Laundromat presents ‘path to freedom’ for owner
As much as we like to think we have a plan, there’s no roadmap to life and career. Sometimes, you wake up and realize that where you are at is not where you want to be. That was where Steve Varela was a few years back.
His career success was evident, having achieved a middle management position in a huge U.S. company. However, the accomplishment also came with heavy doses of stress and pressure. That’s when he revisited an idea he had while living in Las Vegas.
“I liked the idea of a cash business and serving the community,” Steve said of deciding to open Sol Laundry in Buena Park, Calif.
A transformation
Sol Laundry delivers all the hallmarks of a well-run laundromat business – it’s immaculate, well lit, offers a wide range of capacities, has pleasant, helpful staff, and features cutting-edge Quantum Touch controls. The 1,200- square-foot laundry looks nothing like it did under previous ownership, where the prevalent features were out-of-order signs.
Hearing Steve talk about the extensive remodel, the sense of pride is evident…but it’s more than just the finished product; it’s what that product means to the neighborhood. “Customers have been coming here for generations,” he said, adding that he wants Sol to be a family environment in addition to being a great place to do laundry. “It’s cool to see people loving it.”
The tech difference
With an IT and systems background, Steve was convinced that Speed Queen Insights would be a gamechanger in helping him stay on top of his business. By all accounts, he’s been happy with the investment.
“That’s my lifeline,” he joked. “I love the dashboards; I can see everything I want.” That access to business information has truly been the gamechanger he hoped for as he balances managing the laundry with managing his wife, Alexandra’s law practice.
Speed Queen also made a difference in delivering an exceptional customer experience. Quantum Touch control functionalities are at the center of that.
“The big feature is multiple language options…that’s so huge,” he said of the feature ensuring his ethnically diverse clientele is able to get the cycles they want.
Steve’s also been encouraged as app adoption continues to increase among customers, who are using app payment as a savings tool – adding their laundry funds each month.
“It absolutely is the wave of the future,” Steve said of app-based payment trending up for laundromats.
Alliance Distribution is a premier partner
Being a newcomer to the laundry business, Steve counts himself lucky to have aligned with Alliance Laundry Systems Distribution West Region and a knowledgeable professional in Senior Account Representative Yumi Ryoo.
“I’ve had an amazing experience with [Alliance Distribution] and Yumi,” Steve said. “Overall, it’s been great. She’s really like a friend now, honestly.” He stressed how important it is to have trust in your equipment distributor as a new owner.
And the decision to go with a higher priced Quantum Touch touchscreen control when he could have settled for less? Once he put himself in the customer’s shoes, the return on investment was abundantly clear.
“If I was going to put eight bucks into something, that would be the one.,” he said.
A bright Future
Thus far, Steve has been happy with the business and how his vision of the future has changed since those stress-filled days back in corporate America.
“It’s so weird to see your path to freedom.”
