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Setting Up a Laundry Center that’s Superior

Service-focused store born from ‘warehouse with empty walls’

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — A number of vended laundry projects are completed around the country each year, resulting in brand-new or rejuvenated stores primed and ready to serve customers.

As a way to celebrate the hard work that goes into designing, building and equipping a modern self-service laundry, American Coin-Op created this Portraits of Success feature to recognize memorable projects of recent vintage.

And so equipment manufacturers were invited to tout their brand’s latest and greatest vended laundry projects, like this one:

Superior Laundry Center is the newest store operated by Superior Laundry Equipment, a commercial and industrial laundry equipment sales and service company. It opened in November 2021.

Led by President Michael Gekelman, Superior Laundry Center is a 6,000-square-foot attended facility divided between 4,000 square feet of laundry space and 2,000 square feet of free parking for customers. It’s open seven days a week and offers self-service, same-day wash/dry/fold, dry cleaning, and leather, suede and fur cleaning.

The new construction build originated as just a “warehouse with empty walls,” according to Gekelman. Superior Laundry Equipment found the space, ran a demographics report, created a pro forma and negotiated a long-term lease. Additionally, it assisted with financing; hired an architect, engineer and interior designer; prepared the store’s layout and design; and recommended a general contractor to build the store.

Superior Laundry Equipment Co. was in charge of the entire project, and the new store was completed in eight months at a cost of $1.2 million.

Superior bought and installed the newest line of Maytag Commercial Laundry multi-load washers and ADC dryers to provide consumers everything they would need when washing and drying their personal items. In total, there are 53 washers (19 20-pounders, 16 30-pounders, seven 40-pounders, seven 55-pounders and four 65-pounders) and 56 dryer pockets (20 30-pound stacks and eight 45-pound stacks)

Among the other equipment and fixtures in use at Superior Laundry Center are a Laundroworks card system, Arbelsoft POS system, CAS scale, Triad bill breaker, Vend-Rite soap vending machine, Federal soda/snack vending machine, R&B Wire anti-bacterial laundry carts, Navien water heater, Knight chemical dispensing and Sol-O-Matic tables.

Gekelman says the store’s technology allows registered customers to find available machines and check on load status. Several different cycles available on the washers enables customers to select what washing option works best for them based on their needs and budget.

In marking its first anniversary last month, Superior Laundry Center took pride in its safe, clean and friendly environment for employees and customers. Additionally, the innovative and intricate store design attracts customers from different neighborhoods to visit and discover what the business has to offer.

Superior Laundry Equipment and Maytag Commercial Laundry have worked together for more than 20 years, and Maytag recently recognized Superior with a Vended Excellence Award for North America.

Watch for more Portraits of Success articles coming later this month!

Setting Up a Laundry Center that’s Superior

Birthed from a “warehouse with empty walls,” Superior Laundry Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., offers a safe, clean and friendly environment for its customers and employees, owners say. (Photos: Maytag® Commercial Laundry)

Setting Up a Laundry Center that’s Superior

Superior Laundry Center’s innovative and intricate store design attracts customers from other neighborhoods to visit and learn what the business has to offer.

Setting Up a Laundry Center that’s Superior

Superior Laundry Center’s innovative and intricate store design attracts customers from other neighborhoods to visit and learn what the business has to offer.

Setting Up a Laundry Center that’s Superior

And for those customers lucky enough to grab them, there are some covered parking spots up front.

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