Planet Laundry Nov 2020

The Heroes Among Us

Saluting Just a Few of the Many Military Veterans Who Continue to Serve… Now as Part of the Laundry Industry

• Laundry 101: Working with a Broker to Buy or Sell Your Next Laundromat

• Coping with COVID-19: Three Store Owners Who Have Adapted – And Continue to Thrive – During the Coronavirus Pandemic

• Summit 2020: Literacy-Rich Spaces in Everyday Places

$3.00 November 2020 planetlaundry.com / coinlaundry.org

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Contents

NOVEMBER 2020 • VOL. 31 NO. 11

FEATURES 12 Coping with COVID-19 Weathering the Storm Three Laundromat Owners Who Have Adapted – And Continue to Thrive – During the Coronavirus Pandemic 14 Laundry 101 Go for ‘Broker’ Working with a Broker to Buy or Sell Your Next Laundromat By Bob Nieman 18 Cover Story The Heroes Among Us Saluting Just a Few of the Many Military Veterans Who Continue to Serve…Now as Part of the Laundry Industry Edited by Bob Nieman

COVER STORY PAGE 18

COLUMNS 02 Viewpoint Giving Thanks for 2020 By Brian Wallace 05 Laundries Connecting Communities Literacy-Rich Spaces in Everyday Places The LaundryCares Foundation, Too Small to Fail Host 3rd Annual LaundryCares Literacy Summit By Bob Nieman 10 Be Thankful CLA Celebrates a ‘Month of Thanks’ 40 Wash with Wally PlanetLaundry’s Industry Expert Answers Your Stain Removal and Garment Care Questions By Wally Makowsky

DEPARTMENTS 04 Laundry Business 08 Industry Advocacy 24 Association Update 25 Laundry Equipment & Services Directory CLA Manufacturer Members 26 Laundry Equipment & Services Directory CLA Distributor Members 31 PlanetLaundry Marketplace 39 Advertisers Index

WASHWITHWALLY PAGE 40

Publisher: Coin Laundry Association Editorial & Advertising Office 1S660 Midwest Rd., Suite 205 OakbrookTerrace, IL 60181 Tel: (630)953-7920•Fax: (630)953-7925 www.coinlaundry.org | www.planetlaundry.com Director of Editorial & Content Development: Bob Nieman , bob@planetlaundry.com Graphic Design Manager: Jennifer Gabris, jennifer@planetlaundry.com Advertising Sales & Business Manager for PlanetLaundry Magazine: NikaThomas, sales@planetlaundry.com

The articles appearing in PlanetLaundry are submitted and written by authors and are not necessarily the official views of CLA.These articles are intended as information and items of interest to our readers. For assistance in any business category, please consult a qualified service professional.The publisher has the right to reject or edit any manuscripts received for publication. The Coin Laundry Association reserves the right to reject any advertisement for any reason at any time, whether or not such advertisement was previously acknowledged, accepted or published. Advertiser/agency shall not submit advertising to CLA that contains derogatory and/or comparative content about the advertiser’s competitors, or about any competitor’s organization or products.

PlanetLaundry (ISSN: 2159-6379) is published monthly by the Coin Laundry Association, at 1S660 Midwest Rd., Suite 205, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181. Phone (630) 953-7920. Periodical postage paid at Villa Park, IL and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to PlanetLaundry , 1S660 Midwest Rd., Suite 205, OakbrookTerrace, IL 60181. EDITORIAL OFFICES: 1S660 Midwest Rd., Suite 205, OakbrookTerrace, IL 60181. Phone (630) 953-7920. PlanetLaundry (ISSN: 2159-6379) is published monthly by the Coin Laundry Association, at 1S660 Midwest Rd., Suite 205, OakbrookTerrace, IL 60181. Phone (630) 953-7920. Subscriptions are available without charge to qualified personnel in the coin laundry and drycleaning industry. Subscription rates: United States: Single copy, $ 3; one year, $ 36 Canada/Mexico: $ 40/year.

Coin Laundry Association will not accept advertisements from companies whose products and/or services may be deemed to compete with those offered by Coin Laundry Association including, but not limited to: insurance agencies, trade associations, laundry-focused websites, and companies offering laundry-related educational products and services. Acceptance of advertising by PlanetLaundry does not constitute endorsement of the advertiser or its products or services; nor does PlanetLaundry make any claims or guarantees as to the accuracy

or validity of any advertiser’s claims, statements or offers. For change of address, to subscribe or to advertise, contact PlanetLaundry at the address listed above.

Copyright © 2020 Coin Laundry Association

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VI EWPOINT Brian Wallace

Giving Thanks for 2020

“… enjoy every sandwich .”–Warren Zevon, songwriter/musician

In this disrupted year of natural disaster, global health crisis, economic tumult, social unrest and the quadrennial political cycle – now is the perfect time to give thanks for those things that have kept us going in 2020. Personally, I’m so thankful for the health of my family, the support of close friends, the incredibly resilient staff at the CLA who have never taken better care of our members – and you, the essential laundromat owners who rose to the occasion this year by caring for employees and your customers in the face of the pandemic. This year codified the notion that “Laundromats Are Essential.”We’ve always known this, but it took a global pandemic (and a significant lobbying effort!) to make it an official designation from state capitals to TheWhite House. I think about this label beyond the central threshold issue of staying open during the COVID-19 closures. Our journey toward“essential”enabled me to view all that we have as an industry with a renewed sense of appreciation. We are so fortunate to have the opportunity to serve our neighborhoods with the basic necessity of clean clothes. We are lucky to live in a country full of opportunities for entrepreneurship. We appreciate our laundromat attendants – essential workers all – on the front lines, keeping laundromats clean and

safe. We are blessed to have found the mission of the LaundryCares Foundation and the opportunity to give back to the neighborhoods we serve. We wouldn’t be here if not for the tens of millions of families who visit laundromats each week. And let’s not forget the enterprising manufacturers and suppliers who give us the tools required to get this essential job done. For years, I’ve heard the most successful laundromat owners take time out to thank their distributors for showing them the ropes and being reliable partners in creating the opportunity of laundromat ownership. While the world around us may feel unsteady at times, I find taking a moment to reflect and give thanks for all that we have to be a grounding exercise. From higher powers and the love of our families to full coin boxes and the gentle sound of washers humming, we’ve got a lot to be thankful for this year. So, please join me in thanking all those who have helped us during 2020 – and come the day after Thanksgiving, be sure to enjoy that leftover turkey sandwich like you never have before.

When Zevon uttered these quirky words of gratitude, it wasn’t in a clever lyric from one of his dozens of great songs. Rather, it came in response to a question posed by his friend David Letterman during Zevon’s final appearance on the “Late Show,”after the singer had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Letterman had askedWarren what he understood better now, facing his own mortality, than he did before. He replied simply,“Just howmuch you’re supposed to enjoy every sandwich.” Although this could’ve been just some glib remark casually tossed out by a rock star well-known for his sarcastic wit, it became an iconic reply speaking to the importance of being grateful for both the significant and the mundane in our lives. Gratitude and giving thanks is the theme of this month’s issue, as we hear our CLA staff’s messages of thanks – and enjoy Bob Nieman’s terrific cover story on military veterans in the laundromat business during this month of Veterans Day observances. I know that I’m particularly thankful for these brave souls who have sacrificed to serve all of us – and are now serving laundromat customers with distinction each and every week.

Brian Wallace is the president and CEO of the Coin Laundry Association.

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LAUNDRY BUS INESS

| GNA Partners with Commercial Laundries of West Florida

Laundry pickup-and-delivery service HappyNest has expanded its operation into the greater Boston market. “HappyNest has been growing rapidly along the East Coast, but we have been pretty methodical in our search close to our home base in Rhode Island,” said HappyNest founder John MacKrell. “Beatriz Patzan and Jose Piedra worked for HappyNest in the very beginning – so bringing themback into the foldwill be a real treat. They both understand the business model, the software and the importance of repeating the processes necessary to make this business successful. Having this much experience and a great staff in the laundromat will help them grow very quickly.” Patzan and Piedra have been in the laundry industry for the better part of 15 years and have specialized in the pickup-and- delivery business in the Boston/Rhode Island area for the last six years. In addition, they plan on making it a family affair, as the couple’s two daughters will be assisting with production in the laundromat. “Beatriz and I have dreamed of owning our own business for 20 years and, because of HappyNest, we are living the American dream of business ownership,” Piedra explained. “It’s in the industry we have basically grown up with, so it should be a very comfortable transition.” “Having worked for John, supervising his pickup-and-delivery business, I learned so much about the daily operations that it should be second nature starting this adventure,” Patzan added. “I can’t thank HappyNest enough for the opportunity to own and operate my own business.” | HappyNest Launches New Location in Greater Boston Area Superior Laundry Equipment Co., headquartered in NewYork City, recently named Justin Tucci regional sales manager for the company’s newly acquired territory of southern New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware and select northern counties of Maryland. Tucci boasts more than 10 years of experience in commercial laundry equipment sales, developing new laundry locations and retooling existing stores. His professional background includes serving coin- and card-operated laundries, as well as the on-premises laundry and multi-housing sectors. Among Tucci’s new responsibilities will be supporting the new Maytag multi-load product line. Tucci is based in South Jersey and will work closely with Superior’s home office in Brooklyn to help expand the company’s footprint within the East Coast market. | Superior Laundry Names Regional Sales Manager

Girbau North America has partnered with Commercial Laundries ofWest Florida Inc., a full- service laundry equipment distributor inTampa, Fla. As a result, Commercial Laundries now

provides Continental Girbau vended laundry equipment and Express Laundry Center turnkey stores to customers throughout most of central Florida. “Commercial Laundries is a company with an outstanding reputation in the vended laundry market,” said Ed Ziegler, GNA sales manager – Eastern U.S. “Their team delivers topnotch expertise and service to customers before, during and after every sale.We’re eager to see them represent the Continental and Express Laundry Center brands.” Commercial Laundries provides the complete package to laundromat customers, including assistance with site selection, construction, equipment mix, store layout and design, equipment installation and service, and factory warranties. In addition, factory- trained technicians, located throughout Florida, offer customers timely, expert service, according to owner Mike Albanese. “We believe we stand apart from other distributors because of our outstanding customer service,” Albanese explained. “We provide each client with a level of consistency and longevity that few others in the coin-operated laundry business can offer. We are excited to put Continental to work within our territory.” STATEMENTOFOWNERSHIP,MANAGEMENTANDCIRCULATION 1.TitleofPublication: PlanetLaundry . 2.PublicationNo: 0008-254. 3.DateofFiling: 9/22/2020. 4.Frequencyof Issue: Monthly. 5.No.of IssuesPublishedAnnually: 12. 6.Annualsubscriptionprice: $36.00. 7.CompleteMailingAddressof knownofficeofpublication: 1S660MidwestRd.,Ste.205,OakbrookTerrace, IL60181-9920. 8.CompleteMailingAddressofHeadquartersorGeneralBusinessOffices: 1S660MidwestRd.,Ste.205,OakbrookTerrace, IL 60181-9920. 9.Nameandaddressofpublisher: CoinLaundryAssociation,1S660MidwestRd.,Ste.205,OakbrookTerrace, IL 60181-9920; Editor ,BobNieman,1S660MidwestRd.,Ste.205,OakbrookTerrace, IL60181-9920. 10.Owner: CoinLaundry Association,1S660MidwestRd.,Ste.205,OakbrookTerrace, IL60181-9920. 11.Othersholding1percentormoreoftotal amountofbonds,mortgages,orothersecurities: None. 12.Nonprofitorganizations; HasnotChangedDuringPreceding12 Months. 13.PublicationTitle: PlanetLaundry . 14. IssueDate forCirculationDataBelow: September2020. 15.Extentandnatureofcirculation:.............................12mo.Average . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LatestMonth A. TotalofCopies............................................................................10,190 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9,309 B. Paidand/orRequestedCirculation. 1. Paid/RequestedOutsideCounty................................................7,700 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7,565 2. Paid inCountySubscriptions...........................................................0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0 3. SalesThroughDealersandCarriers ................................................23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 4. OtherClassesMailed throughUSPS.................................................0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0 C. Totalpaidor requested..................................................................7,723 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7,578 D. FreeDistributionbyMail 1. Outside-County.......................................................................1,984 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,404 2. In-County.....................................................................................0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0 3. OtherClasses ................................................................................0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0 4. TotaldistributionOutside theMail.................................................36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0 E. TotalFreeDistribution...................................................................2,020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5,368 F. TotalDistribution..........................................................................9,743 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8,982 G. CopiesNotDistributed.....................................................................447 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .327 H. Total (sumof15gandh) .............................................................10,190 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9,309 I. Percentpaidand/orRequestedCirculation...................................79.03% . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84.37% 17. ThisStatementofOwnershipwasprinted in theNovember2020 issueof thispublication. 18. Icertify that thestatementsmadebymeabovearecorrectandcomplete. BobNieman,Editor

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Bob Nieman

Summit 2020: Literacy-Rich Spaces in Everyday Places

The LaundryCares Foundation, Too Small to Fail Host 3rd Annual LaundryCares Literacy Summit

In mid-September, more than 870 laundromat owners, librarians, educators and philanthropists came together for the 3rd annual LaundryCares Literacy Summit, a three-day virtual event that was spread out over a two-week period. Conducted via Zoom, this year’s Summit – hosted by the Coin Laundry Association’s LaundryCares Foundation and Too Small to Fail, the early childhood initiative of the Clinton Foundation – renewed commitments to promote early learning and create literacy-rich environments in everyday spaces, such as laundromats, for children and their families. In addition, the event focused on exploring the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on early learning, and actions business owners and community leaders can take to support parents and children in under-resourced communities. Kicking off the 2020 event, CLA President and CEO Brian Wallace mused on how far this annual event had come since its launch in 2018. “Basically, the first Summit featured about 30 of us, kicking around ideas and trying to figure out whether this concept had legs,”Wallace recalled. “How do we work together and combine our efforts to connect laundry customers and their kids with the books and literacy materials they need most?” Fast-forward to 2020, this year’s event featured such top-tier speakers as President Bill Clinton; Chelsea Clinton, vice chair, the Clinton Foundation; Patti Miller, CEO, Too Small To Fail; best-selling author Andrea Davis Pinkey; Cindy McCain, the McCain Institute for International Leadership; Dr. Rosemarie Truglio, senior vice president, SesameWorkshop; Dr. Susan Neuman, NewYork University; Ralph Smith, managing director, Campaign for Grade Level Reading; and best-selling children’s author MoWillems. The opening-day program featured a pre-recorded keynote by President Clinton, as well as a conversation between Clinton and

Wes Moore of the Robin Hood Foundation about the power of making a difference in a child’s life. Moore challenged attendees to find ways to show our youth that they truly matter. Also during the first session, Wallace moderated a panel discussion of laundry owners who shared the impactful ways they’re using their businesses to serve local families. The panelists included Brian Holland, Laundry Café, Philadelphia; JimWhitmore, WSI Laundry Corp., Gloucester, Mass.; and Jane Wolfe, WashWorld, New Orleans. All three of these owners have installed LaundryCares’ Family Read, Play & Learn centers in their facilities to help promote early childhood learning. Family Read, Play & Learn spaces, developed by LaundryCares, are playful, literacy-rich areas to help prompt activities like talking, reading, singing and writing among young children and their parents. These spaces include a sofa, a bookshelf

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filled with children’s books, puppets, crayons, an alphabet rug, blocks, magnetic letters and family tip sheets. The second session of the Literacy Summit featured speakers Cindy McCain, Dr. Rosemarie Truglio and Dr. Susan Neuman – and it focused on the importance of helping parents support their children’s learning through routine moments such as laundry time and highlighted new research findings that demonstrate the effectiveness of creating literacy-rich spaces in everyday places. The highlight of this second day were new research findings from a seven-month evaluation conducted by Dr. Neuman. The study evaluated the impact of integrating Family Read, Play & Learn spaces in 10 laundromats across Chicago, compared to 10 laundromats without the spaces – as well as the effects of training outreach librarians from the Chicago Public Library to lead family story times and literacy activities. Some key findings of Neuman’s study were: • Placing Family Read, Play & Learn spaces in laundromats had an overwhelmingly positive effect on children’s literacy- related activity during their visit. • Librarians played a powerful role in both children’s and parents’ engagement in literacy-related activity. • More parents became involved in their children’s literacy- related activities during the librarians’ visits. • Children remained engaged in the literacy-related spaces throughout the study period. The closing session, moderated by Chelsea Clinton, boasted speakers Ralph Smith andMoWillems. In addition, Clinton spoke with Judge Ramona A. Gonzalez of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges about laundromats as a solution to creating a more equitable, caring and compassionate society. Also during the third and final session, the LaundryCares Foundation unveiled a new awards program, which was created to recognize individuals and organizations for outstanding service and exemplary practice in the promotion of early learning through neighborhood laundromats.

The inaugural award winners are: •Outstanding Achievement by a Laundromat Owner: Jane and Scott Wolfe, WashWorld, New Orleans •Outstanding Achievement in Early Literacy Promotion: The Chicago Public Library’s STEAMTeam •Outstanding Achievement in Partnership: The City of Milwaukee and the city’s Office of Early Childhood Initiatives WashWorld laundromat in New Orleans has been the perfect role model for the Foundation’s Family Read, Play & Learn centers and their potential to provide families access to critical literacy resources. “Owner JaneWolfe has been a true force of nature!” said Dan Naumann, executive vice president of the LaundryCares Foundation. “She has taken the LaundryCares concept to a whole new level.” WashWorld installed a Family Read, Play & Learn kit in June 2019 and has built on additional space to house books, as well as to host story times and even visits from prominent children’s book authors. Their partnership with the New Orleans Public Library also is leading theway towardmaking sure every childwho visitsWashWorld gets a leg up on early learning and literacy. The Chicago Public Library and its STEAMTeam have been leaders inpromoting early literacy in laundromats for several years. “Their leadership has paved the way for similar partnerships around the country that improve the lives of thousands of children who enjoy these programs at the local laundromat,”

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SUMMI T 2020

stores, librarians and educators plan to launch laundromat outreach pilot programs, and community leaders will create literacy-rich spaces in everyday spaces using signage and tools to distribute early learning resources to parents and caregivers. By the conclusion of the three-day event, nearly 40 new action plans had been created. And two conference participants who submitted plans were selected to receive free, large-sized Family Read, Play & Learn kits, donated by Lakeshore Learning Materials. “We know that now, even more than ever, it is critical to reach families with resources to support early learning and brain development,”explained Jane Park, director of Too Small to Fail. “The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to exacerbate learning gaps, making it even more challenging for many children to show up to school prepared to learn. Too Small to Fail is proud to partner with the LaundryCares Foundation to convene a diverse coalition of laundromat owners, business leaders, librarians, community leaders and more – all dedicated to increasing access to high-quality spaces and materials to help young children learn and thrive.” “This event demonstrates the potential that neighborhood businesses like ours have to directly impact the communities we serve,”Wallace said. “Laundromat owners are now seeing proof that making literacy-rich spaces and books available at their stores will help children reach their potential. We are excited to scale our Family Read, Play & Learn spaces to hundreds more laundromats across the country as part of our mission to meet families where they are with the resources they need most.” For more information about the LaundryCares Foundation or details on Family Read, Play & Learn spaces, please visit: www.laundrycares.org .

Naumann explained. “This award is well-deserved by everyone associated with the CPL and their innovative outreach efforts.” The CPL’s STEAMTeam is being honored for its creativity and commitment tohigh-quality programming for young children and families. Bringing high-touch family engagement opportunities to laundromat programming across Chicago got parents and caregivers more involved, led to language gains for children – and is now considered a national model for effectiveness. The partnership between the City of Milwaukee and its Office of Early Childhood Initiatives has been nothing short of inspiring. “As a Milwaukee-area resident, I’ve seen first-hand the positive impact our local partners have had by installingmini-library spaces in laundromats,”Naumann said. “This is an ideal model of government and business working together to solve a critical problem.” The unique coming together of city government with the Office of Early Childhood and the Milwaukee Public Library, in partnership with Milwaukee laundromats, not only brought early learning programs into community laundromats, but it also scaled the work into juvenile and family courts and other everyday places. The City of Milwaukee’s Office of Early Childhood Initiatives works collaboratively to ensure that all Milwaukee children, ages 0 to 3 years old, have access to high-quality learning environments and are prepared for academic, social-emotional and lifelong success. What’s Next? With Summit 2020 in the rearviewmirror, the LaundryCares Foundation and Too Small to Fail will go to work testing new approaches and refining strategies to increase“caregiver-child engagement.” With support from theWilliam Penn Foundation, partners will create and test additional literacy-rich elements and experiences for children and families in three Philadelphia laundromats. Results from this study will further inform the organizations’ future efforts to engage families in laundromats. In addition, throughout the Summit, participants were encouraged to submit action plans on how they will take steps to support children and families in laundromats in their communities. Owners pledged to integrate Family Read, Play & Learn spaces in their

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INDUSTRY ADVOCACY Bob Nieman

CLA Survey: Coin Shortage Continues to Plague Laundromats The Coin Laundry Association recently solicited store- owner input on the current coin shortage, in an effort to gauge the size and scope of its impact on the industry. Among those who responded to the association’s survey, 65 percent of the laundry operators admitted to observing a disruption in the supply of either quarters or dollar coins at their stores during the summer, “as evidenced by either a reduction in the normal supply of coins in the store and/or trouble accessing the desired supply of coins from their local bank.” And the situation doesn’t seem to be abating very quickly. In fact, 50 percent of respondents reported observing no improvement in the supply of coins at their laundromats in recent weeks, while 45 percent of owners said they’re still finding it difficult to access coins at their local banks. The CLA has been addressing the coin shortage in three ways. “We’re trying to educate our members as to the status of this disruption in the coin supply, including having just conducted our store-owner survey to elicit feedback from the field,”explained CLA President and CEO BrianWallace. “We’re also in direct and constant contact with the U.S. Coin Task Force, which was established by the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Mint to identify, implement and promote actions to reduce the consequence and duration of COVID-19-related disruptions to normal coin circulation. We’re advocating on the industry’s behalf and providing feedback to the task force on the impact the shortage has had on the laundromat business.” Moreover, the CLA has conducted an all-out media relations blitz to help educate the public in regard to this unique situation and its impact on the industry. In fact, Wallace has been interviewed by dozens of various media outlets, including the Los Angeles Times, theWashington Post, Slate, NBC San Diego, Fox Business, Newsday, Connecticut Public Radio and several others. Although coins remain scarce, there is a bit of good news. According to the recent CLA survey, 26 percent of those responding said they have seen an improvement in the supply of coins at their laundromats in recent weeks.

Lawmakers Introduce Coin Composition Legislation

U.S. Senators Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) have introduced bipartisan legislation to allow the U.S. Mint to adjust the metal content of circulating coins in an effort to save taxpayer dollars. The Mint estimates that, by adjusting the metal content of coins, the federal government could save between $10 million and $17 million a year. “By tweaking the metal composition of our coins, the U.S. Mint could, in the short term, create more coins amid a temporary shortage and, in the long term, save millions of dollars every year without any significant changes to the coins’weight or appearance,”Sen. Hassan said. The bipartisan Coin Metal Modification Authorization and Cost Savings Act of 2020 authorizes the U.S. Mint tomodify the metallic composition of circulating coins if that modification would reduce costs incurred by taxpayers and have minimal impact on the public. Congress and the Mint have reviewed coin composition a number of times over the years, based on the fact that the production cost of some coins – including the cost of the raw materials – exceeds the face value of the particular denominations of those coins. “There have been various legislative efforts to fix that issue,” explained Coin Laundry Association President and CEO Brian Wallace. “Of course, whenever the topic of coin composition arises, our concern zeroes in on the quarter.What if there were changes made to the quarter that made it difficult to accept the new coins in current coin drops and coin slides? Or what if there were potentially two versions of quarters in circulation simultaneously with varying weight, diameter and/or electromagnetic signatures? This would be a big problem.” In the past, the CLA has submitted comments opposing such legislation through the Federal Register, with regard to the prohibitive cost of potentially hundreds of millions of dollars that it would require to replace every coin drop and coin slide in the laundromat industry. In addition, the fact that the quarter’s production cost remains at about 9 cents per coin, versus its 25-cent face value, emphasizes that the quarter is not the problem. However, with renewed interest in this issue on Capitol Hill, Wallace has been in contact with the legislative staffs for both Sen. Hassan and Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.), who has

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INDUSTRY ADVOCACY

sponsored similar legislation in the House, expressing the laundromat industry’s concerns over these types of changes. The CLA, along with a number of vending industry associations, also has reached out to its contacts at the U.S. Mint. The result of these discussions appears to be a re-draft of the bill, which features amended the language, authorizing the Mint to indeed consider new coin metal compositions. However, the revised legislation would require that there be industry stakeholder engagement and that any composition changes be“seamless,”meaning that the resulting coins would be accepted in the majority of existing coin mechanisms and would not result in a major financial impact on small businesses that rely on coins. “There doesn’t appear to be an imminent threat to the quarter,”Wallace noted. “The CLA has been talking directly with the offices of the cosponsors of the legislation, and we are working with other trade groups that also are invested in making sure any changes to coins aren’t disruptive to our respective industries. “The language of the bill has been amended in such a way that we are comfortable with it and in a position to support it.” The Coin Metal Modification Authorization and Cost Savings Act is likely to be considered during the current Congressional session. CLA Opposes FTC Recommendation on Garment Care Labels The Coin Laundry Association recently submitted comments in opposition to the Federal Trade Commission’s recommendation to repeal the rule requiring clothing to include care labels. The comments were submitted jointly, along with those of the Association of Home ApplianceManufacturers and the American Cleaning Institute. The Drycleaning & Laundry Institute also separately submitted comments opposing the repeal, which would result in clothing manufacturers no longer being required to place care label instructions on their garments. “We believe care labels provide important information for our self-service customers, enabling them to successfully and properly launder their garments without damage,” said CLA President and CEO BrianWallace. “Care labels also are an important part of the very basic processing of garments at the wash-dry-fold counter. Most laundry attendants are trained to

look at the care label first to identify the proper way to care for particular garments. “If manufacturers were no longer required to include care labels, we feel the potential result very likely would be an increase in customer complaints regarding damaged garments,” Wallace continued. “And, for garment-care professionals, it would be a rather murky redress to require their customers go back to a clothing retailer or manufacturer for satisfaction over a damaged item.” Beyond the association’s submitted comments, Wallace also took a meeting with FTC Commissioner Rohit Chopra, to discuss the matter directly and further emphasize the laundry industry’s concerns over the repeal of this rule. “Hopefully, we’ve been able to stop the repeal of the current rule,”Wallace said,“but also perhaps motivate the FTC to revisit its current care labeling standard and to look for ways to improve it, based on today’s garments and modern cleaning methods.”

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CLA Staff BE ING THANKFUL

CLA Celebrates a ‘Month of ’

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” – EckhartTolle, spiritual teacher and author

With the challenges that most have experienced in 2020 – from health concerns to financial issues to social isolation – it can be hard to find things for which to be grateful.However, asThanksgiving approaches, the Coin Laundry Association would like to celebrate and show its appreciation for its members and the industry during the month of November. The CLA is designating November as the “Month of Thanks.” Throughout the month, we will highlight members who have given back to their communities and those who have made a difference in the industry.The association is proud to represent this industry and demonstrate its importance by getting laundromats recognized as an essential business.We are thankful for all of you who continued to provide a vital service to your communities during this pandemic. In addition to representing and supporting an amazing industry, the CLA staff wanted to share what they are grateful for this month.We hope that, as you reflect on 2020 and celebrateThanksgiving, you take a moment to share what you are thankful for. Follow #CLAMonthofThanks on our social media for the month of November to see what CLA and our members are grateful for.

It has been an interesting year, but I am thankful for the additional time that I got to spend with my family, especially with my 17-year-old twins who will be headed away to college next year. I am also grateful for the excellent CLA team of staff and members that I get to work with every day! ~Danielle Bauer , Director of Membership Amid the craziness of COVID-19, racial injustice, political uproars, remote learning and working from home, I still have plenty to be grateful for in 2020.With the onset of all the new norms, we began to work from home, and I have been extremely grateful for the opportunity to spend much-needed quality time with my family and to create a I’m thankful for many things this year including my job at the CLA, which serves an essential industry. I’m also thankful for my family and health, but most of all I’m thankful for the time I get to spend with my children. ~Christina Gonzalez , Director of Administration and Accounting

new life/work balance.This year, my husband and I purchased our first home and became grandparents to a beautiful baby girl! We also have been able to take a more hands-on approach to our children’s education and learn entertaining, creative ways to enjoy one another. ~Tanisha Moore , Meetings & Events Manager

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PlanetLaundry Magazine

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Magazine of the Coin Laundry Association

I am thankful for family, friends, health and opportunities that have been presented to me to help others. ~Dan Naumann , ExecutiveVice President, LaundryCares Foundation There’s nothing like a once-in-a-lifetime (hopefully!) pandemic to show us all the true meaning of thankfulness. Since life went off the rails this past March, I’ve certainly had time to reflect upon just how blessed and thankful I am for the love and health of my entire family, as well as the ability to go to work every day and continue to ply my trade in service to the finest group of small-business entrepreneurs anywhere! ~Bob Nieman , Editor, PlanetLaundry

I am thankful for the family, friends and laughter that have helped me survive the year. ~Evan Stober , Marketing Coordinator I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve business owners, something I feel I’m very much called to do as a vocation. I’m also thankful that my family is safe, happy and healthy and settling into the school year well. ~Rich Cruz , Director of Marketing and Online Development Being happy doesn’t mean you have it all. It means you’re thankful for all you have. I have a lot to be thankful for. I’m healthy and happy – and I am loved.My husband and daughter, family and friends are my world! ~Katherine Hastings ,Administrative and Membership Assistant I’m thankful for our great membership and readers that allow us to keep doing what we do, even during a pandemic. I’m also very thankful to live close to family. I was able to help celebrate some wonderful milestones. ~Jennifer Gabris , Graphic Design Manager, PlanetLaundry Wow! 2020 has definitely been quite a year with this pandemic that we all have had to endure. I’m a firm believer that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger! I am eternally grateful for my good health, family, friends, positive mindset and career at the CLA. ~ NikaThomas ,Advertising Sales and Business Manager, PlanetLaundry I am thankful for the incredible energy and enthusiasm I’ve seen around laundry literacy. The work being done to build early literacy skills through the LaundryCares Foundation makes me grateful and proud every day! ~Liz McChesney , LCF Community Partnerships Consultant

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COPING WI TH COVID- 19

Weathering the Storm Three Laundromat Owners Who Have Adapted – And Continue to Thrive – During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In Houston, where Rob Maes owns four laundromats, commercial business is down. “We press a lot of sheets for small hotels, but that side of the business is reduced by half,”he explained. Toovercome this challenge, henowoffers a residential pickup-and-delivery service. “When compared with commercial work, home pickup-and-delivery results in more headaches and competitors,” Maes said. “It’s not as profitable, but nevertheless, we are working to build that side of the business.” In general, Maes reported that his stores located in low-income neighborhoods have held up the best, because the customers don’t have washers and dryers at home. By contrast, his laundries in high-incomemarkets are down in revenue by about 20 percent. Obtaining Paycheck Protection Program loans proved difficult as well, according to Maes and Jaeger. This involved getting in touch with a lender willing to accept the PPP application in

wear masks and socially distance.” Nevertheless, Jaeger and his laundry businessweathered the stormandprevailed. “In April, we suffered our biggest decrease in business,”he said. “Then, we increased 8 percent in May, another 2 percent in June, and an additional 3 percent in July.” While California was hit hard onmultiple fronts, Indiana wasn’t – as least not Mooresville, where Pepper’s Express Laundry Center is located. “To be honest, the pandemic has had a minimal impact on the overall business,” noted Pepper’s owner JimMcNutt. “We are fortunate to have a few advantages during these times, among them the fact that self-service laundries are classified as essential businesses – allowing us to remain open – and our being located in a rural area where independence and personal freedoms are not taken lightly. Our overall numbers were steady as usual throughMarch. In April, we saw an overall drop of 1 percent in sales. FromMay on, our numbers returned to normal.”

Although the COVID-19 shutdown in March left many businesses out in the cold, laundromats – deemed as providing essential services – motored on, adapted to the changes and overcame obstacles. Here are a few first-hand accounts from store owners who have benefitted from a few unforeseen silver linings of this global pandemic. Facing the Challenges As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, the U.S. and world economies lurched. Businesses faced a slew of challenges all at once – including state shutdown mandates; newdisinfection and protective mask protocols; civil unrest, widespread protesting and, in some instances, property destruction and looting; fear among customers and employees; and the often confusing process of applying for and securing much-needed government disaster-assistance funding. There was uncertainty, fear and, in some cases, violence. Art Jaeger, who owns multiple laundromats, reflected on the state of affairs in California. “The rules and circumstances kept changing,”he explained. “In March and April, there was very little information and a lot of fright. We had 10 days of protests on top of COVID-19, with curfews at 6:00 p.m. We experienced hurdles with supply chain interruptions, obtaining sufficient personal protective equipment, having employees adopt new sanitization protocols, putting store safety signs and floor stickers in place, negotiating with landlords andbanks, obtaininggovernment loans, and encouraging customers to

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Magazine of the Coin Laundry Association

COPING WI TH COVID- 19

the first place. Many financial institutions weren’t getting into the PPP game, due to their inability to dedicate labor hours to the task. And, once applicants figured out how to get their applications submitted, those applications often took a while to fund. Of course, it hasn’t been easy to maintain and retrain employees. “Keeping attendants on the payroll was our biggest challenge,”McNutt admitted. “During this pandemic, many people have been unstable within their own lives. Some attendants have allowed the stress of the times to negatively affect their ability to offer the customer service we expect, so we have had to cut ties.” Moreover, most employees were expected to adhere to new, more stringent sanitization, masking and physical distancing requirements within the stores. Taking onToughTimes Despite these formidable obstacles, Jaeger, McNutt and Maes maintain that their businesses are on the upswing, thanks to features that set their stores apart – including sanitizing ozone injection and the ability to provide multiple services. Both McNutt and Jaeger feature ozone systems and are delighted by its benefits. Jaeger’s washers have been designed to work seamlessly with ozone systems, which is a big plus, especially during times like these, according to the veteran operator. Jaeger has ozone sanitization as an“extra rinse”option on all of his Continental washers’ProfitPlus controls. At his store that was most recently retrofitted with ozone technology, 40 percent of the customers selected the ozone rinse option during the first month. “We now have ozone in all four of our stores,” Jaeger stated. “We are seeing increases in customer usage – they’re telling us that they’re pleased with our overall effort at sanitizing the store and their clothes. Cleanliness is important at this time, and I think the ozone has greatly helped our pickup-and- delivery business, as well as our walk-in traffic. We’ve received many five-star reviews on the cleanliness of the store and freshness of the clothes. Our customers appreciate that kind of environment.” McNutt agrees. “We made the decision early on to include ozone at no additional charge, so as to be a differentiator between our store and our competitors,”he explained. “This proved to be a wise choice. Our customers appreciate the fact that we invested in their well-being, as well as in our store’s cleanliness. We’re constantly told how nice the store smells. Ozone is the reason.” However, equally important are the laundries’ services. Through more services, the owners generate multiple revenue streams that help balance each other out during tough times.

Beyond his self-service business, Maes also offers drop-off wash-dry-fold and commercial laundry services. However, because the commercial segment of his business is currently down, he has strengthened his efforts on the residential side. Fromhis laundry hubs, he is positioned to build this new revenue streamwithout reinventing the wheel. Once the hospitality industry recovers, Maes expects to benefit from them all in terms of revenue and profit. From the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, Jaeger maintains that his residential pickup-and-delivery business has surged. “We immediately had 25 percent more new customers signing up, and it hasn’t stopped,”he said.“We had a strong July, then added 14 new customers in the first five days of August.” Although Jaeger’s drop-off wash-dry-fold business was down during these periods, those numbers quickly rebounded to 100 percent. “Overall, business is at 90 percent of where we were,”he said. And he anticipates a full recovery.

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LAUNDRY 101

Bob Nieman

Working with a Broker to Buy or Sell Your Next Laundromat Go for ‘Broker’

With some 30,000 laundromats in the United States – give or take – there are stores perpetually being bought and sold in nearly every market throughout the country. This is where a reputable laundry broker comes in. “The role of a broker can be very important, especially to someone new to the industry,” said Carol Dang of Elite Business Investments Corp. in Los Angeles. “A good laundromat broker should be able to walk the buyer or seller through the entire transaction – frommaking an offer to closing the deal.” “In my experience, the importance of the broker is tremendous and often undervalued,”noted Connor Frankian of D&MEquipment Co., based in Chicago.“Understandably, sellers have an emotional attachment to their businesses, which can cause them to overvalue what they think their store is worth. On the other hand, buyers have an emotional vision of what will be required to make their investment a success. This is where the importance of a broker – being a neutral party whose utmost interest is a successful deal – comes into play. Many good deals fall apart without themediation of a broker.” What to Expect No doubt, buyers and sellers of laundromats should expect a broker to be honest and transparent with them, as well as displaying a strong knowledge of the self- and full-service laundry businesses. In addition, George Morgan of Best Laundry Brokers in Grass Valley, Calif., added some specifics that potential investors and owners looking to sell should expect. For buyers, the broker should: • Be knowledge of the particular market area, as well as the typical price range within which stores in the area sell. • Be knowledgeable about the laundry equipment in the laundromat, including the approximate age and condition. • Know how to obtain and verify the seller’s income and expense records. This includes knowledge of all expenses typical to a

laundromat, and the ability to use the store’s utility bills to verify the seller’s stated income and expenses. • Be knowledgeable on commercial leases. This includes making sure there are no“land mines” in the lease that could cripple the buyer. The broker also should check the length of the lease and, if there are options, determine whether those options are assignable to the buyer. • Be able to guide the buyer toward competent service technicians and building inspection companies – to determine the condition of the equipment, including the boiler and other ancillary equipment; the condition of the water and sewer lines, the electrical system, and the heating and cooling systems; and verifying ample makeup air for the dryers and water heating system. • Be aware of competition in the marketplace, along with the prospect of any new laundromats being planned for the immediate area, which could impact the store’s income. For sellers, the broker should: • Provide ideas to make the laundromat more visually appealing. • Be able to present the laundromat and its financial information in the best light possible without deceiving anyone. There should always be full disclosure. • Take the necessary steps to protect the seller’s privacy, safeguarding financial and other critical information until a non-disclosure agreement has been signed. • Market the laundromat in the most effective way possible. Typically, this entails extensive website advertising with strong SEO. Also, specialty laundromat brokers usually have a short list of serious, qualified potential buyers to contact. Due Diligence When seeking a broker, your first stop should be local laundry distributors. If a distributorship doesn’t do brokerage work,

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PlanetLaundry Magazine

planetlaundry.com

Magazine of the Coin Laundry Association