Demographics are why they chose to expand at 1875 S. Erie Blvd. in Hamilton, said Paula Leighton.
“It’s the type of community laundry mats do well in,” she said. “More rentals and things like that. Definitely demographics.”
The Leightons opened their second Middletown location in 2008, and then a decade later opened a Fairfield location in 2019.
The Laundry Spot will open in a vacant building that once housed two businesses, Cashmax and Liberty Tax, and a Hollywood Video store before that. This building checked all the boxes, from parking and accessibility to size and location.
“It was an available building that fit the size, and we actually expanded (the plans) by another third because we’re doing some exciting stuff,” said Leighton of the 9,000-square-foot building next door to Dunkin’ Donuts.
With it being close to downtown, she said they are “close to where things are happening. It really was the perfect location.”
The Laundry Spot is also “yesteryear’s laundromat” as its automated and computerized.
“If a customer has an issue, I can literally get into a machine’s mechanics from my cellphone,” she said. “Did they really put the money in, is there a mechanical error, is there something else?”
There are 60 washers and 66 driers, but in addition to the self-service, the business also has a drop-off service and commercial pickup and delivery for businesses.
Additionally, they use a green product called Ozone, which can clean deeper as well as deodorizes and sanitizes laundry, and a special Laundry Spot card that can earn patrons perks.
To celebrate its opening, The Laundry Spot will have two free weekends of laundry for Saturday and Sunday and then again on Nov. 5 and 6.
“It’s tough right now, with inflation, a lot of people that are renters are really strapped, so this is a way they can see what we have to offer and realize that they can afford to go to a nice place.”
Leighton said they’re focused on getting the Hamilton location open, but said “the sky’s the limit” when it comes to the future, and if they’ll be expanding or relocating any current location, or opening more locations.
“It’s an exciting business,” she said. It’s definitely changed over the years.”
FREE WEEKENDS
The Laundry Spot will offer free self-service washing and drying for the first two weekends it’s open at the new Hamilton location, 1875 S. Dixie Blvd.
The store is open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the free weekend self-service this Saturday and Sunday and on Nov. 5 and 6.
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