Electrolux Equipment Offers Competitive Advantage for Fluff-and-Fold as well as Vend Customers
June 23, 2014 – Gary Slizgi and his wife, Marty, discovered that drop-off laundry could be much more than just an additional income source. With the right plan, it could be a primary revenue generator. The couple built their second store – Lucy’s Fluff and Fold Laundromat & Drycleaning – located in Orange County, California, with that service as the focal point.
A key element to their business approach was Electrolux Professional equipment. “Electrolux’s high-speed extract is important to me,” Slizgi said. “It reduces drying time and if I can decrease drying time, it’s a significant advantage.”
Savings also come courtesy of Electrolux’s Compass control, which delivers excellent water conservancy. This feature is not to be minimized, as Slizgi said, “we’re out in California and water is not cheap.” Electrolux washers also come standard with AWS (Automatic Water Savings). With every wash cycle, AWS determines the actual weight of the load and adds precisely the correct amount of water. This can now save you up to 50% on water.
Electrolux dryers also come standard with EcoPower which senses when the load is dry and reduces the heat – saving you up to 15% on energy and with less wear and tear on clothing. All this technology, and the operational savings it brings, made Electrolux the only choice for Mr. Slizgi.
Mr. Slizgi got his start in the vended laundry business in 2006, when he purchased a 2,000-square-foot store in Huntington Beach, California. Once he re-tooled the laundry in 2010, in just three years, the first Lucy’s fluff-and-fold business grew 25 fold (excuse the pun).
With expansion now on his mind, Slizgi decided to build a second store focused on fluff and fold, while the vended laundry piece would be secondary.
Site selection gave the 2,400-square-foot store an excellent opportunity to benefit both business elements. The new laundry sits on the edge of lower income neighborhoods, while close enough to draw drop-off traffic from nearby high-income sections. In addition, the area is growing as office buildings continue to sprout up.
Boasting an industrial look and the latest Electrolux equipment with CCI payment system, customers will find a full range of wash options all the way up to the 75-pound capacity H-Series soft-mount units (which vend for $8).
“With the advantages Electrolux brings with energy and water savings, the equipment quickly pays for itself.” He added that he was impressed by the service he received from his Electrolux distributor, Stanton, Calif.-based Sterling Equipment Sales Inc., who worked with him for over a year to ensure a flawless design and smooth startup.
With a proven business model, paired with the speed and efficiency of Electrolux Professional laundry equipment, and a commitment to giving back to the community, Gary and Marty are confident Lucy’s second location will be as successful as the first.
About Laundrylux®
Laundrylux distributes Electrolux professional and Wascomat commercial laundry products in North America through its extensive distributor network. The company offers state-of-the-art commercial laundry and wetcleaning equipment for the vended / coin and OPL markets, as well as financing and marketing support. Electrolux and Wascomat products are world-renowned for exceptional quality, durability, and water and energy efficiency. To learn more, visit www.laundrylux.com