A look at your laundromat’s layout and design

When it comes to opening a laundromat, every step in the process is important. It starts with site selection and demographics analysis and continues on through marketing and beyond.

Store layout and equipment decisions are no different. There are definite considerations to help set a store up for long-term success. Let’s review several trends.

Less is now…more. Back in the day, the strategy was to put in as much equipment as the space would allow. It was all about profit per square foot. Today, customer experience trumps that thinking. Planning for wider aisles to make it easier for customers to navigate the store and load/unload is more important. Likewise, planning for larger common areas and kids play spaces also contribute to a better customer experience.

Make it flow. Your new laundry space is a blank slate. So, embrace that opportunity. Put yourself in a customer’s shoes. How would you want to navigate the store. Plan for a logical flow from when they step in, wash, dry, fold, and leave. A smooth traffic flow makes for a great experience.

Go big. While we are no longer trying to cram as many machines as possible into laundry spaces, the industry definitely has trended to larger capacity. A decent amount of 60-, 80-, and even 100-pound capacity washer-extractors ensure your laundry is meeting the demands of customers today. Don’t forget to pair the units up with ample 75-pound singles and large capacity stacks.

Big stuff up front. Speaking of the big stuff, make sure those big boys are featured up front. Making large capacity equipment visible up front is a great advertising tool. Big-load machines should greet customers as they come in the door.

Don’t forget the storage. If wash-dry-fold is in your future, make sure your store design has it in the plan from the start. Don’t minimize this space need. Many owners quickly run out of wash-dry-fold space when the service takes off and beats their early forecasts.

These are just a handful of considerations as you approach layout and design of your laundry. Working with a distributor experienced in new store development will also help ensure you are tapping into the latest trends.