ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Three years ago, people started coming to Rick Porter with a very specific problem: washing machines.
“Whether it be, their machine broke down or they're waiting on parts,” said Porter, who is the owner of Avalon Cleaning and Restoration.
“There were also a lot of newcomers coming in with no access to machines and others on wells that didn't want their wells to run dry. Other people in need of heavy-duty washers to do their comforters and coveralls.”
These conversations helped Porter realize there was a demand for a laundry service, so he decided to open Avalon Laundry in Centennial Square in Mount Pearl.
'Easing into the operation'
“We have been commercial cleaners for 20 years, so opening the Mount Pearl location allowed us to ease our way into the operation,” said Porter.
While there were challenges, such as rundown infrastructure and old machines, Porter overcame them by being extensively prepared and staying focused on maintenance.
"I started joining laundromat groups and seeing what everybody was doing,” said Porter.
“I would take a piece from here, and a piece from there, and put them together to make my own portfolio. And so far, it seems to be working.”
Largest laundromat in Newfoundland
Porter's laundromat operation in Mount Pearl has worked so well that on April 24, he expanded and opened a second location.
Porter's second location, on O'Leary Avenue, boasts many amenities. The one he is proudest of is his laundromat is now the biggest in Newfoundland.
"It's based on the number of machines that we have," said Porter.
“We have four 40-pound machines and we have 20 front-load machines. We also have 24 dryers,” said Porter.
DIY service
The 20-pound machines can hold 20 pounds of dry laundry and cost $5 for 28 minutes.
The 40-pound machines can hold 40 pounds of dry laundry, or larger items such as a comforter or quilts, and cost $9 for 33 minutes.
Another way he's different is the type of service offered, Porter said. Other laundromats only offer a drop-off service, meaning someone else is doing your laundry. At Avalon Laundry, he added, you can do it yourself; a key feature that allows them to stand out, he said.
"A drop-off option is good and it works for some people," said Porter.
"And we do provide a drop-off option for washing and dry cleaning; we'll even pick your laundry up for you. But not everyone wants that option. Some people want to come in and do it themselves, so we wanted to provide that for them."
Offering both options gives people more incentive to avail of their services, he said.
Accessible and comfortable
Porter said they also provide other amenities, such as free Wi-Fi, soap dispensers, folding tables, and TV for customer comfort.
"We wanted to create an accessible and comfortable environment for those who are coming to do their laundry, whether they drop it off or plan to stick around," said Porter.
"The idea of providing the soap dispensers is to make it even easier. You can just show up with your clothes, everything else is here."
'They will come back'
Since opening, Porter has seen a wide demographic of customers, ranging from seniors to business professionals to tourists.
He hopes to see engagement increase as word of mouth continues to travel.
“I am nice to my customers, if there is a problem I try to fix it and I keep the establishment clean, all because I want people to come back. When word starts to travel about this place, people will see what we provide and they will want to come back,” said Porter.
Avalon Laundry is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Porter said the focus right now is keeping up with two locations, but hinted another expansion might be in the works, this time in Conception Bay South.
