Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Laundromat Review


Alright, here's a weird fact about me: I love laundromats. Maybe it's the many fond memories I have as a child, talking to other kids and playing the stand up arcade games (I rocked Centipede as well as this fighting game I've only seen in Canada, that was like a generic double dragon). I have been known to hang out in laundromats when I've wanted to do some writing. No laundry, just there for the atmosphere. 

Actually, contrary to my love of laundromats, I hate doing laundry. You might say, 'well who doesn't?" but believe me, those people exist, and they baffle me.

Anyways I did have to do some laundry, and I stopped at a place that has changed hands in the last year. It's a rundown establishment, that somehow never recovered after all the robberies a couple years back. Mind you they did invest enough money for some new machines, and a redesign of the place. But even with that, it looks horrible. Here's a quick tour:


Pardon the quality of this shot, but I didn't have enough light. This is just a sample of several machines with clothes left in it. When I talked to the previous owners he mentioned that he threw away an average of 200 pounds of clothes a week.


That would be a nail. How lovely would that be to shred your clothes on that?


I love this. $1.25 for 8 minutes in the drier. But the real kicker? 50 cents more for the privilege of an upper drier. 


Time for the coup de grĂ¢ce. Why whatever could that be up in the ceiling?


Let's see if we can't get a little closer to the mystery.


There you have it. The amazing radio system is in fact a tape deck, that they wedged up in the ceiling. It plays a local mix station. I believe the ratio is 1:5 in favor of crap over quality.


On the laundromat scale: 2 out of 10 

20 comments:

  1. that is one jacked up laundromat...

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  2. After reading this, I've already decided to install a tape deck in my ceiling. Innovation and imagination. This place is cooler than Nana's house.

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  3. Lovely tour. I wonder why you have to pay extra to dry your closers higher from the ground. Is it a back thing?

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  4. I love the tape deck in the ceiling. You gotta be a hard core thief to go for that.

    I liked the laundrymat too as a kid. We had machines in our building but my mom would take the cloths to the mini-mall of the base we lived near in Europe. The complex had a bowling alley, a cafeteria, a laundrymat and a grocery store. Plus they had an coined operated pizza making machine. It was the best pizza from a vending machine that you ever imagined and it was made before your eyes. I ALWAYS got one of those.

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  5. I'd be screaming bloody murder if my new man jeans got all ripped up by that nail, I tell ya. Grrrr.

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  6. Laundromats are some of the coolest places in the entire world. I totally agree. But then again, I'm one of those freaks that likes doing laundry. :)

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  7. That's a crap laundromat. In general, I like laundromats. I love the smell.

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  8. I guess if you were looking for atomosphere here you must be writing some dark stuff...

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  9. You were very kind to give it a 2. Did you forget the negative sign, or did that cost .50 more?
    Cheers,
    Robyn

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  10. Laundromats and bus stations are both great for people watching.

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  11. My only problem with my last (and hopefully LAST) laundromat was that the TV's played some crazy soaps that I couldn't understand. And oh, how I wanted to. Those things looked hilariously good! Dammit, where's the subtitles for the poor whites?!? :)

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  12. I am so sick of laundromats. Around here such creepy people use them and I'm one of them. Wish we had a house :(

    FourthGradeNothing.com

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  13. Wow, I have been too some pretty crappy laundromats in my time but that would I have to say takes the cake.

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  14. When I lived on my own I thought I would meet girls at the laundromat like in the movies but sadly it doesn't happen in real life.

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  15. You are a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. =) And that is one jacked up laundromat.

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  16. 200 lbs a week? She should donate that stuff!

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  17. I have few ideas to improve this laundromat (although the tape deck is absolutely amazing)

    -There should be a pizza counter so the laundromat also be a cool place for kids to hang out.
    -Spring loaded dryers that fire as soon as your eight minutes are up
    -An ongoing modern art display made out the various clothes left

    Kudos on the post, I love the fact that your explored every corner of a laundromat!

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  18. Spring loaded driers are a great idea! Just hold your basket in front and it does the work for you.

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  19. I managed to maintain my composure until the tapedeck, then I just broke down laughing! A fucking nail, are you kidding me??

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