HOUSTON — A number of vended laundry projects are completed around the country each year, resulting in brand-new or rejuvenated stores primed and ready to serve customers.
As a way to celebrate the hard work that goes into designing, building and equipping a modern self-service laundry, American Coin-Op created a Spotlights on Success series to recognize memorable projects of recent vintage.
And so equipment manufacturers were invited to tout their brand’s latest and greatest vended laundry projects. This is one of the stories they shared:
Shahid & Partners are the proud owners of BigWash! Super Laundry Center, located here in Houston. The 4,500-square-foot full-service laundry center is equipped to accept coins as well as mobile payment through Huebsch Command™. The business is working on adding Huebsch Pay as well as Huebsch POS.
Besides self-service, the laundry offers wash-dry-fold, pickup and drop-off services, as well as drycleaning pickup.
The Wi-Fi-equipped store offers a full lounge, perfect for watching the week’s biggest games, and a secure children’s play area.
The site previously housed a rundown 1,400-square-foot laundry that had a reputation in the local community as one to avoid, say the BigWash! owners, who purchased the shopping center where the store is located.
There was a vision to develop an expanded store that would make a huge impact in the community by offering a safe, clean and friendly place to do laundry. Big washers and dryers are a part of the store’s business model in a highly competitive marketplace.
Distributor Gulf States Laundry Machinery Co. worked on the planning for and design of the store while still maintaining the existing utility connections. The company developed the store layout and equipment mix and placement, handled the equipment installation and setup, and assisted with marketing as well as planning a grand opening. The project took four to five months to complete and cost an estimated $750,000, according to the store’s owners.
The revamped store was fully equipped, including new Huebsch Galaxy 600 and networked commercial washers and dryers, CACO bulkheads, Triad bill exchangers, Rheem water heaters and CACO furniture.
New flooring, ceiling tiles and sheetrock were installed, along with a computer and camera system and a brand-new ATM.
The owners invested a significant amount of money in redoing the shopping center and the development of BigWash! has generated more traffic for the center and increased interest from tenants. Plans are under way for adding a brand-new convenience store with four leased spaces to be filled by national tenants.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Bruce Beggs at [email protected].