PEMBROKE, Mass. — A person I know took over a Laundromat and asked me to look at it.
It was one of those ratty-looking facilities, with 20 machines crammed into a 1,200-square-foot space, with pipes running along the ceiling, and a torn-up linoleum floor. If a movie needed a seedy Laundromat for a scene, this place was perfect.
The new owner actually obtained it as a payoff for gambling debts, so it wasn’t a carefully thought-out purchase. Even though it didn’t constitute his livelihood, he still wanted to make money out of it.
When I suggested he do a cheap makeover, he balked.
“Why in the world would I spend good money on this dump?” were his exact words. “The customers are used to it. They do their laundry every week, and leave.”
So, my job was two-fold. First, I had to convince him that spending some money on a makeover would be beneficial to the bottom line. Second, I had to suggest how much to spend and where the cash should be spent.
I argued that a new owner would not be proud of such a dumpy establishment. This did not move him. Then I suggested that a clean, well-lit establishment created a more pleasant experience for customers, so that when there was a problem, they would not simply go somewhere else. This moved him a bit.
Finally, I offered that a clean, bright Laundromat would create in customers’ mind the perception that their clothes were coming out cleaner.
With such a perception, they would talk up the place when someone asked where the best Laundromat is. That sold him.
“So how much do I spend?” he asked. A real makeover would go maybe $30,000 to $50,000, but you’re going to do a low-key, cheap makeover.
Such a cosmetic project wouldn’t last forever, but it might be good for five years. I suggested that the makeover budget would not exceed $5,000.
He then asked how he should spend the $5,000. Here are some of my suggestions:
TABLES AND DOORS
Resurface the tables; the three tables need to be resurfaced. A new wood top would do it, at a cost of a few hundred dollars.
Purchase a new door, and replace the old, creaky, hard-to-open door.
The front entrance should be easy, convenient, inviting. Spend for a high-quality, solid door, making sure it is easy to use for everyone—even old and frail customers. You might spend several hundred dollars here, but it is a worthwhile investment.
A LITTLE PANACHE
Put in a few artsy touches. They give a facility a little panache.
For instance, decoupage one 10-by-5-foot, floor-to-ceiling section of a wall with artful fashion pages. Go through magazines, cutting out ads that appeal.
Arrange them in a creative fashion, employing cutouts, angled ads, etc. Put ads on the wall and apply with wallpaper paste. Voila—you have a creative centerpiece.
If you don’t have any artistic ability, you might hire an art student to do the project. Maybe $300 will be spent here.
WORKSPACES AND MOTIF
Create an additional working surface. On the bank of washing machines grouped in the center, lay on a heavy board.
Customers can use the top to fold their clothes. Paint a purple trim around the board’s edges.
In fact, create a motif of purple trim throughout the store. Painting the window casements, front and rear door trim, and wall floorboards the same color will unify the store. This might cost $200 to $300.
AN ARRESTING FRONT
Change the front. The current front of the store is an empty window. It gives the place a barren, impermanent look.
With an arresting front, a passerby will turn and look at your display. The recognition that this place is a Laundromat—and an artsy one at that—will be immediate.
Possibly a life-sized mannequin standing in the front window would do the trick. Dress the mannequin in sharp clothes. Give him or her a jaunty hat.
Provide a sign saying, “If you want to look good, come in here and clean your clothes.” Or, don’t dress the mannequin at all. The sign will say, “If you don’t want to feel naked, clean your clothes here.”
Another possibility is to have an old-fashioned washer in front, with the double roller attachment to dry the garments. The accompanying sign will say, “It’s fine to be old-fashioned, but it doesn’t get your clothes as clean as we can.”
I am waiting to see what my acquaintance will do.
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