RIPON, Wis. — Commercial laundry equipment manufacturer Huebsch has named Scott Abraham the latest recipient of its Store Owner of the Quarter Award, for his two successful Laundromats, Northside Coin Laundry and Saginaw Laundry Center, located in the greater Dallas area.
“In just five years, Scott has developed a deep understanding of the laundry business and the nuances it can bring,” says Kathryn Rowen, North American sales manager for Huebsch. “We are lucky to have been a part of the rapid growth of his business, becoming a multi-store owner in such a short span of time, and we are excited to work with Scott as he continues to renovate and expand his stores.”
When Abraham’s position with a telephone company was suddenly terminated after 24 years, he contemplated his next career move. He reflected on memories of having repaired telephones at a Laundromat, a business that had always intrigued him.
His fascination led Abraham to open his first store, Northside Coin Laundry, in Fort Worth, Texas. He quickly learned the ins and outs of the business by shadowing the previous owner and becoming familiar with the industry. Just two years later, Abraham purchased his second location, Saginaw Laundry Center, located in Saginaw, Texas.
While both are lucrative businesses, Abraham’s stores cater to very different types of customers, Huebsch says. Northside Coin Laundry serves mostly regular returning customers, many of whom speak Spanish. Saginaw caters to customers who use the large-capacity machines for special loads like bedding and curtains.
Operating these two distinct Laundromats was made simple with the technology that his store’s equipment has provided, according to Huebsch. At his Northside location, Abraham takes advantage of the multilingual instruction overlays on his machines. Galaxy™ controls on his machines at the Saginaw location have allowed him to monitor the store’s weekly performance and adjust machine pricing for large-capacity machines, which has increased revenue.
With the help of Arthur Wechsler at Ed Brown Distributors and Joe Purbaugh, regional sales manager for Huebsch, Abraham learned that while the stores’ demographics and buildings may be different, the science behind operating a successful Laundromat is the same.
“Joe and Arthur have been very supportive as I started out in the laundry business,” Abraham says. “They knew how to analyze the demographics in my area, and I relied on them for advice in the purchasing and planning processes of my Laundromats. From expanding to my second Laundromat to the day-to-day operation, their support has been instrumental to the success of my business.”
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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