COOS BAY, Ore. — Lightning never strikes the same place twice, as the old saying goes, but for Case Harris, owner of the Laundromat chain Green Lightning Laundry, success not only struck twice, but four times. Harris recently opened his fourth location along the central Oregon coast, according to laundry equipment distributor Western State Design (WSD).
Harris has been working over the last four years to establish his coin laundry business in the state, with stores located in Coos Bay, North Bend, Reedsport and Florence, according to WSD. All four locations are open 24 hours, while some also offer drop-off service and vending machines.
In opening his stores, he reached out to Jim Wright, sales representative for WSD in Oregon.
His stores utilize Dexter Express coin laundry machines, as well as the EasyCard payment system, says WSD. The latter not only provides a convenience to Harris’ customers, but to Harris himself, as well.
“Harris’ laundry locations span more than 50 miles of the Oregon coast,” says WSD. “Managing the laundries remotely is simple for Harris with the EasyCard system. … No matter what the issue, he can access information remotely and fix problems, saving hours of labor by working digitally.”
The feature also provides a safety net for Harris’ stores. “Instead of worrying about coin machines attracting vandals, the EasyCard system is essentially cashless.”
Exclusive to Harris’ fourth store are pay showers, which were coin-operated before Harris retrofitted them with the EasyCard system. “With the number of RV parks and campsites in the area, the revenue generated from the pay showers made maintaining them in the Laundromat a no-brainer,” says WSD.
Harris is no stranger to the service industry, as he’s also worked at his family’s restaurant in his hometown of Juneau, Alaska. “He chose to open a laundry primarily to get out of the typical 9-to-5 work cycle and have more time to spend with his family,” the distributor says.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Bruce Beggs at [email protected].