Business: Bailey Rd Laundry
Address: 355 E. Bailey Road, Naperville
Phone/website: 630-857-9777, www.baileyrdlaundromat.com
Owners: Nick Fleming, 52, and Nicole Fleming, 50, of Naperville
Years in business: Two
What does your business do? “We provide a laundry service for people to come in and self-serve as well as people who like to have their laundry processed and done for them. We provide pickup and delivery for residential and commercial clients in Naperville and the surrounding suburbs,” Nick said.
Why did you buy an existing laundry? “I used to frequent this laundromat, all the laundromats in Naperville. I used to wash my work clothes here. I was in construction. … I got to know the previous owners. They were looking to get out of the business, I made them an offer, here I am.
“I saw that when they had it, they were doing well. But after time, things were looking undone. I figured, take advantage of the opportunity and turn it around. … I wanted to be part of the neighborhood. I’ve always been civic minded. What better way to help the neighborhood than with a better laundromat?”
Who are your customers? “It’s all over the board. Younger people (who rent). Older people who can’t get up and down the stairs to their washer and dryer. Their laundry loads are too heavy.”
How many washers and dryers do you have? “Eighteen washers and 20 dryers. A few are bigger capacity. A king-sized comforter won’t fit in a washer at home.”
What about commercial clients? “Nail salons. Dental offices. Anybody with linens, anybody with towels, we’re here for them. … Commercial is a third of our business.”
What do you charge to do laundry? “We charge $1.75 a pound for residential. I offer seniors a 10% discount.”
What’s a typical load? “Fifteen to 20 pounds.”
How often do washers break down? “It depends. The older (ones are) more frequent than you think. The newer tend to absorb abuse a little longer. People overload them, slam doors, (use) too much detergent. … We try to keep everything well-maintained. No issues. I was just working on a dryer before you got here.”
Dryers have problems? “Yes. (Putting) too much laundry in them. People leaving nails in their pockets. Lip balm and lipstick melt all over the place. That’s why we say ‘check your pockets.’”
What do machines cost to run? “Anywhere from $3.50 to $8.”
What are your hours? “We’re open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Last wash at 9 o’clock. Seven days a week. We are fully attended from 9 to 5, Monday to Friday. … We have a floater who comes here in the evening.”
Is being in a residential neighborhood good? “It is because I get a mixture of home owners and people from the apartment complex.”
What do you like best about this job? “I meet a lot of interesting people. It gives you a better perspective on the community. You listen to the news, you get kind of down. Think people are horrible. But I like coming here to work every day. I like interacting with the people. I like the versatility it affords me to make my own schedule.”
How is it working with your spouse? “It’s been good. We’ve learned a lot about each other. Definitely a learning curve,” Nicole said.
“It’s got its ups and downs,” Nick said with a laugh.
Any negatives? “Being business owners, we’re on call 24 hours,” Nicole said.
Any disasters? “This past winter when it was sub-freezing cold those couple days, we had a pipe burst,” Nicole said. “Six o’clock in the morning. Luckily, I was on my way here. You’d be surprised how much water can accumulate in two minutes. Find the closest shut-off valve and start mopping.”
What misconceptions do people have? “Some people think we’re a drycleaner. Some think we’re a zombiemat.”
A zombiemat? “A laundromat where there are no employees. They’re usually dark and dirty. … If I want to get my clothes clean, why would I go to a dirty place?”
What challenges do you face? “Competition, but I feel there’s enough work for everybody. I don’t get too intimidated.”
Any favorite stories? “A young man who had just got a new job was telling us about all the turmoil in his life. He wanted to have his clothes washed with the holy water his priest gave him.”
Did that help? “Probably, because he hasn’t been back.”
What’s your advice for someone starting a business? “Do your due diligence,” Nick said. “When you think you’re done, do it again.”
“Be patient. Don’t be hard on yourself at the beginning,” Nicole said.
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun. If you know of a business you’d like to see profiled in Down to Business, contact Steve Metsch at metschmsfl@yahoo.com.
