Distributor?

[Jim H.]

I have received a lot of useful information from this forum and I am appreciative. I am currently questioning whether or not to use a distributor. I am worried about paying too much for equipment and service. I currently own and operate four carwashes and do not use a distributor. I am wondering if anyone has decided for or against use of a distributor and now regret the decision. Also, I am planning to open a mat at a site where I own and operate a c-store. Does anyone have any advice regarding operating a laundromat in conjuction with a c-store? Thanks, Jim

[fishmanz]

I like having one just as a backup. Sombody to call with questions and often answers that you may pull your hair out to answer on your own. They do things for you. Mine has a free "service school" that I attend every year and have learned a lot at as well as an annual trade show with semminars to attend for free. They also gave me a nice house plant when I opened.

Lots of people run laundries in conjunction with car washes. I would too if I had a bigger lot.

[Jim H.]

Thank you. That sounds like good advice.

[pete f]

I am not sure if you can do a project like a mat without a distrib. First is being able to buy direct. I do not know of any manufacture who does this, Second is the infrastructure a mat needs, and the layout, blueprint, design so you can get a permit to build it should be done by someone who has done them in the past, same goes for equipment installs. Water , sewer, electric, gas lines and on and on. By sheer time vs expense, it may be cheaper to have someone build it for you, be up and making money vs the time you do it yourself paying ( or loosing "interest") on equipment and material sitting for months because you do not know what you are doing.
As for having a mat next to a C-store, happens all the time, 7-11 built them all over,. had a mat or pizza place next to it. I had 2 mats next to c-stores, I would never own one again next to a c-store, to much garbage. C-store high traffic, people get out of the car, toss their butt on the ground, go in the c-store, buy something, toss the wrapper on the ground out the window as they leave. Multiply by 300 a day. You own the c-store, so you are going to clean the grounds anyway. The c-store owners my mats were next to did not. They also generate alot of traffic for the changer and bathroom. As a side note, those 2 mats were my worst performing in terms of revenue, and time to run them, they both made money though. Just a lot of extra work compared to a stand alone store.

[Jim H.]

Pete, Thank you for the advice. You are so right, I have problems with people trashing the place already. The proposed site for the mat has a self serve car wash (a.k.a county dump) on it as well. It cost me about 200.00 per week in labor to keep things clean now. I plan to occupy store front space that I currently am not using. One decision that I struggle with, is to allow ingress/egress through the store. Without a walk through door inside the mat, customers would walk an extra 25 feet to go inside the c-store. Since you have owned a couple of mats beside a c-store, would you give me your opinion of a walk through door? Thank you, Jim

[William]

Jim - I'm in SC and deal with 3 different distributors. Send me a PM and I'll let you know my opinion of each...

[pete f]

Pete, Thank you for the advice. You are so right, I have problems with people trashing the place already. The proposed site for the mat has a self serve car wash (a.k.a county dump) on it as well. It cost me about 200.00 per week in labor to keep things clean now. I plan to occupy store front space that I currently am not using. One decision that I struggle with, is to allow ingress/egress through the store. Without a walk through door inside the mat, customers would walk an extra 25 feet to go inside the c-store. Since you have owned a couple of mats beside a c-store, would you give me your opinion of a walk through door? Thank you, Jim

The mats I had, and every other one I know of have separate entrances and are run as separate business. The general layout of most mats would not allow a pass thru door to a neighbor anyway. Wall space gets used when laying out a mat.

[CENTEX]

Just another voice. I run a mat next to a c store and rent from the gas company. I do get alot of trash from the store people, but the location is what makes the mat work. All low income, apts etc. As far as a walk through to the c store, all of those i have ever seen have been locked. I assume too many five finger discounts. So anyway if the location is right put the mat in and your labor costs for the mat will not be as high because you have people there already.
I also use a dist for being able to get info.