This round-up of the unique laundromats of New York City began because we were wondering if we could drink and do our laundry at the same time. These multi-use locations, often referred to as “laundrettes” exist in European cities, but don’t seem to have cropped up in New York City (yet). Why is something that seems like a no-brainer so difficult to come by here?
While we originally thought it might be a zoning issue, we spoke to someone who came very close to opening a laundrette and she tells us that the startup costs are high, $100,000-$150,000 alone for renting equipment. Layer on top of that bar costs, energy and water costs, and retrofitting a space for washer/dryer hookups if needed. She says that in some cases, “depending on your location (differences as minuscule as being located on one side of the street as opposed to the other) your water hookups and taxes could either be a huge cost or a moderate one.”
Nonetheless, New York City may be getting one soon. In February, EV Grieve reported that a “Laundry Bistro” was in the works for 44 E. 1st Street called The Wash House. In honor of this momentous change, we decided to do a roundup of unique existing laundromats. Let us know some of your personal favorites in the comments!
1. Sunshine Laundromat (860 Manhattan Avenue, Greenpoint)
This Greenpoint spot has five pinball machines and a tiki-club feel. The door is full of signs like, “Try our Gourmet Vegetarian Washing Machines and Vegan Dryers.” It’s only entrance is of course, a self-proclaimed “VIP Entrance.”
