Michael Williams pursued the laundry business to make a difference. “I wanted to figure out how to serve people and take care of my family at the same time,” he said. New to the industry, he trained under Jim Whitmore’s mentorship. Whitmore, a veteran laundry operator and former Coin Laundry Association (CLA) board chair, opened Williams’s eyes to the connection between laundry, LaundryCares and kids’ literacy.
Profitable in Five Months
The rest is history. In 2024, Williams opened Laundry+, a 1,950-square-foot high-speed laundry, in Malden, Mass. The store – with its mix of GS-Series Washers and ExpressDry+ reversing dryers – broke even in just five months.
Transforming a Former Laundry
With help from Daniels Equipment Co., in Auburn, N.H., Williams leased the space occupied by a dilapidated laundry, gutted it and opened the doors in five months. “I wanted to manage it from my phone and still give people a great experience,” said Williams, a full-time carpenter.
Just 15 minutes from Boston, the laundry’s location is ideal in Malden. It’s densely populated, situated on a main thoroughfare, has 43 parking spaces and sits near 1,200 government-subsidized duplexes. “There are 83 spoken languages in Malden,” said Williams, “and six competitive laundries within a 7- minute driving radius.”
But Laundry+ stands apart. “Our GS-Series Washers target large families and small commercial operators who can blast through laundry in an hour,” added Williams. While parents do laundry, kids enjoy the store’s Read, Play & Learn space.
Investing in Literacy
Available through LaundryCares – a nonprofit dedicated to enriching communities through programs that address the unmet needs of laundry customers – Read Play & Learn spaces foster early literacy and provide families with books, educational activities and resources while they wait for their laundry.
Kids are encouraged to choose free books to bring home, according to Williams. “We have the largest Read Play & Learn that we can because it’s a big priority for us,” he said.
Technology Drives Efficiency
Equipped for efficiency and the ultimate customer experience, Laundry+ utilizes GS-Series Washers with the Genius Touchscreen Control in 80-, 60-, 45- and 23-pound capacities, as well as ExpressDry+ Dryers in 75-pound capacity single-pocket models and 45-pound capacity dual-pocket stacks.
“Water and gas are unbelievably expensive here so high speed machines and reversing dryers are a must,” said Williams. “I wanted to invest in equipment that decreased utility costs.” A San-O3-Wash ozone system, which enhances wash quality using mostly cool water, further reduces water heating costs while improving the customer experience.
High Extract Speeds Shorten Laundry Time
The GS-Series Washers achieve sustained extract speeds of 450 G-force, which pulls more moisture from laundry loads, reducing drying time and natural gas consumption. The 10-inch Genius Touchscreen displays multiple languages and lets customers select from several wash options and “extra” add-ons. Finally, a Corner Status Light illuminates cycle status in different colors – immediately letting customers know when machines are available and wash cycles are complete.
Technology Enhances the Customer Experience
“I analyzed the competition and there were other machines with high extract speeds, but the user experience and interface is superior on the GS-Series Washers,” said Williams. The touchscreen also functions as an in-laundry display that can advertise promotions and services.
From the touchscreen, customers choose from eight wash options: Very Dirty, Dirty, Normal, Delicate, Colors, Whites, Drum Wash & Spin. Next, they select from four “extras,” including Extra Ozone Rinse, Extra Wash, Extra Spin and Extra Rinse. Each “extra” raises overall vend price – boosting revenue. All told, 10% of customers choose Extra Ozone Rinse and 15% to 20% select either an Extra Wash, Extra Rinse or Extra Spin.
“This strengthens profits and enhances the customer experience,” said Williams.
A Card Concepts Inc. Fascard payment system with F3 Card Reader adds to customer convenience, while simultaneously allowing remote management of the laundry. Customers can add value to their loyalty card with cash or credit/debit cards or pay directly at the machine with credit/debit, tap-to-pay and smartphone pay.
Williams also uses the Sapphire laundry management system to monitor data, including turns/revenue per day, total store revenue and machine alarms.
Other store technology includes surveillance and alarm systems. Embracing a self-service model, the store automatically opens at 5 a.m., closes at 11 p.m. and is thoroughly cleaned after hours.
Community Enrichment
Throughout the course of two years, Williams has invested in customers in multiple ways, including free books through the Read Play & Learn space, free laundry cards and free laundry days. “I hosted a free laundry day in April to let my customers know they are so appreciated,” he said. “We served 45 families that day with very light advertising.” On other occasions, he’s distributed free laundry cards through the public school system.
On Wednesday, July 29, Laundry+ will sponsored another Free Laundry Day, this one backed by LaundryCares volunteers. During the event, librarians read to kids and distributed free books, food trucks provided free food and volunteers assisted customers with laundry.
“Catching people off-guard with kindness is really rewarding,” Williams said. “As a store owner it’s not that big of a deal to do a free laundry day. I’d rather advertise by word of mouth and improve lives along the way.”
Looking back, Williams reports it’s been a great two years. “I was hoping to break even in nine months but did it in five and we are still doing great,” he said. “I think this is a testament to the effort put in and the customer service we’re trying to achieve.”
But his focus on a purely self-service model has shifted. Recently, he acquired two 30-year-old laundries that “do full-service wash/dry/fold and pick-up and delivery very well,” according to Williams. “The self-serve side is a great gig, but I’m never going to have the same insight into community as I would if I was there every day,” he said.
To Williams, the full-service side creates more opportunities to help the community with unmet laundry needs. It’s yet another way to serve…
And while the new laundries have older machines, Williams has a plan. “I wish the stores had GS-Series equipment,” he said. “We’ll retool these as soon as we can make it work and add ozone and reversing dryers. Modern equipment with the best energy savings that elevates the customer experience is always the answer.”