A Brief History of Laundromats

Jordan Berry [00:00:00]:
Hey. Hey. What’s up, guys? It’s Jordan with the laundered Resource Podcast. This is show one ninety three. No. One ninety four. Oh, no. I have to look.

Jordan Berry [00:00:08]:
What show is it? It’s one ninety four, And I’m pumped you’re here today because today we’re doing something a little different. I have been digging into the history of laundromats, and if you follow the YouTube channel, maybe you’ve seen I released a video on a brief history of Laundromats. And it was really fascinating for me, put it together, and I wanted to make sure that you got to hear it too. So listen, we’re gonna check out a brief history of laundromats today. Something a little different, a little bit of a curveball. But, listen, I love trying new things. And if you hate it, you can just let me know that you hate it and we’ll never, ever, ever do anything like it again. But if you love it, maybe we’ll do more of it.

Jordan Berry [00:00:53]:
I don’t know. Just let me know what you feel about it. Before we jump into it, I just wanna remind you, or maybe tell you for the first time, if you don’t know, we got a pro community at Lanneriteresource.com/pro. Get access to a whole bunch of tools, resources, calculators, unlimited access, all that stuff, and you can join a mastermind group. So check out Lendomiteresource.com/pro. It is very, very kind of embarrassingly inexpensive to be a part of it. You get a lot of really good stuff for it. And, listen, you can also tell your friends that you are a laundromat resource pro community member, which will instantly gain you cool points.

Jordan Berry [00:01:35]:
Probably. Maybe. Possibly. Okay. Laundryresource.com/pro if you want to go check that out. And, with that said, let’s dig into a brief history of laundromats. Before the of dryers and jingle of quarters, laundry was hard. Like, beat your clothes on a rock hard.

Jordan Berry [00:01:56]:
Today, laundromats are a staple of city life. But how did we get from riverside scrubbing to self-service machines that text you when your clothes are done? Stick around because the story of Laundromats is a tale of innovation, community, and a future that’s more high-tech than you’d expect. Long before laundromats, laundry meant elbow grease. Ancient civilizations scrubbed clothes on stones by the river. That meant hauling heavy buckets of water, pounding clothes against rocks, and using sand or ash as early soap. By the eighteen hundreds, many European towns had wash houses, communal stone basins fed by natural springs where washerwomen gathered to clean clothes and, of course, catch up on the latest neighborhood news. It wasn’t just a chore, it was a social event, an essential part of weekly life, and yet, it was exhausting. Clothes were boiled, scrubbed, wrung out by hand, and hung out to dry, rain or shine.

Jordan Berry [00:03:03]:
Then came the industrial revolution. Washing machines, hand cranked, bulky, and far from user friendly, began easing the burden. In nineteen o eight, the first electric powered washing machine was patented. But make no mistake, these early machines were loud, clunky, and far from safe. Some didn’t even come with enclosed motors. It was a start, but not a solution. Then came 1934. In Fort Worth, Texas, a small storefront with just four electric washing machines opened to the public.

Jordan Berry [00:03:41]:
Customers could rent time on a machine by the hour. The store was dubbed, Washataria, the clever mix of wash and cafeteria. The price? Just a few cents. This idea caught fire. It wasn’t just about convenience, it was about access. Most Americans couldn’t afford electric washers, let alone install one in their home. But with the washeteria, modern laundry was suddenly within reach. No more scrubbing, no more boiling water, no more hauling roads to a relative’s house.

Jordan Berry [00:04:15]:
It was cheap, it was easy, and it was revolutionary. Within a few years, Washatarias spread throughout Texas. Entrepreneurs saw the opportunity. New stores popped up across the state, each adding more machines, staying open longer hours, and improving the experience bit by bit. Then in 1940, Westinghouse Electric and a marketer named George Edward Pendry coined a new term, laundromat, lending laundry, and automat. It caught on instantly. The big leap came in 1947. Harry Greenwald invented a timing device that could be attached to machines, allowing customers to simply drop a coin in to start a wash.

Jordan Berry [00:05:01]:
Coin operated laundry machines meant unattended laundromats, twenty four hour access, no staff required. By the nineteen fifties, laundromats had exploded across The US. In every town, on every corner, the local laundromat became part of the neighborhood landscape. And they weren’t just places to wash clothes, they were places to meet your neighbors, trade stories, and catch up on life. Parents brought kids, teens brought dates, college students camped out with homework, some laundromats added vending machines, snack bars, even jukeboxes. The goal? Make waiting for laundry less of a chore and more of an experience. Globally, the trend took off too. In 1949, London’s first self serve laundrette opened in Queensway.

Jordan Berry [00:05:49]:
Other countries followed adjusting the model to fit their cities and cultures. In The US, laundromats added drop off services, ironing, and dry cleaning add ons to stay competitive. Machines got larger, faster, and could handle huge comforters or bulky uniforms. In the nineteen eighties, the industry had matured. In The UK, there were over 12,000 launderettes in operation. And in The US, laundromats were woven into the fabric of urban life. But with maturity came challenge. In the late twentieth century, more people bought home washers and dryers.

Jordan Berry [00:06:27]:
Suburban living reduced reliance on laundromats. The industry needed to adapt, and adapt it did. Modern laundromats got a facelift. Gone were the flickering lights and cracked linoleum. In came sleek design, bright spaces, flat screen TVs, and free WiFi. Some even had massage chairs, and the payment model evolved too. While quarters still cling to life, more laundromats now accept cards, mobile payments, and even digital apps that tell you when the washer is free or your clothes are ready. Some owners took it further, merging laundromats with cafes, juice bars, and co working spaces.

Jordan Berry [00:07:05]:
Want to sip a latte and answer emails while your towels spin? There’s a place for that. It’s not just about washing anymore. It’s about how and where you spend your time. The chore has become part of the lifestyle. So what does the future look like for laundromats? Think cleaner, greener, and smarter. Eco efficiency is leading the way. New machines use 70% less water and less power than their predecessors. Solar powered laundromats are already popping up in sunny cities.

Jordan Berry [00:07:35]:
And detergent? It’s getting an upgrade too with more eco friendly, biodegradable options entering the mainstream. But it’s not just sustainability, it’s convenience too. Pickup and delivery laundry is booming. You pickup online, your clothes are cleaned at a local laundromat and delivered back, fold in and fresh. Some are experimenting with twenty four seven smart lockers. Drop your laundry anytime, get a text when it’s done, and pick it up with a code. Others are testing AI powered maintenance to keep machines running smoother and longer. Even laundromats are going digital with franchises and chains rolling out, app based membership models, and loyalty rewards.

Jordan Berry [00:08:14]:
From Riverside Rocks to solar powered washers, the Laundromat has gone through an incredible transformation. It’s more than just a place to clean clothes. It’s a story about access, community, and staying relevant through innovation. So the next time you’re tossing a load into the wash, take a moment to appreciate just how far we’ve come and where we’re heading. If you’ve enjoyed this journey through time, hit that like button, subscribe, let us know in the comments what’s the coolest laundromat you’ve ever been to, and perhaps share this little bit of history with a friend who maybe you’ve had a special memory made in a laundromat with them.