RIPON, Wis. — Huebsch, an equipment brand of Alliance Laundry Systems, has named Jim Adams, owner of four Jennifer Haley’s Coin Laundromats in Ohio, its latest Store Owner of the Quarter.
“Jim has an ambitious spirit and strong work ethic, leading him to become a profitable multi-store owner with a strong understanding of the laundry industry. He is a genuine businessman with great people skills,” says Kathryn Rowen, North American sales manager for Huebsch. “We enjoy partnering with perseverant, hardworking entrepreneurs like Jim, and we cannot wait to see what the future holds for him and his stores.”
Before embarking on his laundry business venture, Adams worked as a sales representative for trucking companies, and also owned and managed apartment buildings. He developed an understanding of laundry equipment and operation from the laundry rooms in the buildings he managed, and when a local Laundromat across the street from one of his apartment buildings in Akron, Ohio, went out of business, he saw it as a business opportunity.
Making a late career change and entering a new industry, Adams relied heavily on commercial laundry equipment distributor M&L Equipment Co., Akron. The distributor stepped in to share its expertise to help Adams get his business started. It also provided professional design services to determine the best store layout and educated Adams on the equipment technology to improve customer experience and increase profitability.
After three years of running a lucrative store, Adams decided to open a second in Akron. He was able to open two additional stores in 2015: one in Canton, Ohio, and a third Akron store.
“I have learned a lot about the industry over the past nine years, and I owe a lot to M&L Equipment Co.,” Adams says. “From determining the right equipment mix to the best layout of my store, their insight and recommendations were instrumental to my successful start in the laundry industry.”
All four Jennifer Haley’s Coin Laundromats, which are named after Adams’ teenage daughter, have the same look and feel, incorporating an Ohio State University Buckeye color paint job.
In addition to a consistent and welcoming atmosphere, Adams also added ancillary services and special amenities—free Wi-Fi, vending machines and air conditioning are among them—to help his businesses stand out from competitors. His larger store in Canton even offers a pool table for customers.
Adams attracts other business by offering large-capacity washers and dryers that customers use to clean specialty loads, such as comforters and rugs they cannot wash at home.
“As a Laundromat owner, I learn something new every day and because of that, I get smarter every day,” he says. “I like being my own boss, and the flexible schedule that goes hand-in-hand with running a Laundromat. I’m 59 years old but can see myself doing this for many more years to come, because I enjoy what I do and I am dedicated to making my business successful.”
Each quarter, Huebsch recognizes a store owner who has “excelled in entrepreneurism, technology adoption, innovation, and superior customer and community service,” the manufacturer says.
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