Alex Smereczniak and Dan D'Aquisto, co-founders of 2ULaundry and LaundroLab, hit the ground running in 2021 and haven't looked back.
Charlotte-based 2ULaundry, founded in 2016, is a valet laundry and dry-cleaning service. In January, 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."
Covid-19 forced 2U to pull its valet laundry services from markets in Raleigh and Atlanta and rethink how the company would move forward. Now, D'Aquisto said, they are ready to launch 2ULaundry 2.0, rolling out an updated mobile app, website and new subscription model.
This included a complete overhaul of the website and existing application to showcase 2U's new branding and emphasize its most important values: quality, trust and convenience, he said.
"We really wanted to get back to providing a service that allowed us to focus on a five-star experience," he said. "We're bringing one of the first-of-its-kind laundry subscriptions to market and are excited about the overwhelming interest and feedback from our customers."
The new platforms feature a detailed order-tracking feature, similar to Domino's online order tracker, and allows customers to manage their subscriptions. D'Aquisto said the team also developed proprietary technology for employees to help better facilitate the cleaning process and a driver application.
2U will now offer three options:
- A la carte: Laundry and dry-cleaning services with a two-day turnaround, $5 for rush delivery
- 2U Weekly: One laundry bag per week, free rush delivery and 15% off additional services
- 2U Weekly+: Everything included in 2U Weekly, plus a linen bag and 20% off additional services
Additional services include those like hang-dry, linen cleaning, dry cleaning and additional laundry or linen bags.
D'Aquisto said the subscription options were built around customer behavior and are intended to incentivize recurring and frequent use.
"We really wanted to provide a better service for our best customers, so that’s what we formulated the 2U 2.0 model and pricing strategy around," he said. "Alex and I first started 2U six years ago with a subscription model, and we’re coming full circle and relaunching a similar version of our first pricing model."
To help marry the 2U and LaundroLab branding, D'Aquisto said the startup will now only clean its customers' items in LaundroLab facilities.
"Part of the trust and quality factor is that in this industry we knew we needed to build our own facilities to be set up the right way and to be able to handle our processes," he said. "We have to have control over those things, and that’s where our franchisees come in."
Currently, Charlotte is home to two corporate stores, the company's original — called The Laundry Room, which will be rebranded — and a second that will open in September. 2U, in partnership with national nonprofit Laundry Cares, plans to host a free laundry day on Oct. 5 to celebrate the new store's grand opening.
A franchisee has committed to building another three LaundroLab stores in the city over the next three to five years. Franchisees in Atlanta, Denver, Miami and Tampa, Florida, will add another 14 locations total in that time frame. But D'Aquisto said their plans to expand beyond the Southeast are already in progress.
"For expansion purposes for us, our first three franchisees in Charlotte, Denver and Atlanta were very interested in being 2U vendors in the respective markets, and that’s what’s going to drive the expansion," D'Aquisto said. "Denver and Atlanta will be our next expansion cities. Tampa (and Miami) will follow. Over the next couple of years our eyes will be set there, as well as Miami, Austin and Phoenix."
