The Business of Laundry: Models That Work

In today’s laundromat industry, one truth holds across every market, model and mission: success requires more than just machines. Today’s operators must choose business models strategically, execute consistently, and lead with intention. Some lean into simple,...

Green is Good Business 

Green Operations Increasingly Important to Feed Consumer Demand  When Green Laundry Lounge co-owners Pulin and Krishna Dasai got into the vended laundry industry, they wanted to change a narrative: laundromats are water and energy-intensive businesses.   “The...

Metrics That Matter 

Profit, Performance, and Planning in Vended Laundry  The laundromat business is like most businesses in that you need to do a lot of things right to be successful. But how do you know if it’s working? According to successful owners, you just need to look at the...

Safety First, Last… Always

The Laundromat Owner’s Guide to Preventing Accidents, Protecting Your Business, and Controlling Your Insurance Costs As more and more entrepreneurs are discovering, running a laundromat can be a hugely rewarding business. But it also comes with its own set of risks...

PlanetLaundry Podcast

America’s #1 Resource for Vended Laundry News & Info

PlanetLaundry is the official publication of CLA and is trusted by thousands of laundry professionals to deliver the latest news and industry-specific topics.

What to Know Before You Sign on the Dotted Line

Originally posted - Jan 30, 2013 From our experience in brokering existing laundries and developing new ones, it is clear that now, more than ever, a building lease can determine the success or failure of a store. Over the last four years, we have had many store...

If You’re Not Looking at Your Business, Nobody Is!

Originally posted - Mar 14, 2013 I have a tremendous amount of respect for the small-business owner. As someone who has played on both sides of the fence, i.e. corporate executive and independent business owner, I have come to understand how small-business owners do...

The Importance of an Employee Handbook

Originally posted - Aug issue/2012 Every business – and a self-service laundry is no exception – requires an employee handbook. After all, you've likely spent (or plan to spend) hundreds of thousands of dollars purchasing and/or building a new laundromat. So why in...

Headlines

Drought: Dry Times in the Golden State

Clearly, water is the lifeblood of any laundromat operation. And that's why laundry owners in California are getting nervous. The state is experiencing its fourth consecutive year of drought conditions – with last year's rainfall totaling just nine inches, which is...

Minimum Wage: Cities Increasingly Joining the Conversation

The minimum wage is getting maximum coverage these days. On the presidential campaign trail, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has pressed fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton to endorse the $15 minimum wage. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo created the Fast Food Wage Board this...

Continental Girbau Hosts 20th Anniversary Celebration

Continental Girbau, Inc. recently held a two-day celebration marking its 20th year in business. Formed in 1995 as Girbau S.A.'s North American subsidiary, Continental has grown to become an industry-leading provider of on-premise, vended and industrial laundry...

WASH Laundry Names New District Sales Manager

Trini Valenzuela to Oversee the San Diego Market WASH Multifamily Laundry Systems has announced that Trini Valenzuela has relocated to San Diego as a district sales manager for the region. In his new role, Valenzuela will contribute his expertise from a 22-year career...

New Dates Announced for Clean 2017

Laundry Industry's Trade Show and Convention Now Slated for June 5-8, 2017, in Las Vegas Riddle & Associates, the show management company for the Clean Show, has secured new, earlier dates for Clean 2017. The show will be held June 5-8, 2017 at the Las Vegas...

‘Good Enough’ Just Isn’t

When It Comes to Managing Your Laundry Business, Success Is In the Details If I had a dollar for every time I've heard a laundry owner say, "Heck, that's good enough," when referring to some specific aspect of his or her laundry business – rather than working just a...

Wash with Wally: Dress Shirts, Wedding Gowns and More…

We recently washed and dried a load of white dress shirts. When these shirts came out of the washer, they were bright white. However, after drying them, they had all turned yellow. We have never had this problem before. We have previously experienced yellow spots on...

Business Bio: Lafayette Laundry

Kelly Corbett and Pat Cunningham Lafayette Laundry Detroit, MI Before Getting into the Laundry Business… Kelly was a nurse, and Pat worked as an underwriter for Blue Cross Blue Shield. Store Opening August 17, 2013 Business Hours 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily Staff One...

Against the Grain

Running a Self-Service Laundry in Rural America Rural laundromat. At first glance, it's almost an oxymoron. Just like "jumbo shrimp," "deafening silence," "virtual reality" and "random order," the term "rural" simply should not be used to describe a self-service...

Centers of Attention

An Interview with International Council of Shopping Centers Spokespeople Jesse Tron and Noelle Malone Founded in 1957, the International Council of Shopping Centers is the premier global trade association of the shopping center industry. Its more than 70,000 members...

Centers of Attention

An Interview with International Council of Shopping Centers Spokespeople Jesse Tron and Noelle Malone Founded in 1957, the International Council of Shopping Centers is the premier global trade association of the shopping center industry. Its more than 70,000 members...

Into the Mix

To Co-Mingle Wash-Dry-Fold Loads or Not? With Today's Larger Equipment, That Question Very Likely is Moot The key to a successful wash-dry-fold service is doing a better job than your customers can do for themselves. And, in past columns, we've discussed various ways...

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September Magazine Issue

This Month's Issue

 

  • Tech on the Rise: How Operators Are Using Innovation to Run Smarter, Faster Laundromats: From AI phone systems to real-time data tracking, operators and suppliers share how technology is reshaping the modern laundry business and what’s coming next.
  • Business Profile: Delivering a Superior
    Laundry Experience
  • Member Spotlight: Rick Rome –
    Innovating Laundry, One Customer at a Time
  • Guest Column: How AI Changed Google Reviews (What Laundromat Owners Need to Know)
  • And More…

THE LATEST ON LAUNDROMATS

Industry News

Western State Design Announces Fall Service School Lineup

Western State Design will host three service schools for vended laundry operators this fall. The training sessions – which will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. – will be conducted by Dexter Laundry factory representatives and WSD staff members.The schedule is as...

Washlava Wins Electrolux Future of Laundry Challenge in China

Washlava, a mobile technology company based in Tampa, has announced that its patent-pending technology recently won first place in the Electrolux Future of Laundry Challenge in China. Electrolux - headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden - asked companies to submit their...

CG West to Host Vended Laundry Service Seminar

Continental Girbau West will hold a vended laundry service school on November 7 at the company's headquarters in Santa Fe Springs, Calif. This free educational session, which is open to vended laundry owners and maintenance personnel, also will offer a one-day parts...

Business Publication Honors R&B Wire Products

The Orange County Business Journal recently presented R&B Wire Products with the publication's Family-Owned Business Award for companies with 31 to 100 employees. "It's a huge honor to be receiving this award on behalf of my family - specifically my father, Rick,...

Washlava Launches Cashless Laundromat in New York City

Washlava, a mobile technology startup that enables laundry customers to reserve and pay for machines from their smartphones, has opened its second cashless, exclusively app-enabled laundromat - this time in New York's Astoria neighborhood. "We have seen truly...

FROM YOUR FAVORITE INDUSTRY EXPERTS

Columns

The Laundry Doctor

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The Business Mind

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Wash With Wally

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Viewpoint

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Digital Marketing

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Strategic Corporate Allies Program

Our Strategic Corporate Allies support CLA’s mission through advocacy, education, and innovation to strengthen the industry, advance our members’ businesses, and prepare the next generation of laundry professionals for the future.

Interested in becoming a Strategic Corporate Ally of CLA? Contact President & CEO, Brian Wallace via email at [email protected] or call (630) 491-0499.