LOS ANGELES — After many years as a successful residential property manager, Denise Morton decided it was time for a change and entered into the vended laundry business.
Her decision was not a hasty one; it was informed by knowledgeable acquaintances and backed by many months of research and time spent searching for the right property.
Eventually, Morton found the perfect situation for her after a few false starts: an outdated laundromat in a highly visible location in a densely packed neighborhood. The clincher was that she formed an immediate connection to the former owner which not only favored her sale offer, it eased her transition into the business.
Morton acquired The Laundry Room, a 3,200-square-foot Culver City, Calif., laundromat, in January 2020. She immediately put an extensive remodeling plan into action, working with laundry specialist Michael Ambrose of Dexter distributor Western State Design. This plan involved upgrading the laundromat in stages so she could keep it open for business, thus retaining her customer base and maintaining cash flow.
Unfortunately, Morton’s careful plan was thrown into disarray when COVID-19 struck Southern California. The good news was that since laundromats had been decreed “essential” businesses, she could keep her doors open even during lockdown. The bad news was that customer traffic tailed off as people minimized their time spent in public. That forced Morton to pause construction.
As the virus-related business disruption continued for months on end, she says she was tempted, at times, to hand the keys over to her landlord and simply walk away from her new venture.
While there were overarching business challenges related to the pandemic that threatened to jeopardize her new business, other issues created headaches for Morton.
The laundromat’s hot water heater stopped working the day after she took ownership. Rather than take a less-expensive “Band-Aid” repair approach, she invested in a state-of-the-art system consisting of four tankless water heaters.
Besides this, Morton called the national coin shortage a “nightmare.” At times, she couldn’t go more than four or five days (instead of the usual six to seven) without having to replenish her change machine.
But she stuck it out, thanks in part to her landlord’s understanding and support. Now, after more than a year since she acquired her new business, she says she sees light at the end of the tunnel and has finally celebrated her grand opening.
The renovation and retooling is complete—for now. She believes her laundromat has a fantastic look, and business is growing as new customers take notice. In addition to being impressed by the surroundings, brand-new Dexter Laundry equipment, and the store’s customer service efforts, local customers are pleased to support a minority- and woman-owned neighborhood business.
Check back Wednesday for the conclusion!
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Bruce Beggs at [email protected].