By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A local couple is preparing to build their fourth and largest laundromat on a plot of land next to the Puri School of Business on East State Street.
The 24/7 Laundromat is the latest project for Kevin Olson and Cindy Le-Olson. The couple opened their third 24/7 Laundromat at 3128 11th St. near Schnucks a few weeks ago. That 10,500-square-foot location, the former Rock River Branch library, was renovated to include 60 washing machines and 66 dryers. It also has wash-and-fold service and dry cleaning drop off. It will be attended at all times.
“I don’t like shutting businesses down because customers need them at all hours,” Olson said. “We had a gas station and when we opened it I threw the keys away. I said we won’t need them, we never close the doors. That’s the way we want to be with our laundromats as well – to take care of the community.”
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The next location would be the largest 24/7 Laundromat yet with more machines inside a roughly 18,000- to 20,000-square foot building. The property will also be home to other business tenants to be determined.
The goal is to start construction this summer, although that could be pushed back to spring 2025.
Signs are now up on the East State Street property announcing that 24/7 Laundromat is coming soon. Olson purchased the 11-acre plot for $1 million on March 22 from a limited liability corporation tied to North Rock Real Estate, according to records from the Winnebago County Clerk & Recorder.
The site is near the entrance to Rockford University and across the street from Versailles Place apartments.
“We think there’s a demand for it, and there’s a lot of people who can use laundry service there,” Cindy Le-Olson said in between spreading mulch outside the new location on 11th Street.
The other 24/7 Laundromat locations are 1925 N. State St. in Belvidere, which opened about a dozen years ago, and 6901 N. Second St. in Machesney Park, which opened in 2018.
The third and newest location opened inside the former Rock River Branch library, which closed in November 2020. It features Continental Girbau washing machines.
“It’s absolutely the best washing machines out there. They spin faster, twice as fast as any machine in this county,” Olson said. “So when your clothes are done washing, it doesn’t take much drying time. You can literally be in and out of here in less than an hour.”
It also has an ozone laundry system, which creates the oxidizing ozone (O3) to break up many soils, greases and bacteria.
“It disinfects. It helps brighten your colors, whiten your whites, it opens up the fibers in your clothes so they wash better,” Olson said.
Le-Olson said the clean look of the laundromat will stand out to customers when they walk in the door. The couple said they pride themselves on customer service.
“Any of our customers or our employees can testify to the fact that my wife and I 100% customer oriented,” Olson said. “We want them happy and we go above and beyond to make that happen.”
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas