A few questions

[LarryNY]

Hello,

I would like to thank everyone for there replies. I have a few more questions.

1: I am looking at a store. Good location, the store is run down and dirty. How much of an impact will improving the look of the store have on the bottom line?

2: Major parking lot and building construction is currently taking place at the location would this cause a significant drop in sales? It is difficult to get in and out of the lot.

3: What has been your experiences with advertising, has it increase sales significantly or slightly? Does it work?

Larry

[goingtoarizona]

We have only owned our store for two months, but first and foremost I suggest you verify that the mat is at least breaking even now. Get utility bills to determine volume of business. Visit or snoop on the store at all hours and compare customer volume, price differences, and benefits/difficulties customers have in "your" store compared to others. Do some wash, and talk to customers, why do they go to "that" mat. If the mat is profitable now, improvements should help the bottom line, but be patient. My mat is 40 years old, and we get new customers everyday, that is to say, customers who have NEVER been in before.If you look at some of the archives, you will read many posts from new owners of mats who are losing money, and in a panic. Do your homework!Why is the owner selling? Are they truthful? How is the lease? Is the landlord reasonable, or will he/she steal the mat from you when the lease is up?How much reasearch do you do when you buy 5K of stock, how much research do you do when you buy 100-500K in a laundromat "stock". Read this website till your eyes hurt, good luck, hopefully you'll buy a good one, on post here all the time...

[pete f]

major road work is know to affect sales by 30% or more.
Hard to say what cleaning up will do. Depends on the general shape and mix of washers and dryers. A re tool will boost 30% to 50% or more.