Brad and Pauline Seegmiller’s Austin Laundromat Offers Modern Amenities and Supports Local Families
When Brad and Pauline Seegmiller decided to open a laundromat, they had a clear idea of the kind of store they wanted — one that was inviting, modern, family-friendly and dedicated to supporting the community. Their vision aligned with LaundroLab’s, a growing franchise business of innovative laundromats. “We felt that the best path forward would be to join the LaundroLab family and leverage the experience they offer,” says Brad Seegmiller.
They opened their LaundroLab franchise in Austin, Texas, in March 2023. Like other LaundroLab locations, it features state-of-the-art, efficient machines and has an attendant on duty. The store also caters to customers with amenities such as free Wi-Fi, ample folding space and seating, and vending machines.
“LaundroLab stores provide a welcoming atmosphere and five-star customer service, which you don’t see with the typical unattended ‘zombie mats,’” Seegmiller says. “We’ve created a clean, safe, family-friendly environment that families can consider an extension of their home.”
Part of that homelike atmosphere is the bright and cheery family read-play-and-learn area. In partnership with the LaundryCares Foundation, the Seegmillers have stocked the space with children’s books.
“We are the only laundromat in Austin that has a kids’ area, and the families really appreciate this,” Seegmiller says. “The kids have so much fun and keep themselves occupied while the parents do laundry.”
Helping Families
According to the LaundryCares Foundation, families spend an average of 2.5 hours in a laundromat during each visit. Those hours don’t have to be wasted time if engaging books are at hand to spark children’s interest in reading.
“We encourage the kids to take the books home with them. We’ve had a lot of people donate books as well, so we encourage kids to take more than one,” Seegmiller says.
The in-store children’s area is just one way that the Seegmillers give back to their community. Their franchise has also established a laundry voucher program for families at local elementary schools, he says, noting that some families are faced with choosing between having clean laundry or buying groceries. So far, the Seegmillers’ laundromat has provided ongoing support for vouchers to about 15 families.
In addition, about three or four times a year, the store opens its doors for free laundry day events, teaming up with the organization. Current Initiatives to assist low-income families. About 60 families are served at each event. Community focus is also a key part of the LaundroLab company model, from children’s reading areas to creating a welcoming environment in each laundromat. Time-saving conveniences elevate the customer experience, such as a mobile pay app and a laundry delivery service.
The coin laundry industry generates about $5 billion in gross revenue annually, according to the Coin Laundry Association, and LaundroLab aims to become a major force in the business by re-envisioning the laundromat experience. LaundroLab, which was established in 2018 and opened its first franchise in 2021, offers franchisees a semi-absentee business model and the opportunity to get started in an industry that is resistant to recession.
Franchisee Training
The company supports new franchisees with extensive training, and after a location is up and running, franchisees can get advice from experts including a franchise business coach, a marketing consultant, and a human resources consultant. When the Seegmillers opened their location, they faced post-pandemic construction delays among other challenges. But they had done their homework and had thoroughly researched the laundry industry for years, so even though they came from different business backgrounds (the semiconductor industry for Brad and animation production for Pauline), they had no major surprises in launching their business.
Growing their business has taken dedication, with early mornings and late nights and seven-day workweeks. “We firmly believe you get out of the business what you put into the business,” Seegmiller says. And from the beginning, they have planned for growth. “We designed our first location to allow for a phase-two expansion, which will grow our machine count by 25%,” he says. They’re also looking at creative ways to expand their customer base.
“We’ve been giving it our all,” he says, “and as a result we are seeing great month-to-month growth.”
For more information about the LaundroLab franchise, visit https://www.laundrolabfranchise.com/.
