Small / Mid / High-Volume Laundromat Builds (and Why “More Machines” Can Cost You Money)

When laundromat owners plan a new store (or remodel an old one), the first instinct is usually:

“How many washers and dryers can I fit?”

And honestly, a lot of distributors will encourage that thinking — especially large corporate distributors – especially publicly traded ones – or manufacturer-owned groups that are under pressure to “move metal.” More equipment sold looks great on their side of the spreadsheet.

But here’s the reality:

More equipment is not always better.

More equipment can actually reduce revenue.  Because laundromats aren’t just equipment. They’re an experience.  If customers feel cramped, crowded, rushed, or blocked in — they leave. They don’t come back. And they don’t recommend you.

So in this guide, we’ll show how to plan equipment by store size without falling into the “fill every inch” trap, and how to strike the right balance between:

• customer comfort
• operational flow
• real-world demand
• and long-term profit

 

The “Revenue per Square Foot” Fallacy in Laundromats

You’ll hear people say:  “You need to maximize revenue per square foot.”

That sounds smart. Retail businesses say it all the time.  But in laundromats, it gets misused.

The fastest way to destroy revenue per square foot is to create a store where:

• customers bump into each other
• carts can’t move freely
• folding space is too small
• dryers are hard to reach
• traffic jams happen during peak hours
• families with kids feel stressed out

 

When that happens, customers change stores even if your prices are fine.

Your real goal isn’t to “maximize equipment per square foot.”

Your goal is to maximize:  “customer confidence per visit.”  When customers feel comfortable, they stay loyal, spend more, and tell others.

A Better Way to Think About Equipment Planning

Capacity + Comfort + Flow = Profit

Before we break it down by store size, here’s the formula that works:

1) Capacity (do you have enough machines?)

You need enough washers and dryers so peak hours don’t become a disaster.

2) Comfort (does it feel open and easy?)

You need enough space so customers don’t feel cramped.

3) Flow (does the store “work”?)

People should move from:

wash → dry → fold → out the door  without hitting bottlenecks.

If your store is physically stressful, customers shop you like gas prices.  They’ll switch the second someone else offers a better experience.

Store Size Equipment Planning

Small / Mid / High Volume Builds

Every market is different, but store size typically drives the type of build you want.

Below are the three categories and what to focus on.

1) Small Stores (About 900–1,800 sq ft)

Small laundromats can be very profitable — but only if they’re designed correctly.

The biggest danger in small stores:

overfilling the space and creating a claustrophobic customer experience.  Small stores should feel clean, simple, and fast.

What small stores should prioritize:

• A strong mix of washer sizes
• A clean, open folding zone
• Easy walking paths
• Enough dryers to prevent bottlenecks

 

A common mistake:  Too many small washers and not enough medium/large capacity.

Customers with real laundry loads want options like:

• 40 lbs washers
• 60 lbs washers
• 80 lbs washers

 

Small stores that only offer lots of 20s and 30s often feel “old fashioned,” even when the equipment is new.

 

What success looks like:

• A customer can walk through without squeezing past people
• Carts can pass each other
• Folding feels relaxed, not rushed

 

Rule of thumb:

In small stores, open space is a feature.  If your small store feels open, it instantly feels “higher end.”  That is important.

 

2) Mid-Size Stores (About 1,800–3,500 sq ft)

This is often the “sweet spot” for a modern laundromat.

Mid-size stores give you room for:

• good equipment variety
• a strong folding layout
• easier line-of-sight management
• and expansion options

 

What mid-size stores should prioritize:

• Balanced washer size mix
• Comfortable folding capacity
• Clear aisle design
• A premium experience (even without premium pricing)

 

Washer mix matters more than the machine count.

A mid-size store can outperform a bigger store if it offers:

• enough larger washers for families
• enough dryers to keep customers moving
• and a layout that feels comfortable during peak hours

 

Best practice in mid-size builds:  plan your folding space first — then design equipment around it.

If you treat folding as an afterthought, the store will feel crowded no matter how new it is.

 

3) High-Volume Stores (About 3,500–7,000+ sq ft)

Big stores are exciting, but the planning needs to be tighter because mistakes get expensive fast.  Large builds are where the “fill it up” mentality causes real damage.

 

The trap in high-volume builds:

Equipment-heavy layouts can create:

• confusing paths
• dead zones
• congestion chokepoints
• difficult management lines of sight
• customer frustration at peak times

 

High-volume stores should prioritize:

• Peak-hour traffic flow
• Wide, clear aisles
• Folding and seating capacity
• Wash-Dry-Fold workflow space
• Room for carts, strollers, and families

 

High-volume stores often serve:

• families doing large loads
• apartment communities
• commercial accounts
• and WDF/pickup customers

 

Those customers aren’t impressed by “more machines.”

They want speed, comfort, and reliability.

 

High-volume stores win by reducing stress.

If you want a big store to dominate the market:

• make it easy to navigate
• make it feel open
• make it feel safe and clean
• keep the customer flow smooth

 

That’s how you win loyalty.

Why Congestion Costs You Money (Even If Sales Look Great on Paper)

This is the part most people don’t calculate correctly.  If you add too much equipment, you might get:

• a higher machine count
• a higher “theoretical capacity”
• a more impressive equipment list

 

But what you also get is:

• fewer people folding at once
• customers bumping into each other
• frustrated families leaving early
• customers avoiding peak times
• more complaints and bad reviews
• less repeat business

 

When a store feels stressful, customers switch — even if you’re cheaper.

Your store design is either reducing stress or creating stress.

Stress is the silent killer of laundromat revenue.

 

The Real Question to Ask Before Adding More Machines

Instead of asking:

“Can I fit more equipment?”

Ask:

“Will the next machine increase profit, or increase congestion?”

Because machines don’t produce revenue unless customers choose your store repeatedly.

The most profitable laundromats usually have:

• a smart equipment mix
• reliable uptime
• smooth traffic flow
• and enough open space to feel comfortable

That’s what brings consistent repeat visits.

Practical Equipment Planning Tips That Save Owners Real Money

Here are the rules we recommend when planning any size laundromat:

1) Don’t design for average days — design for busy hours.

Busy hours are where your reputation is made or broken.

2) Folding space is not “wasted space.”

Folding space is where customers decide if they like your store.

3) Wide aisles beat extra machines.

A store that feels open will outperform a store that feels cramped.

4) Equipment mix beats equipment count.

You can build a better store with fewer machines if the sizes match your customers.

5) Leave room for growth.

Open space gives you future flexibility:

• more folding
• more seating
• more WDF
• or expansion equipment later

Final Takeaway: More Equipment Isn’t the Goal — Better Performance Is

A laundromat is not a warehouse for machines.

It’s a customer experience business.

And the owners who win long-term are the ones who understand:

• open space increases customer satisfaction
• comfort increases loyalty
• loyalty increases profit

 

So when you plan a store by size — small, mid, or high-volume — remember:

You’re not trying to pack machines into a building.

You’re trying to build the best laundromat in your market.