BUCYRUS — When Allyson Temple came to the newly opened Uptown Laundry in Bucyrus for the first time, it was also her first time using a laundromat.
“I absolutely love it. The staff here is amazing. They have helped me with everything, and the place is so clean, so it has been a really good experience,” Temple said.
Annisa Zorns and her husband Bob opened the laundromat in a building they own at 212 N. Walnut St. where they have the office for their other business, Rick’s Sewer and Drain.
“We were only using the back part of the building, and many people were asking us what we were going to do with the rest,” Zorns said. “Everybody was telling us we need a new laundromat in town.”
Annisa and Bob then did the research.
“We watched a lot of YouTube videos and that’s where I got the information for my POS (point of sale) system and stuff like that,” Zorns said. “We said, ‘Well, we are going to open a laundromat.’”
She said the laundromat offers 20-pound washers for small loads.
“Those are for like a single person who only has a few things to wash,” Zorns said. “Then we have the 40-pound washers, which are like doing a regular-sized load at home.”
She said the 60- and 80-pound washers are great for washing larger items, such as king and queen-size comforters.
“You can wash a full-size or twin-size comforter in the 40-pound washers,” Zorns said.
When it comes to washing large rugs, Zorns said that it depends on the type of rug.
“If the rug has rubber on the back of it and it is not flexible, you need to have them dry-cleaned or use a carpet shampoo machine on them,” Zorns said.
She said the laundromat also offers 45- and 75-pound dryers.
“They run for 30 minutes for the initial money on them,” Zorns said.
She said the laundromat features a lot of high-tech to make things easier for customers.
“We have an ATM, a change machine and then we have a value center machine,” Zorns said.
She said the value center machine works with an app that people can download.
“It shows you all the washers, all the dryers, and if they’re full or empty,” Zorns said. If you want to leave and go do errands, the customer can look and see how much time is left on each one of them.”
She said it also allows the customer to choose the settings, such as water temperature and wash type (heavy duty, light, etc.).
“I like working with the people. We have been very busy,” Laundromat Manager Trish Triplett said. “On the weekends, it is amazing and I think that is because everyone is getting ready to go back to school and work,” Triplett said.
She also does laundry for people who want to drop off and pick up.
“We have had a few so far who want us to do their laundry,” Triplett said.
Zorns said a woman recently called to ask if she needed to bring wipes to clean the machines.
“I told her we clean the washers and dryers after each use. We mop and steam-clean the floors, and use a sweeper all day to ensure the place is always clean,” she said.
Products such as detergent and fabric softener are available for purchase and candy, snack and pop machines are also there.
The laundromat offers a kids’ area that features things to keep kids busy while their parents do their laundry.
“We have books and coloring books for the kids,” Zorns said.
There are also claw machines that offer a chance at candy, little ducks and even key chains.
“Each machine also offers a chance at a bigger prize,” she said.
There will also be a drawing held each month for customers.
“Our first one is for the month of April, and the prize is a 55” TV,” Zorns said as she pointed to the prize on top of a row of washers. “Next month, I want to do some bicycles for kids. Then, around school time, we want to do book bags with supplies in them, probably around July so they can have them for August when school starts.”
She said a customer will pick a name out of a bingo-style number spinner machine each month.
Zorns has five employees and plans to hire more. She has two delivery drivers for the laundry pickup and drop-off service.
“There is an app on our Facebook page that people can download. It’s easy for them to find and they can sign up there for the delivery service,” Zorns said.
She said customers can schedule the day and time they want their laundry done.
“Our time is for pickup and delivery times are 9 -11 a.m., 1-3 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. We offer this service to all of Crawford County, so that includes residents from Crestline, Galion, New Washington, the whole county,” Zorns said. “It only costs $3 for pickup and $3 to drop off, and those fees go directly to the drivers.”
She said the customer’s payment info will be included in the app.
“When the laundry gets to us, we will weigh it, then wash, dry and fold. The customer’s card is charged based on the amount of laundry,” Zorns said.
The laundromat is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.
“We are only closed on Christmas,” she said.
For more information, visit the Uptown Laundry’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585674482041 or call (419) 562-0467.
This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: New Bucyrus laundromat offers high-tech features and delivery service
Reporting by Kim Gasuras, Special to Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum / Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
