CHICAGO — Coin laundry store owners and operators from the South saw sales heat up for the beginning of the summer season, collectively posting a 9.5% increase in June year-over-year sales, according to results of this month’s American Coin-Op StatShot survey.
Operators from the West also saw a boost in June year-over-year sales, up an average of 4.6%, while Northeast operators posted a 1.7% average increase.
Midwest operators reported no changes in their June year-over-year sales, on average.
Southern operators also led the pack with year-over-year second-quarter 2015 sales results, up an average of 8.2%.
Operators from the West and Northeast posted similar year-over-year second-quarter 2015 sales, up 3.8% and 2.6%, respectively, while operators in the Midwest posted only a slight bump, up 0.5% for the quarter.
Despite their sales gains, operators in the South say they’re still plagued by seasonal challenges that affect the coin laundry industry.
One operator from the region says his/her greatest challenge is “dealing with customers’ holidays and long weekends.”
“Summer months [are] slower,” says another from the South.
One operator from the Northeast says he/she is challenged by the “utilities increase for the summer season,” while operators in the West count equipment maintenance and repairs as their current obstacles when it comes to operating a coin laundry business.
While one Midwest operator also echoes the same woes regarding increased utilities, another explains that the weather in the region has had an impact on his/her laundry business.
“Rain has kept my customers [at] home,” the operator says.
The unscientific StatShot survey includes information on sales, wages, costs or other financial data based on survey information provided anonymously by vended laundry store owners.
American Coin-Op audience members are invited via e-mail to participate in the surveys, which are conducted online. All self-service laundry owners/operators are encouraged to participate, as a greater number of responses will help to better define industry trends.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Bruce Beggs at [email protected].