A major pivot by Charlotte startup 2ULaundry into laundromat franchises has the potential to put the company on the map across the country.
2ULaundry, founded in 2016 by Alex Smereczniak and Dan D'Aquisto, is a valet laundry and dry-cleaning service. On Jan. 20, the company launched LaundroLab, a modern laundromat franchise concept that "provides a safe, welcoming and convenient experience for customers while creating a new and exciting business opportunity for entrepreneurs across the country."
D'Aquisto said laundromats are a $5 billion industry with untapped potential, and 2ULaundry's LaundroLabs wants to make the technology-forward, innovative concept the first nationally recognized laundromat brand.
"It’s an exciting investment model, now more than ever, because laundromats are essential and a semi-absentee business model, plus, it’s recession proof," he said. "That really uncovered the opportunity because we knew we were going to build these facilities, but instead of raising a bunch of venture capital, we thought, 'Let's leverage our laundromat capital and come to market with a franchising opportunity.'"
D'Aquisto said LaundroLabs will be easy to spot and aesthetically pleasing, with their brightly colored blue, pink and gray storefronts. The equipment inside is state of the art, he said, and will have customers in and out much more quickly than a standard laundromat. Each store will have flat-screen televisions, free Wi-Fi, tech-charging stations, vending machines to purchase laundry supplies, a kids' play space and an area to sit and relax.
Each store will also be fully attended by an employee who will ensure customers are wearing a mask properly and social distancing, as well as clean the store and machines. Stores will also come equipped with 30 to 40 security cameras for customer and employee safety.
"The biggest reasons people will be drawn to our stores are the amenities. We’re not only able to price ourselves competitively, but we provide a better experience," he said. "The other main convenience is how our customer can pay. We'll be a cash store, but we'll also have tech that allows people to load a digital wallet and gain rewards points and earn free services."
The concept for LaundroLabs began to take shape in early 2020 after Covid-19 forced D'Aquisto and Smereczniak to press pause on plans to expand the valet laundry and delivery service.
"Our pickups dropped significantly because of all the unknowns," D'Aquisto said. "We were at this point where we were gearing up for massive expansion and had to take a step back."
They made the tough decision to shut down operations in Raleigh and Atlanta, laying off a number of employees. As that was happening, the team began bringing LaundroLabs to life. The stores are mirrored after 2ULaundry's first brick-and-mortar facility, The Laundry Room, which was built in 2018 to help manage the thousands of pounds of laundry the company collected daily in Charlotte.
D'Aquisto said the startup has already sold several franchise licenses in Atlanta, with interest from potential owners in Charlotte, Denver, Phoenix, Miami and Nashville, Tennessee. The goal is to have 20 licenses sold by the end of 2021.
Though the team's focus has been on the franchise rollout, D'Aquisto said 2ULaundry's valet services will return this spring. On April 15, National Laundry Day, the company will launch a new website, mobile app and new pricing that includes a subscription option.
"We had to consolidate to get back to the core business and rethink what 2U 2.0 should look like," he said. "The plan is, as we develop infrastructure through franchising, we'll continue aggressive expansion of 2U into those major markets."
D'Aquisto said they'll maintain a heavy presence in Charlotte and eventually relaunch valet services in Atlanta and Raleigh, as well as in Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Denver, Nashville and Tampa, Florida.
