Tim Richardson Built Deluxe Laundry Spa Into Something Special

Success Story: When Tim Richardson started researching the laundromat industry, he wasn’t looking for a passion project. He was looking for a vehicle. Tim had a specific goal: build a business, grow it for 10 years, sell it, and donate proceeds to Torrance Memorial Medical Center — the hospital where his wife has volunteered for seven years.

What he didn’t plan for was falling in love with the work.

More than a year after opening Deluxe Laundry Spa in Los Angeles, Tim has a growing membership base, a 1,100-square-foot commercial processing center, and a data centered operation that supports every decision he makes. The business he built to sell has become something worth building.

The Investor’s Approach to Choosing a Location

Tim spent two years researching before signing a lease. His criteria were simple:

• Over 3,000 square feet
• Within 10 miles of his home
• Large enough to sell at four times its valuation

The space he landed on had been closed for four years. Other operators had passed on it because it sat directly next to a 24-hour coin laundromat. Tim saw it differently.

“As an investor, I knew it was an opportunity to give consumers a choice — you can go to a 24-hour laundromat, or you can come to a high-end garment care center.”

After an eight-month lease negotiation and a nine-month build-out, Deluxe Laundry Spa opened December 13, 2024. Fully cashless, tech-powered, and built to stand out.

Going Cashless from Day One

Before the build-out was complete, Tim was already researching POS systems. Going fully cashless wasn’t an operational preference, it was a major business decision.

“One of the factors in building equity in a laundromat is the cash problem. I wanted to sell this store in 10 years — I needed to eliminate any doubt about the revenue.”

After connecting with his trusted mentor Dave Menz, Tim chose Cents. Cents Penny devices went on all 60 machines at opening — accepting credit cards, debit cards, and QR-code mobile payments. Every transaction is documented.

One interesting feature of Tim’s stores is his approach to a quarter-free mentality for his customers. He prices every machine at an odd number — $7.91, $7.93, $11.92 — so he can raise prices in small increments each quarter without the psychological jump of a 25-cent coin increase and no one will be looking for a quarter slot!

“I’ve gotten zero pushback,” he says.

The Processing Center: Room to Grow

When Tim negotiated his original lease, he secured first right of refusal on the adjacent 1,100-square-foot space. A year in, he exercised it.

The processing center connects internally to the main floor while keeping its own entrance. He built it because operators who take on commercial accounts without dedicated space consistently hit the same wall — storage backs up, folding competes with self-service customers, quality slips.

“I knew I needed that 1,100 square feet before I ever needed it.”

The commercial markets he’s going after:

• Luxury senior living communities — premium facilities that lack specialized garment care
• Hospital and clinical accounts — where his high-temperature and hypoallergenic cycle options align with healthcare requirements

Pickup and delivery runs through Cents Dispatch using Tim’s own truck, keeping quality and reliability in his hands. Customers track orders in real time through the Cents app.