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First Primus Store Debuts in Mid-Atlantic Region

Ole Laundromat owners appreciate brand’s reputation for innovation, reliability

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Ole Laundromat, described by distributor Equipment Marketers as the first Primus® brand self-service laundry in the Mid-Atlantic region, opened here recently. Owned by partners Bernie DiConstantino and George Gautreaux, it is the second laundry that the pair has opened here in less than a year.

“I chose to open a Laundromat business because I considered it a perfect investment for its benefits of flexibility, independence and recession resistance,” says DiConstantino. “It’s a business where I don’t have to manage a lot of employees.”

The pair also wanted to bring something new to the market, and that’s where Primus and Equipment Marketers came to the forefront. They saw Primus as a brand that had built a reputation outside North America as an innovator, with exceptionally reliable washers and dryers. That was their experience with the few machines they tested in their first store.

“We were very happy with the performance of the machines, especially the 200 G-force final wash spin, the largest door openings in the marketplace, and being able to program EcoWash cycles to compete against ‘cheaper dollar days’ that other laundries implement,” says DiConstantino.

This led them to equip their newest store with only Primus machines.

Working with Equipment Marketers was an easy decision, says DiConstantino, because of the New Jersey-based company’s range of services, including store layout, installation, expert service, and an extensive parts department.

“We have been helping people like Bernie and George in the laundry business for decades,” says Dick LaMaina, president of Equipment Marketers, which has been in business since 1945. “Our job is easier when we have a great brand of equipment like Primus Commercial Laundry with which to work.”

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Bernie DiConstantino and George Gautreaux tested Primus laundry equipment in their first Allentown, Pa., store before deciding to open a second that features nothing but Primus equipment (seen here). (Photos: Equipment Marketers)

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The exterior of Ole Laundromat, centrally located in Allentown. The city was cited as a success story in a report by the Urban Land Institute that examines the abilities of smaller communities to leverage their strengths and position themselves as attractive places to live, work and invest.

Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Bruce Beggs at [email protected].