as an affordable luxury.

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A CLOSER LOOK

20 GOIN’ WITH COHEN: SURVIVING AND THRIVING

The pandemic may have forced correspondent Laurance Cohen to park at home, but it didn’t halt the drive of some familiar faces. He circles back to see how store owners he’s profiled previously are weathering these unprecedented times.

DEPARTMENTS 4 VIEWPOINT 28 NEWSMAKERS 29 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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30 CLASSIFIEDS 31 AD INDEX

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The customer counter at Wash & Spin Coin Laundry in Atlanta sports a newly installed partition.

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VIEWPOINT

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

WASH-DRY-FOLD AND WHATNOT

Bruce Beggs

Wash-dry-fold (WDF) services have grown in popularity in recent years, taking full advantage of a culture attracted to convenience. First, being able to have someone else do your laundry was enough. Now, in many communities, you don’t even have to leave your home; just leave your bag of dirty laundry outside your front door and let a service pick it up, clean it, and deliver it.

This month’s issue is stacked with WDF-related content, starting with the cover story: • Paul Russo, who writes a regular Pointers from Paulie B column, looks back over his 40-plus years of store ownership to offer Stain Removal Tips for Wash-Dry-Fold. I love that he kept a bottle marked “Mystery Spot Remover” out for all to see.

• Point of Sale Systems for Laundries looks at how integrating computer-aided solutions can simplify and even boost WDF management and operations.

• Road trips aren’t in the cards for Goin’ with Cohen’s Laurance Cohen right now due to the pandemic but that didn’t stop him from checking on store owners he’d profiled earlier to see how they’re weathering these unprecedented times. At least one of the owners revisited in Surviving and Thriving has relied on WDF service to keep their business going.

• Guest columnist Justene Clark of Spot Laundromats offers a peek inside the family-owned business’ WDF operation in Building a Healthy Wash-Dry-Fold Business.

• And what WDF service wouldn’t benefit from having large-capacity equipment? Girbau’s Tod Sorensen explains Why Having a Large-Capacity Washer is Essential for any vended laundry.

I hope that your business remains strong and that you and your family are healthy as our country continues adapting to life in the “new normal.”

Bruce Beggs Editorial Director

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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

ADVISORY BOARD Jaimie Johnson Tony Regan Michael Schantz Andy Wray

Douglas Pratt Sharon Sager Luke Williford

OFFICE INFORMATION Main: 312-361-1700

SUBSCRIPTIONS 630-739-0900 x100 www.AmericanCoinOp.com

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 61, number 9. 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, 2020. 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.

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POINT OF SALE SYSTEMS FOR LAUNDRIES Integrating computer-aided solutions can simplify, boost management of drop-off or pickup-and-delivery

by Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

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ing point of sale (POS) systems—available today with the ability to do all that and more in a fraction of the time it would take even the speediest of attendants.

GETTING TO KNOW THE BASICS So what components—hardware and software—are included with an average POS system intended for laundry service use?

“A basic POS usually includes, at minimum, a computer and screen to run the software, a receipt printer, a cash drawer and a credit card reader,” says Nick Chapleau, CEO and co-founder of Starchup, which offers a web-based POS platform. “The POS may require a certain type of hardware to run the software, usually priced and supplied by the POS company.”

Brian Henderson owns Wash-Dry-Fold POS, a company that

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W

ash-dry-fold (WDF) services offered by laundries around the country have grown in popularity in recent years. A customer visiting a Laundromat to drop off their clothes and then returning once they have been cleaned is commonplace. Some businesses offer pickup and delivery so the customer doesn’t have to leave their home.

But where self-service customers using a Laundromat are responsible for the cleaning and handling of their own clothes, a laundry offering WDF service accepts that responsibility.

The service offering brings the possibility of greater volume and thus greater revenue but it also tasks the laundry with keeping track of a customer’s goods from acceptance, through cleaning, to delivery. Order taking and tracking can be done using a piece of paper and pencil but there are computer-aided solutions—includ-

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HOW CAPABLE CAN IT BE? What capabilities should a laundry owner expect from a POS system?

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“At its most basic a POS should provide the ability to take payment for the services and products offered by the laundry,” Chapleau says. “After that, a good POS will include a CRM (customer relationship management) for saving customer data and history, flexible price lists, and employee management. An advanced POS will help your laundry grow with customer SMS and email communication, marketing, and customer-facing apps, and maintain efficiency with sophisticated reporting and workflow and delivery tracking.”

Henderson says there are certain requirements of a POS system that are unique to the laundry industry. Among them are the ability to create invoices payable either at time of drop-off or later at pickup when the laundry is done, to track and invoice commercial accounts for monthly billing, and to store/print customer-specific information on the order receipt.

“There are surprisingly few POS systems in existence that handle both situations,” he says of the invoice need, “and most Laundromats frequently do a mixture of both.”

“First is customer management,” counts Bedi. “The customers are at the heart of what they do, so being able to manage their customers in a good way … being able to communicate, either through notifications or a two-way communication. That’s very important.

“Also, being able to actually manage the operations themselves.

There’s the cleaning, the tracking of machines as well. Maintaining and repairing machines can be very important and should be managed from the same system.”

“Good software for Laundromats should allow you to manage the process from beginning to end,” says Curbside’s Aaron Simmons. It should be able to track orders, remember customer preferences, log which machines were used with each order, log how much was spent to fill each order, track poundage laundered by employee, and more. “Automation creates a consistent customer experience, makes it easier to train employees, and helps eliminate mistakes.”

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provides hardware, software, credit card payment processing, and owner training for stores looking to modernize their operations; he built the system for his family’s Laundromat chain. He says accessories such as an integrated weight scale, bag label printer and bar-code scanner can greatly enhance the average POS. Examples of software features, he adds, include text messaging for customer notifications, order status tracking, machine start tracking, a time clock, and cash drawer till accountability.

Advanced components can include customer-facing websites and apps for attracting and retaining customers, and apps for drivers and other employees specific to their functions, Chapleau says.

“An in-store laundry POS needs an integrated scale so it can grab the weight automatically,” says Matt Simmons, who created the Curbside Laundries wash-and-fold software solution with brother Aaron for their family’s Laundromat. “This helps streamline the process, helps eliminate mistakes, and speeds up the process.”

Rohan Bedi, head of sales and business development for CleanCloud, a cloud-based, multifaceted POS platform, also favors integration of a scale.

“They’re able to weigh the items (and) it goes directly into the POS,” he says. “Everything can be managed a lot easier that way.”

Rick Rome founded and owns WashClubTrak, an all-in-one laundry and drycleaning POS system.

“I believe in cloud, because we’re cloud-based,” Rome says.

“You don’t need any special hardware outside of aesthetics, really.

If you want to use an iPad to look cool, no problem. If you want to use a desktop, a laptop, you can even use your phone, as long as you have (access to) the internet.”

Pickup and delivery solutions need to be in the cloud, Simmons believes: “Customers place their orders online and drivers need to access their route and customer information while on the road.”

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(Image licensed by Ingram Image)

“I think the laundry business is not terribly complicated, for the most part, but there are a thousand 3-minute tasks,” Rome says.

“Every day, there’s a new thousand and you do your best to get through them. … Being able to offload 75%, if not more, of those 3-minute tasks to automation will save you a lot of hair and a lot of time.”

HOW THE CUSTOMER BENEFITS What benefits does a POS-equipped laundry bring to its WDF customers?

“In a word: consistency,” says Henderson. “A major challenge to a Laundromat’s delivery of excellent customer service is the lack of a manager’s or owner’s presence throughout the day to ensure consistency. A computer-based POS system helps address this in several ways.”

“It’s better order management, so they’re able to manage everything that’s coming from the customers themselves,” says Bedi.

“Whether they’re using laundry cards or different kinds of systems to manage their machines, they should be able to manage those particularly well through the system.

“The other part is the customer communication: being able to communicate with the customer about order statuses, any issues or changes. That should be able to be conveyed really easily.”

“Off the bat, their experience is improved just by the improved efficiency of the laundry using POS software,” Chapleau says.

“Reduced risk of lost items and improved speed and reliability give customers peace of mind. Additionally, SMS and email notification and receipts, as well as the ability to view order information and update their information through an app, keeps the customer updated on their order and engaged with the provider.”

GOING DIGITAL NOT DIFFICULT, EXPERTS SAY For Laundromats that are just starting to offer WDF service, or for those with an ongoing WDF volume of less than $2,000 a month, then paper-based systems are still sufficient, according to Henderson. But there’s no need to fear switching to a computerbased system.

“A POS system makes transactions easier, faster, more consistent and more accountable but the basics of what’s needed remains the same.”

“Firstly, the easiest thing to do, in that step in becoming digital, is just getting started with a free trial of something,” Bedi says.

“Or speaking to someone who’s using a system or testing one out online. And from there, in terms of setting up, it should be very simple. Adding customers to the system, adjusting it for them, should be easy to map out for them. Initiating that change is the biggest thing.”

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Chapleau says. “A good POS system will have an intuitive interface, detailed in-app help sections and walk-through, and, of course, include the full training and customer support required to get the service running smoothly.”

Length of training depends on how intuitive the POS interface is and how effective the training and support materials are, he adds: “We have seen that it usually takes an employee just one or two training sessions to grasp the system, and 1-2 weeks to master it.”

“I had a laundry owner fly out from New York to California to check out our operations,” says Curbside’s Aaron Simmons. “He had never used a laundry POS before. He watched our attendant run a single transaction and then he did the next one.”

Many Laundromat owners were drawn to this industry by the promise of little to no inventory, minimal staff, and mostly selfservice customer income with infrequent customer service issues, says Henderson. Adding drop-off service creates an environment that may require an owner’s “heavy involvement.”

“It is our goal and hope … to help Laundromat owners regain must of that freedom that drew them to this industry by computerizing their systems so that the attendants can deliver consistently excellent service on time and at the right price,” he says.

The biggest challenge implementing a POS system, according to Henderson, is getting the attendants on board, because “many think the computer complicates everything.”

“But once they realize that their job is actually made easier and faster and their customers are served better, then they warm up to it quickly and can become some of the system’s biggest proponents.”

Curbside’s Matt Simmons cautions laundry owners to make certain the POS system they select can grow with them.

“If you know you’re going to add pickup and delivery, it makes sense to get the right software solution from the start,” he says.

“Who wants to retrain their employees on software when they’re adding a whole new revenue stream to their business?”

“It’s a really transformational time, especially now for the industry in general,” Bedi says, referencing the months-old novel coronavirus pandemic. “The business owners across the country, everyone has experienced some issue with their business recently, regardless of how big or small you are, so looking to adapt and change is very important.

“Whatever way you choose to do it, whether it’s through a computerized POS or changing the nature of your store, how it can operate, like redesigning the workflow, how customers can interact, is what every owner should be looking to do. We want everyone staying healthy and safe.”

“I’ve been a big proponent of WDF pickup and delivery my whole career,” says Rome. “I just want everyone to know that they can do it. They absolutely can do it, and should be doing it because that’s where the customer is going.”

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POINTERS FROM PAULIE B

STAIN REMOVAL TIPS FOR WASH-DRY-FOLD

Paul Russo

f you operate a wash-dry-fold service, or are thinking about offering one, my column this month is for you. I’m going to talk about the most common stains I encountered over the years, a couple of very difficult stains, and my solutions for removing them.

Plus, I’ll share a simple thing to do to actually reduce the number of stains that your customers get in the first place! (And this applies to self-service customers as well as drop-off customers.)

There are two types of stains: stains that end up in a person’s laundry, usually the result of eating or drinking; and stains accidentally left by your Laundromat (a color run, or a pen breaking open in the dryer, for instance).

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Most stains can be effectively and safely removed, usually by using common household cleaning items.

Stubborn stains may require stronger chemicals, more soaking time, or repeated washings.

STAIN CATEGORIES AND REMOVAL TOOLS Let’s take a look at the categories of stains commonly seen in a laundry: Protein Stains — Examples are egg, vomit, wine, blood, urine, tomato juice or sauce, baby formula, tea, coffee, feces and sweat. Use a Liquid Tide solution (more on that coming up) for removal.

Petroleum-Based Stains — Grease, ink, crayon and makeup are the toughest stains to remove (I’ll share a “squeegee” method that I’ve found to be effective later).

Color Runs — This is caused when a dye within a garment bleeds during washing.

To fix a color run on colored clothes, soak overnight with oxygen bleach, then wash as usual in cold or warm water. Repeat as necessary.

If a color run affects items that are supposed to be 100% white, you can soak them in a 10% bleach solution. This is why I always kept a couple of top loaders in my mats. They’re great for lifting the lid to soak. In lieu of a top loader, you can use a 5-gallon bucket. It’s better to soak stained whites with less bleach but a longer time.

And now, the stain removers that I’m familiar with and what they’re best at removing (remember to always read and follow label instructions): Liquid Tide — This well-known household detergent is formulated to remove food stains, body stains, grass, and even some greases and oils.

For those who want a simple, effective and safe method to remove 80% of the stains you encounter, mix one-quarter Tide in a spray bottle with three-quarters water. It’s far cheaper to use than any of the prepared stain removers out there, in my opinion, and the absolute best. We called it our “Mystery Spot Remover.”

Get the “Heavy Duty” version if you can. It does a little better job on grease and oil. But regular Tide is still great due to its excellent enzymes that basically eat the stains and … it’s safe on nearly all washable garments!

If you only had one stain-removing chemical to use, this is it. Use it in cold or warm water, and soaking helps.

If the stain does not come out, either repeat, or try a different chemical or product.

An exception is an ink stain. It will require a solvent-

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based chemical for removal.

Hydrogen Peroxide — It will remove blood stains, berries, red wine, body stains, coffee stains and urine, plus it removes odors. It safely brightens colors and will even whiten whites. Combined with Tide, I found it to be a very effective and inexpensive stain-removing system.

(Warning: Never mix peroxide with chlorine bleach, vinegar or ammonia! Toxic gases will be the result. Besides, chlorine bleach cancels out peroxide in the water.)

Even though peroxide is safe when used properly, if you plan to use it at full strength on a stain, test an inconspicuous area of the garment first.

(Fun fact: The biggest active ingredient in Liquid Clorox 2 is hydrogen peroxide.)

When Oxyclean is mixed with warm water, it becomes … hydrogen peroxide!

Ammonia — It’s dirt cheap and works on all body stains, most food stains, and even some grease stains.

If you have a well-ventilated area, ammonia is a great overall stain remover to use, ranking right after Tide and peroxide in safe removal. However, the smell can get bad with no ventilation.

As with peroxide, never mix ammonia with chlorine bleach; doing so creates a toxic gas.

Citrus Cleaner — Either orange- or lemon-based, it can be useful for difficult stains such as grease.

White Vinegar — It’s usually about 4% to 7% acetic acid. Use one-half cup to reduce odors, and it helps whiten and brighten. Since it is slightly acetic, it has some limited antimicrobial properties. It’s good for treating the same stains as peroxide, and is hypoallergenic. Caution: Don’t mix with bleach or peroxide.

Borax — It has a pH of 9.5, so it can make a difference on all your laundry by softening the water in the machine.

Hard water requires more detergent and hotter temperatures. It also shortens the life of washers because encrustations of calcium and magnesium build up.

If your mat doesn’t have an effective water softener, one-half cup of Borax for a double loader can do the trick.

Baking Soda, also known as Sodium Bicarbonate — This also helps soften hard water, but its pH of 8.3 means it’s not quite as alkaline as Borax. Baking soda deodorizes, whitens and brightens; hotels use it for their towels.

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Little did Russo’s customers know that this “Mystery Spot Remover” was actually the well-known household detergent Liquid Tide. (Photo by Paul Russo) means softer water, allowing detergents to work better. You can mix baking soda with other chemicals (but not vinegar) to form a wet paste for really stubborn stains. Its bubbling action lifts stains from fabrics.

You can even let the paste dry out overnight for better results.

Chlorine Bleach — This works well on all-white underwear and towels, but that’s about it! Anything else will likely get bleach stains that can never be removed. Chlorine can also weaken fabrics to the point of tearing or creating a hole if poured on directly at full strength.

Dishwashing Liquid — Not my favorite choice but it is formulated to dissolve grease on dishes, so it may help on some grease-stained items.

RustGo® — As the brand name implies, this works like magic on rust stains.

Instantly disappears right before your eyes!

It contains hydrofluoric acid, so double gloves, face mask, goggles and great ventilation are necessary.

TOUGH STAINS I believe ink stains are the most difficult to remove. The items involved usually don’t damage laundry in the washers. Dryer heat

will melt them onto the laundry, and the stains will be all over the load.

If the stains were created in a drop-off load, you will be responsible. Panic time!

Or maybe not.

If there are not too many stains, you can try the “squeegee” method I mentioned earlier to remove them one by one: After you have tried Tide with a citrus chemical like Goo Gone, acetone is your last hope. If I saw a bad grease/ink stain, I’d go straight to the acetone first.

You can get some from a big-box store paint department. It works better than nail polish acetone found in department stores.

Make sure you have good air circulation because the smell will be strong, and wear gloves and glasses. (And acetone is flammable, so keep it away from any fire source.)

Use the hottest water acceptable to melt and loosen the stain. Lay an old towel on a table, then place the stained garment face down on the towel. You want to push the stain back out in the same direction that it came.

Try using a “spotting bone” available from your drycleaning supplies distributor. (continued on page 25) www.americancoinop.com

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PREPPING CLEAN 2021 AMID PANDEMIC UNCERTAINTY POSTPONEMENT NOT OPTION IF RESTRICTIONS PREVENT GATHERING IN JUNE

by Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

M

esse Frankfurt is actively preparing for Clean Show 2021, scheduled for June 10-13 in Atlanta, but if COVID-19 pandemic restrictions prevent activities from taking place onsite as planned, Clean will likely not happen again until 2023, according to organizers.

Show Director Greg Jira updated Textile Care Allied Trades Association members on the show’s status during a recent webinar. TCATA and four other textile Greg Jira care trade associations—Association for Linen Management (ALM), Coin Laundry Association (CLA), Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI), and TRSA, the association for linen, uniform and facility services—sold the Clean Show to Messe Frankfurt in 2018.

Messe retained longtime show manager Riddle & Associates to manage the 2019 event in New Orleans but now has fully taken the reins for Clean 2021 in the Georgia World Congress Center.

The Clean Show is North America’s largest exposition of laundering, drycleaning and textile care services, supplies and equipment. Clean 2019 attracted more than 11,000 industry professionals and 452 exhibiting companies.

“We know that the global pandemic is wreaking havoc within our industry,” Jira says about preparations for Clean 2021.

“We are operating as if there will be an end to all this and that, a year from now in June, we will be in a better place. … We believe it will be a great show but we are fully expecting it to be less square footage (than 2019 in New Orleans).”

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Jira says postponing Clean 2021 isn’t an option, with Germany’s Texcare International—also run by Messe Frankfurt—already having been moved to November 2021 from its original June 2020 dates. Many of Clean’s larger exhibitors also traditionally exhibit at Texcare.

Jira says postponing Clean 2021 isn’t an option, with Germany’s Texcare International—also run by Messe Frankfurt— already having been moved to November 2021 from its original June 2020 dates.

“If, by some chance, June isn’t going to work on a national health level … or we’re not allowed into the building, more than likely, the show will just not happen,” Jira says. “We can’t move it into the next year. We’ll then be too close to (the) 2023 (event). There are so many contracts at play, and obligations, that would be too hard to do.”

Sales Associate Jewell Kowzan says the

most common question she receives is what will become of payments for exhibit space if the pandemic worsens, travel restrictions are imposed, etc.

“We will be refunding exhibitors should that happen,” says Kowzan, adding that an email would be distributed to exhibitors clarifying that position.

She says the same cancellation and refund policy at prior shows is essentially in place.

Exhibitors canceling through October 15 will receive a full refund less a $95 Messe Frankfurt administration fee, while those canceling between October 15 and January 15 will receive a 30% refund.

As of late July, there had been 114 contracts submitted to reserve space at Clean 2021, Kowzan tells American Coin-Op. Drawing attendees during a pandemic could be a challenge, and Jira says Messe Frankfurt has budgeted funds for additional marketing and advertising.

TCATA and the other associations remain involved with Clean and will provide the educational content and industry support that are key to the event’s success.

“We’re committed to building on the incredible legacy that the founding associations, along with Riddle & Associates, built,” Jira says. “In a word, I think what you can expect is consistency. It is our belief that we do not change what has made the show great, and we leverage Messe Frankfurt’s global resources to help attract representation from other affiliated markets that perhaps had not been reached in the past.”

Companies that exhibited at Clean 2019 have the first crack at reserving space for the Atlanta show on a first-come, firstserved basis. Remaining exhibit space will open to other interested parties in the fall.

Attendee registration for Clean 2021 is scheduled to open in November.

ACO www.americancoinop.com

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GOIN’ WITH

COHEN

Surviving and Thriving FAMILIAR FACES NAVIGATE PANDEMIC’S WAVES

by Laurance Cohen

W

hen you’re best known for hitting the open road in search of unique laundries, slamming the brakes on touring can put a real dent in trying to uncover the next hidden gem.

A pandemic may have forced this writer to park at home, but it didn’t halt the drive of some familiar faces. This month, I’m behind the keyboard — not the wheel — circling back to see how store owners featured in Goin’ with Cohen profiles are weathering these unprecedented times.

LEADING THE TEAM Yvette Morton Williams Atlanta, Georgia “There is no script,” explains Yvette Morton Williams, whose response to Georgia’s escalating health crisis included a load-and-go directive and cordoning off

amenities at her three-store chain.

Readers will recall Morton Williams as the savvy entrepreneur overseeing the Laundromat/U-Haul tandem operation Wash & Spin Coin Laundry featured back in June 2017. Three years on, that Atlanta flagship has been joined by two new outposts — Evans Mill Laundry and Conyers Best Laundry — situated along Interstate 20, east of the city’s beltway.

Wash & Spin’s trucks and trailers still roll, but the once-open counter area now sports a partition offering a layer of added safety for her staff completing rental agreements or handling drop-off.

“I’m very protective of all of my team members,” Morton Williams says by phone. “I’ll make the necessary changes to make my team feel comfortable and safe.”

The requirement to wait in vehicles during cycles and not fold in the premises was embraced by most, but not all, customers, leading to some isolated confrontations with staff.

Yvette Morton Williams poses at Evans Mill Laundry in Lithonia, Georgia. (Photo by Laurance Cohen) 20

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“Some people were very rude, and it doesn’t take a lot of people being very rude to you during a work shift to make you think maybe I really don’t want to do this anymore,” the owner relates.

“Quelling the fear of my team” and keeping morale up were her biggest challenges. Seeking employee input on when to relax restrictions was her way to show appreciation for front-line staff working under trying conditions.

Volume at her chain recovered from March’s and April’s dip as summer approached. The seasoned operator was looking forward to the return of her store’s vibrant energy.

Morton Williams kept one eye on operations and the other on virus case levels. She says the pandemic strengthened her as a leader and stressed “how important it is to remain calm during the storm and to listen and show your team that you care.”

NO ATTENDANTS, NO PROBLEM Scott & Tina Badarak San Diego, California Two thousand miles away in San Diego, Scott Badarak didn’t change things up.

“I heard people closing stores, making people wait in their car, and no folding,” he says. “We left it to the customer to make their own decision.”

The contractor-turned-operator, who was profiled in April just as the pandemic was taking hold, oversees a four-store chain alongside wife Tina. And with three of four locations unattended, enforcing mandates redefining how the public engages in a selfservice laundry venue wasn’t in the cards.

That’s not to say Badarak ignored the calls to don face coverings and spread out.

Signs encouraging the use of masks and www.americancoinop.com

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maintaining space were prominently placed on windows and around interiors, but he distanced himself from taking on the role of enforcer: “It is what it is. I’m not the mask police.”

His one tandem operation — Serra Mesa Laundry — saw drycleaning sales plummet 95% in the spring months as people stayed home. The downtime allowed a staffer to visit each location and tidy up middays to supplement nightly deep cleaning.

Overall machine income declined approximately 25% in April and May, Badarak reports, before bouncing back in June to match 2019 levels.

When coin circulation seized up nationwide, the owner watched from the sidelines.

“I have too many quarters,” he laughs,

Tina and Scott Badarak pose at their flagship Serra Mesa Laundry & Cleaners in this American Coin-Op file photo from earlier this year. With three of their four stores being unattended, signage encourages customers to wear masks and socially distance but enforcing mandates isn’t in the cards. www.americancoinop.com

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Seating was taped off and video games disabled at Evans Mill Laundry. (Photo courtesy of Yvette Morton Williams)

giving credit to his token-op format for repelling non-patrons from draining changers at his unattended stores.

A healthy uptick in turns on his 40and 60-pounders carried into the summer, Badarak notes, attributing the 25% bump to customers hauling in bedding. The move to big iron was countered by a slight decline in use of 20-pound front loaders.

The operator, whose mainline construction trade is booming, tells me he remains bullish, noting that the majority of San Diego’s workforce still collects paychecks.

SCORING WITH DROP-OFF James Betterson Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Former NFL running back James

Betterson knows a thing or two about how to pivot and not lose your footing. So when the novel coronavirus hit Philly, he reached into his playbook and scored with washdry-fold.

The over-the-counter service racked up a robust 48% increase in May and June, according to the operator, whose profile was featured in July 2018.

Eight out of 10 customers dropping off bundles were new faces. He attributed the rise to a combination of neighborhood residents looking to relieve the stress of another chore and the reality of clothes piling up back home.

More loads meant more staffing for the 66-year-old owner, who added a team member to an 11-to-7 day shift. Beefing

▼

Customer counter at Wash & Spin Coin Laundry in Atlanta sports a newly installed partition. (Photo courtesy of Yvette Morton Williams)

Former NFL running back James Betterson poses in his BetterClean Laundry in North Philly in this American Coin-Op file photo from 2018. Betterson says his store has seen a nearly 50% increase in wash-dry-fold in recent months.

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up the lineup tackled order processing efficiently while maintaining BetterClean’s spotless reputation.

The operator stepped up to help employees reliant on public transportation to get to work by chipping in for ride sharing when metro bus service was interrupted as the city battled both a pandemic and unrest.

Betterson kept masks on hand for patrons lacking face coverings. He said the gesture “helped calm tension” that might otherwise give rise in the laundry aisles.

BetterClean Laundry’s Kelly green tables were outfitted with signs encouraging folding at safe distances.

The retired Eagles player says the pandemic hit home when word reached him that one of the store’s regulars who he enjoyed trading gameday stories with had contracted the virus and died.

With drop-off maintaining an upward trajectory and his self-service trade staying steady — albeit more evenly spread over the week — Betterson was upbeat.

“I’m glad we’re considered essential and allowed to serve the community,” he says.

“We’re needed in this time when people are so concerned about their health, but also with that comes a great responsibility on my part to make sure I keep my staff and customers safe.”

SOCKING IT TO THE VIRUS Suzy Kee Poughkeepsie, New York When I introduced readers to Suzy Kee three years ago, her clothesline timeline knocked my socks off. The display of Americana fashion remains on display, and its proud curator still warmly welcomes

In this American Coin-Op file photo from 2017, Suzy Kee poses in her We’ve Got Your Sock Laundromat. When business slowed due to the pandemic, Kee implemented new pickup and delivery software in concert with an enhanced website, plus boosted Facebook ad spending to get the word out. you — but now with a few guidelines.

Kee requests customer compliance with a new protocol of wearing masks, adhering to 6 feet of personal space, and applying a spray mist of isopropyl alcohol to touch points after each washroom use.

Her stepping up of store sanitization to include a thorough deep cleaning of the premises each day may have received high marks from her clientele, but it came with a big hit to payroll expenses.

Sales got socked as well by the pandemic: “At the beginning, the Laundromat was hemorrhaging money for months,” she recalls. “Revenue was off by 50%.”

The resilient store owner, who works the cozy We’ve Got Your Sock seven days a week, refused her landlord’s offer to waive April’s rent as she was “determined to weather the course.”

Slowdowns in self-service foot traffic mirrored the decline in activity outside the home, she says, adding that some regulars

In this American Coin-Op file photo from 2017, the Simmons brothers — Matt (left) and Aaron (right) — flank Super Suds Laundromat staff member Gabriela Arellano among pickup and delivery orders.

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preferred to skip the trip and load up a relative’s washer.

Kee took the initiative to implement new pickup and delivery software in concert with an enhanced website. She also boosted spending on Facebook ads to get the word out. The investments are paying dividends, the owner reports, with income gains in the summer brightening her outlook.

“I always tell customers who share their woes that spring always comes at the end of winter,” she relates. “Sometimes, winters can be long, but spring always comes back.”

The genial host, whose front lounge is frequented by neighbors catching up on local happenings over a free hot beverage, went quiet when the pandemic took hold.

“Sadly, that has stopped,” Kee laments.

DOOR-TO-DOOR LAUNDROMAT Aaron and Matt Simmons Long Beach, California “Residential pickup and delivery was our

The service counter was relocated to Super Suds Laundromat’s midpoint and showcases components of a newly installed ozone treatment system, along with a monitor running educational video. (Photo courtesy of Aaron Simmons) www.americancoinop.com

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saving grace” were the first words I heard from Aaron and Matt Simmons when asked if the novel coronavirus took a toll on their family’s Super Suds Laundromat.

The behemoth 8,000-square-foot SoCal laundry was a stop on my tour some three years ago when the brothers were in high gear processing dozens of drop-off bundles overnight and revving up their justlaunched over-the-road service. Both offerings were being driven by the duo’s homegrown software platform that has since been packaged and rolled out nationally.

Like others, Super Suds navigated the pandemic landscape by following recommended guidance on personal protective equipment, social distancing, store maintenance and garment-handling procedures.

The public health crisis also brought about structural changes with a service counter relocation — complete with plexiglass safeguarding — and a newly installed ozone treatment system.

“We were looking at ozone as a way to differentiate ourselves from the competition,” says Aaron. “Now the ozone sanitation system is more valuable than we ever imagined.”

Brother Matt chimes in, “We made sure to educate all of our customers — selfserve, in-store wash and fold, as well as delivery. Our feeling is once they know about ozone, they’ll always use us instead of the competition.”

In the early months of the pandemic, doit-yourself customer income dropped 25%, wash and fold a few points more, and commercial account work by three-quarters, the operators report, while their door-to-door service bucked the trend, jumping 50% and racking up 500 roundtrips a month.

Scale-tipping 200-pound-plus orders — bundled up with comforters and pillows — became commonplace, Matt notes: “People spend money keeping their bedding clean and safe.”

The residential pickup sector led Super Suds’ patriarch Sanford Simmons to add a fourth delivery vehicle to the fleet, opening the door to cater to 14 new communities.

His wife Linda worked remotely, handling store staffing logistics.

“Our mother knows the average pickup is 42 pounds and the average attendant can launder 275 pounds during their shift.

She figures out exactly the right number of

people to schedule,” Aaron explains.

Super Suds’ cashless token operation kept right on rolling when a nationwide coin shortage made headlines. Quarters brought in by customers are bagged and exchanged with needy coin-op owners.

Reflecting on how the pandemic was redefining the Laundromat, Aaron glanced back a quarter-century.

“In the 1990s, our father was looking for a recession-proof business that wasn’t affected by the ups and downs of the economy or real estate cycles. I never imagined just how resilient the laundry business is.

Nobody ever wants to put on dirty clothes.”

Matt echoes his brother’s sentiments while pointing to the new direction the Simmons family enterprise is headed: “We are so blessed we are in the laundry business and can take the Laundromat to people’s front door.”

ACO Laurance Cohen served as American Coin-Op editor in the early 1990s and currently operates Laundry Marketing Concepts based in Hallandale Beach, Fla. He can be reached at goinwithcohen@ outlook.com.

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WHY HAVING A LARGE-CAPACITY WASHER IS ESSENTIAL

A Tod Sorensen

s a laundry owner, you’ve got to have more than just one large-capacity washer-extractor (range of 80 to 130 pounds) on the floor.

Why? To help your business offer capacities beyond the typical home or apartment washer offering. Largecapacity washers can help you stand apart from the competition, are more profitable than smaller washers, and attract both traditional and non-traditional customers — allowing you to appeal to your entire demographic.

When carefully selected, large-capacity washers can positively impact your business for years to come.

STAND APART Offer what your competitors don’t. Most vended laundries lack large-capacity washers. Give customers a reason to want to do laundry at your store, rather than at their apartment complex laundry or home. Given the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, items like bedding and towels are being washed more frequently. This trend will most likely continue. A big washer will attract big loads and diversify your base of business.

ATTRACT CUSTOMERS FROM YOUR ENTIRE DEMOGRAPHIC By offering large-capacity machines, you’ll draw customers from your entire demographic. Homeowners and renters will come to do bulky items that homestyle washers can’t handle. During slow operating hours, your laundry attendants can utilize these machines for cleaning big loads quickly.

ENJOY GREATER PROFITS Large-capacity washers often prove to be the most popular washers on the floor. As capacity grows larger, so does the turn ratio. Also, keep in mind that large machines cost less per pound of capacity to operate than smaller machines. And, because your competitors don’t have them, you are not price-competing with other laundries.

SOFT MOUNT VS. HARD MOUNT Hard-mount washers of this size category require 12 to 18 inches of concrete and need 2 feet of access space behind them for installation and operation. A soft-mount model has less negative impact on the store (no vibrating bolts out of the floor), can be easily installed, and generate up to 400 G-force extract speeds for more moisture 24

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removal, faster dry times and less natural gas consumed.

Using a commercial grade soft-mount, customers can be in and out of a store in less than an hour.

Commercial soft-mount washer technology began in the 1960s and has proven effective in every laundry sector.

AUTO INJECTION Customers should not have to load their own soap products on large-capacity washers. With an automatic chemical-injection feature, they simply load and pay.

There are systems on the market that disperse soaps and softeners and work seamlessly with these washers.

The feature will boost customer turnover and provide superior results, while increasing bottom-line profits.

Moreover, cleaning products have low overhead costs and more profitability that you can put to work for you.

ADAPTABILITY Choose a washer that can work in concert with chemicals, pump systems, ozone or UV disinfection systems, especially given the world’s current COVID-19 pandemic. Ozone, chemicals and UV — when automatically injected into the wash cycle — can sanitize laundry.

Also, look for washers with available auxiliary electric heat kits. These can heat water to very high temperatures for sustained periods without upgrading your hot water system. If you plan to meet Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, washers must be programmable by temperature to hit and hold 160 F. This heating feature can provide you with a dual-income opportunity to use your vended washer as a commercial washer after normal hours of operation.

In general, larger-capacity washers with programmable controls and the ability to offer a la carte cycles, as well as ozone and automatic soap/softener injection, can attract new customers, retain existing customers, and diversify and increase revenue streams. They also allow you to expand into new markets while minimizing major infrastructure improvements.

ACO Tod Sorensen is a regional sales manager at Girbau North America and vice president of Continental Girbau West, a full-service distributorship serving the Southern California laundry markets. He holds more than 20 years of experience in vended laundry development and market analysis. He can be reached at tsorensen@ cgilaundry.com, 866-950-2449. www.americancoinop.com

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(Russo column continued from page 14) Otherwise, the dull edge of an old tablespoon, or a dull putty knife, will work.

Scrub brushes tend to pull the strands out of the fabric’s surface.

Squirt some acetone on the back side of the stain and use your tool to gently scrape the stain into the towel underneath. The acetone loosens the ink, and the squeegee action pushes the ink out. You can also spray a little Liquid Tide on the stain, which helps with removal when you wash it.

Wash the item in very hot water (if the fabric allows it). If the stain is completely out after washing, you’re done. If not, then repeat.

LESSEN LIABILITY Here’s a tip for negotiating with customers over ink stains: always save the evidence.

If you see ink stains, look for the pen to show the customer so you can prove that they left “their” pen in “their” laundry.

Same goes for any other item of theirs that breaks open and stains the dryer load.

When a crayon melts, you can still find the wrapper to show the customer.

This may not get you off the hook with some customers, but it throws them offbalance and can open the door for you to negotiate a lower compensation.

PREVENTION IS BEST TOOL Here’s how you can reduce the number of stains your customers get in the first place, and it applies to all customers, whether self-service or wash-dry-fold.

Educate customers that they must be alert to check their own pockets. Why should this be only the mat’s responsibility?

But what will motivate all customers to check their pockets?

Tell them through signage: Check your pockets! Pens, makeup, crayons, etc. will ruin your wash! We are not responsible for items left in pockets.

And if you add “cash” to the “items left” note, I guarantee more customers will check!

Beyond this, explain and educate.

Communicate how heat may have already set their stain, making it much harder to

remove. I liked to say that heat “cooked” the stain in.

And have a customer sign a waiver if they insist you use more aggressive stainremoval methods that potentially could damage the item.

If you feel the need to go to spotting chemicals, and the garment is really important to the customer, bring it to a trusted dry cleaner and pay to have the garment spotted and cleaned. A dry cleaner knows how to use the chemicals and will have a spotting board that uses steam to help force stains out.

Remember that you can’t remove every stain. Even dry cleaners can’t. So, if you can’t remove a stain after following the tips I’ve provided, then it may be best to make good with the customer and move on. 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.

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BUILDING A HEALTHY WASH-DRY-FOLD BUSINESS

M

Justene Clark

owing the lawn, washing the dishes, weeding the garden, making the bed or doing the laundry. They’re all chores, and they usually aren’t fun to do.

But doing the laundry — including washing, drying and folding — shouldn’t be included in that list thanks to the increasing popularity of wash-dry-fold (WDF) services at many Laundromats. WDF services allow customers to cook dinner or attend their children’s sporting events, instead of worrying about when they will find time to do the laundry.

ON THE SPOT At Spot Laundromats, we strive to make sure our customers’ only worry with laundry is having to put it away in their drawers or closets.

Train your staff to separate laundry by colors and safely dry items. Consumers shouldn’t have to worry about their items being overdried.

Hand-wash delicate items, and make your WDF service customizable. So, if a customer wants some items folded and others hung on hangers, do it that way. That could also include washing things like leggings inside out and allowing them to be air-dried, or separating work garments from everyday garments.

You also need to spell out exactly how wash-dry-fold works since many people are afraid of trying something new. Tell consumers upfront that you provide the detergent, softener, bleach and hangers, and that you’ll fold the laundry as they’ll find it on a store shelf. Explain to people that they can put their laundry in a trash bag, hamper or any other container they like, and that you’ll handle the rest.

Reassure your customer that their laundry is not co-mingled with laundry from other customers. A tag system is used from the counter, to be sorted before going into the washer, then into the dryer and even to the folding table, all the way until the laundry is bagged and ready to be picked up.

Here at Spot, we use Tide, Snuggle and bleach, and ask customers to tell us if they have any allergies. If they do suffer from allergies, customers provide their own detergent or softener, and specify whether we can use bleach or not. We will mark a customer’s detergents with their name and keep them for future use or give them back to the customer with each visit.

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attention is offering wash-dry-fold services in the same space where customers are doing their own laundry.

People are more likely to ask about the service when they see it being done.

Many people view WDF services as a higher-end service or a luxury, so we like to compare it to ordering pizza and having it delivered. That allows the customer to think outside the box and see that it really is an affordable luxury.

THE RIGHT STAFF MAKES THE DIFFERENCE Finding and keeping employees, especially during a pandemic, is one of the biggest challenges Laundromats face, since employee turnover can be high. But by hiring the right people from the start you’ll be much more likely to keep those employees and grow your WDF business.

One of the first questions to ask potential employees is what makes them interested in working at a Laundromat. If they answer, “It’s just a job,” they’re not the right ones to hire. Instead, you should try to hire people — both men and women — who truly enjoy doing laundry. Look for people who find it relaxing since it allows them to go to their “happy place,” where they can chill out while they sort or fold the laundry. (Really, those people do exist.)

Spot Laundromats employs men and women who have been working almost 10 years processing WDF laundry. My father always said that life is too short to do something you don’t enjoy doing. So, do random employee reviews and check in and see how well employees like their job. And if they aren’t happy, ask what you can do to change that. It’s important for employees to like their job, since customers will notice if they don’t.

Consumers can hear a smile when they’re being greeted over the phone, and like being assisted with laundry as they are going in or out the door.

You should also try to treat employees like family. Try to make employees feel like they’re not in a warehouse assembly line. Acknowledge their anniversary dates, and introduce them to your customers on social media, such as a regular “Worker Wednesday” post on Facebook.

At Spot Laundromats, we also try to give employees a schedule that fits their lives so it is more enjoyable for them to come to work.

FOCUS ON BEST PRACTICES We want our employees to share with us any ideas on www.americancoinop.com

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how to improve our efficiency or business.

For instance, we may ask them to fold a certain way, but if they have a different way in mind, show us. While we likely have tried that way before, we may try it again or explain why we feel it doesn’t work. We appreciate employee input, as they are the ones working directly with our customers.

Spot Laundromats doesn’t offer incentives to keep staff and build the WDF business. Instead, we market the service directly to consumers.

Most of our marketing is done through Facebook or by word of mouth; however, we offer a “Refer a friend” discount, an email sign-up promotion, move-in specials to new residents, and contests to make laundry fun.

Other types of advertising and marketing can be effective, too, in increasing your WDF business. Put cling-on stickers on your business windows, calling out your services or special promotions. Use radio advertising and have the DJ explain how affordable wash-dry-fold is for families.

Even logos on delivery vehicles can help to spread the word about your services as

people drive around the city. While sitting at a red light, that busy mom behind your vehicle may think, “Wow, what a cool idea.”

With novel coronavirus cases rising across the nation, it’s also smart to promote the sanitation aspect of WDF. For instance, Laundromats are able to use hot-

“Many people view wash-dryfold services as a higher-end service or a luxury, so we like to compare it to ordering pizza and having it delivered. That allows the customer to think outside the box and see that it really is an affordable luxury.”

— Justene Clark, Spot Laundromats

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ter temperatures and give special attention to specific articles of clothing and sanitize more than people can do at home in their washing machines and dryers.

Spot’s motto or tagline, “We Do Laundry So You Don’t Have To,” sums up our service succinctly and has been very effective.

Customers really like the idea of having more time to spend with family and friends since we’re taking care of the laundry for them. So come up with a motto or tagline that highlights the benefits of your WDF services, and make sure it is something that your customers can relate to. Then you’ll likely see your business increase, and your profits, too.

ACO Justene Clark is vice president of Spot Laundromats, with seven coin- and card-operated stores located throughout Maryland and West Virginia. She’s been involved in the 50-plus-year-old familyowned business since she was a child, from helping service industrial equipment with her father to helping her mother with WDF services. She can be reached at 866-682SPOT, justene@spotlaundromats.com.

facebook/americancoinop @AmericanCoinOp www.americancoinop.com

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NEWSMAKERS to now have the opportunity to upgrade their current laundry and Laundromat machines to accept mobile payment at ‘no cost’ will certainly be a game-changer in the industry.”

“Our interest in mobile apps started several years ago,” says ESD founder Harvey Gitlin. “As we thought about the next changes in the vended laundry business, we decided that PayRange is the perfect partner and solution to continue to uphold our high standards of excellence in service and engineering.”

Members of the Statewide Laundry Equipment (SLE) executive and sales team pose for a group photo during the distributor’s recent one-day sales meeting at a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., hotel. (Photo: SLE) STATEWIDE LAUNDRY EQUIPMENT HOSTS SALES MEETING Distributor Statewide Laundry Equipment (SLE), with multiple locations in Florida and Georgia, recently staged an all-day sales meeting for its executive and sales team. Those who attended the gathering at a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, hotel were led through insightful recaps and upcoming plans surrounding market, finance, technology and sales strategies to position the company as a market leader.

SLE’s 2020 marketing plan, finances, technology and sales processes were key topics of discussion, as was the company’s milestone 2019 recap. The day began with an awards ceremony to celebrate top-performing executives and acknowledge rising talent throughout the company.

The 5 Year Award for loyalty, hard work and dedication to the company was presented to Abel Urra, who works out of SLE’s Miami office.

“I’m very proud of our executive and sales team, and want to send my congratulations to Abel Urra for five incredible years with our team,” says SLE Vice President Noel Orozco.

ESD PARTNERS WITH PAYRANGE FOR MOBILE PAYMENT PayRange Inc., maker of an in-app payment system for unattended retail, reports it has partnered with ESD (Equipment Systems & Devices).

Under the exclusive partnership, PayRange will be offering a new “ESD BluKey” device specifically designed to upgrade machines equipped with ESD card readers to include mobile payment capabilities, offers, loyalty, and value-added services at no additional cost to the machine owner.

ESD has approximately 2 million card readers in the field and estimates its active user base at 20 million users who use those machines on a regular basis, according to PayRange.

ESD will provide its engineering expertise in integrating the ESD BluKey solution across thousands of different machine types and models across vended laundry platforms.

The companies will immediately begin jointly marketing the ESD BluKey solution, allowing machine owners to plug in a module in seconds that adds mobile commerce capabilities to the existing installed base. Future developments will include ESD card readers from the factory bundled with PayRange on board.

“We are incredibly excited to announce this partnership with ESD and its customers,” says Michael Kitchen, chief revenue officer of PayRange. “The ability for existing ESD laundry customers 28

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FIRESTONE FINANCIAL CELEBRATES 55 YEARS IN BUSINESS Firestone Financial, a subsidiary of Berkshire Bank and a direct lender that provides Laundromat financing, is celebrating 55 years in business this year. The company is a lender in the amusement, attractions, fitness franchise, and vending industries.

“Firestone has achieved this milestone through the dedication of all our employees and the continued support of our customers, channel partners, and industry associations across all of our lines of business,” says Michael Smith, executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Over the years, we’ve stayed true to our roots in amusement and carnival financing while expanding our offerings and building relationships with innovative manufacturers who are constantly working to evolve our core industries.”

Smith says the company’s celebration comes at a unique time.

“Now more than ever, we’re dedicated to supporting our customers and guiding them through the current economic crisis as they look to thrive in the new post-pandemic environment,” he explains.

Founded in 1965, Firestone Financial was acquired by Berkshire Bank in 2015.

CLA RELEASES VIDEO HIGHLIGHTING INDUSTRY RESPONSE TO COVID-19 The Laundromat industry, led by owners and their employees, has stepped up to the challenge of the COVID-19 crisis and the Coin Laundry Association (CLA) wants the public at large to know it.

CLA recently released a video, published to YouTube, recognizing the industry’s efforts to increase disinfecting procedures and apply new approaches aimed at social distancing. It also thanked the tens of millions of customers who rely on Laundromats for the essential service of cleaning clothes each week.

“We are proud to release this video as a small token of our appreciation for the hard-working Laundromat owners and their attendants — as well as for the families who support our businesses,” says CLA President and CEO Brian Wallace.

The video shares images of attendants disinfecting washers and dryers, along with hard surfaces such as door handles and folding tables. Also evident are the new social distancing policies being used at Laundromats to keep everyone safer while helping customers maintain the highest level of hygiene possible during the coronavirus pandemic.

“The Laundromat industry has risen to the challenge of COVID-19 by putting customers and their well-being first,” adds CLA Board Chair Brian Grell, executive vice president of Eastern Funding. “More than ever, Laundromats are essential to keeping our neighborhoods safe and clean.” (continued on page 32) www.americancoinop.com

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CALENDAR

UPCOMING EVENTS SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

8 Coin Laundry Association Webinar for New Investors: Getting Into the Laundry Business Info: www.coinlaundry.org/ events/webinars 10 Coin Laundry Association Virtual: New England CLA Hosts Networking Happy Hour Info: www.coinlaundry.org 30 American Coin-Op Podcast: Commercial Account Strategies Info: https://americancoinop. com/podcasts

NOVEMBER

12 Sav-A-Day Laundry Machinery 62nd Annual Open House/ Sales Event St. Louis, Missouri (in accordance with CDC and Dept. of Health guidlines) Info: 800-489-9274 or 314-291-1910 13 Coin Laundry Association Webinar for New Investors: Getting Into Laundry Business Info: www.coinlaundry.org/ events/webinars 28 American Coin-Op Podcast: Freshen Things Up Info: https://americancoinop. com/podcasts

10 Coin Laundry Association Webinar for New Investors: Getting Into the Laundry Business Info: www.coinlaundry.org/ events/webinars 23 Coin Laundry Association Virtual: Morning Coffee and Conversation Info: www.coinlaundry.org 25 American Coin-Op Podcast: Round-the-Clock Management Info: https://americancoinop. com/podcasts ACO

Every FREE monthly 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!

NEW! Insurance Basics

Diving into Diversification

Slow-Day Turnaround

Steven Wright, VP of business development for Irving Weber Associates, discusses dealing with common and not-so-common Laundromat risks and liabilities, including COVID-19.

Brendan Ristaino, sales manager for distributor Yankee Equipment, examines revenue-producing extra-profit centers that best complement a vended laundry business.

Adjunct professor of business studies and laundry owner Cathy Neilley talks tactics to try to pick up business on a store’s “slow” days.

Listen in at: americancoinop.com/podcasts www.americancoinop.com 0920aco_House Podcast AD half_horiz male.indd

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SEPTEMBER 2020

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SINGLE-COPY SALES

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ADVERTISERS’ INDEX Advertiser

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Advertiser

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AC Power ................................................ 23

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ACE Commercial Laundry Equipment .........25

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NEWSMAKERS (continued from page 28) Laundromat owners, equipment distributors and manufacturers — and everyone involved in the industry — can access this special video at https://vimeo.com/425555919. CLA encourages all to post to their websites and share through their social media channels.

(From left) Coin-O-Matic’s John Antene, Laundromat manager; Matt Miller, president; and Joe Martynaitis, general sales manager, pose in front of Electrolux Professional laundry equipment their company now represents. (Photo: Laundrylux) COIN-O-MATIC JOINS LAUNDRYLUX DISTRIBUTION NETWORK Laundrylux reports that it has entered into a business relationship with distributor Coin-O-Matic, based in the Chicago suburb of Alsip, Illinois. Coin-O-Matic has long been a “dominant presence” in Chicago and the surrounding areas, Laundrylux says, representing an exciting step forward for the two legacy laundry businesses.

The news arrives just as Coin-O-Matic is poised to celebrate a century in business.

“We’re excited to honor our 100-year anniversary in the laundry industry by providing a revolutionary brand like Electrolux Professional to our customers,” say Matt Miller, Coin-O-Matic president.

Founded in 1921 by Harry Miller, Coin-O-Matic offers commercial laundry solutions and equipment for Laundromats and facilities with on-premises laundries in Chicago, northern Illinois, and northern Indiana.

Miller is the founder’s grandson, helping the third-generation family business push toward being the country’s most trusted commercial laundry institution. Miller’s forward-thinking vision pairs well with the Laundrylux brand, Laundrylux says, as the latter is renowned for innovative technology, a dynamic approach, and a commitment to distributors.

“With Electrolux Professional equipment, we are able to support our customers in this next chapter of our business,” says Joe Martynaitis, general sales manager for Coin-O-Matic.

“We can really make a difference for our customers now.

Customers will enjoy the major utility savings and the drastic 32

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reduction in overall costs and cycle times that come with the highspin Electrolux Professional equipment.”

Miller calls the Electrolux Professional technology “the most advanced” he’s seen.

“Laundrylux is extremely dedicated to the success of distributors and their customers,” he adds. “We are excited to have access to Laundrylux’s vast business network, in-house financing, and marketing, in addition to the Electrolux Professional line of equipment. Ultimately, this decision is one that will help our customers succeed.”

Gordon Kertland, executive vice president of sales for Laundrylux, says his company is excited to be entering the Chicago market and surrounding regions by teaming with Coin-O-Matic.

SPEED QUEEN EXPANDS ILLINOIS DISTRIBUTOR’S TERRITORY Speed Queen recently expanded the Illinois territory served by distributor Hermes Commercial Laundry Equipment, headquartered in Bloomington, Illinois.

“The level of service that Hermes provides mirrors Speed Queen’s commitment to customers,” says Kathryn Rowen, general manager of the Laundromat segment for Alliance Laundry Systems. “We are excited to introduce more customers to their exceptional support before, during and after the sale.”

Owned by Leo Hermes and Mark Wilkins, Hermes provides commercial laundry equipment for a number of industries.

The distributor will now serve Speed Queen customers in the Illinois counties of Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Grundy, Jo Davies, La Salle, Lee, Ogle, Putnam, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago.

LAUNDRYCARES ADDS MORE THAN 650 NETWORK LOCATIONS The LaundryCares Foundation has surpassed its goal by adding more than 650 Laundromat locations to the LaundryCares Network, the Coin Laundry Association affiliate reports.

The initiative launched earlier this year has already surpassed expectations thanks to support from hundreds of Laundromat professionals willing to join the ranks of those committed to giving back to the neighborhoods they serve.

“Joining the LaundryCares Foundation Network is the perfect way for Laundromat owners to let their communities know that they care,” shares Jeff Gardner, Foundation president. “Our goal is to create the biggest database possible of Laundromats who self-identify as community-friendly. While those joining the network are not obligating themselves to any specific project or outreach, we will be able to share local opportunities to support the LaundryCares mission with those network members in the area.”

Registrants receive a decal for their store window and are placed on the LaundryCares Network directory, an interactive online map which will identify those locations as members of the network.

LaundryCares is now shooting for welcoming more than 2,000 locations by Nov. 30 and more than 6,000 locations by June 2021.

“Our network has the potential to become the go-to resource for hundreds of organizations while putting you in the perfect position to promote your Laundromat’s connection to your community,” says Jim Whitmore, LaundryCares vice president.

More information about the charitable organization is available at its website, www.laundrycares.org.

ACO www.americancoinop.com

8/11/20 11:09 AM