What makes one laundromat busier than another?

The records tell you what a laundromat took in. A visit tells you why. Customers choose a laundromat for convenience, so the things that make one place easier than the next are mostly visible from the sidewalk and the front door. Go more than once, at different times of day and on different days of the week, and keep notes. What you see should match what the seller’s records say.

Who lives nearby, and how they get there

Start with the neighbourhood. Look at the housing around the shop and ask whether many of the units lack laundry of their own. Then check how people arrive. Is there parking, and is it easy to use with a full load? Is the entrance at street level? Is there a bus stop close by? Ask the seller how customers get to the site.

What the customer finds inside

Check the hours and whether they suit working customers. Look at the machine mix, including large-capacity washers for bedding, and note how many are out of order. Ask whether customers can pay by card as well as by coin. Notice how clean the floors and machines are, and whether an attendant is on site.

Add-on services and the competition

Ask whether the laundromat offers drop-off or wash-and-fold, and who does that work and in what space. Then visit the nearest competitors and compare. A newer, brighter shop two blocks away is a risk worth understanding. Our guide to buying a laundromat covers the records side, which should be read alongside what you saw.

Things to note on each visit

• How many machines are in use, and at what times
• Machines that are broken or out of service
• Whether customers are paying by coin, card or app
• Anyone waiting, leaving or turned away