A Second Chance:
Don Russell and Steve Doherty opened a car wash in Boardman, Oregon in 2002. At the time they considered adding a coin-op laundromat to the site, but decided against it. After twelve years, they took another look at the opportunity and teamed up with Dexter laundry equipment and Western State Design to build a brand new, energy efficient laundromat for his underserved community.
With the help of Dexter and Western State Design, Russell and Doherty proved that where there is a demand for coin-op laundry services, a successful business can be born.
Build and Launch:
Russell and Doherty chose to work with Western State Design from the beginning because, “They didn’t try to sell us the Taj Mahal when less was going to work,” according to Russell. Western State Design helped the partners choose the Dexter Express line of coin-op laundry equipment. The technologically advanced laundry equipment would significantly reduce the amount of water and energy used in the wash and dry cycles, and cut down on the time it would take for their customers to complete a load of laundry. Cutting their costs and environmental impact and improving their customers’ experience was a priority for the partners, and the Dexter Express coin-op laundry machines were the key to their success.
The crossover from car wash to coin-op laundromat was an easy one for Russell and Doherty. Western State Design helped Russell and Doherty select their machines, provided them with a layout drawing, utility schedule and shop drawings, and guided them through making the most of their business. Also, many of the required water and electrical systems were already in place for the car wash, and they were able to take their experience from a similar self-service business and apply it to the new laundromat.
Small Town, Big Support:
While Boardman, Oregon is a small town, hours from Portland and the nearest Western State Design service office, Russell has found that a call to the office is usually all that’s needed to be able to troubleshoot the occasional equipment issues. When stepping into a new business it’s always nice to have someone there who knows the ropes and can help you along the way.
The Results:
Main St. Laundry has outpaced initial projections and are already back working with Western State Design on plans for expansion. The residents and visitors of Boardman, Oregon have flocked to the coin-op laundry to take advantage of its fast and efficient washers and dryers and when asked if he would do anything differently, Don Russell said he only wished he had opened his coin-op laundry business 12 years ago when he first thought about it.