Empire Laundry

The Empire Laundry off of 4th Avenue has many things to recommend it, but none of them have anything to do with the laundromat itself: There's a bar & grocery store on either side, it's a few minutes' walk from 4th Ave, and I actually have a lot of friends in the area.

However, the laundry services themselves are shoddy, despite the big TV and shelves stuffed with paperback books. At least half the machines were broken, both washing and drying, and that was a great big pain in the ass.

Also, I don't know if dude actually hires some of the wet-brains next door to guard the place while he runs errands or something, but when we got there, there was a scruffy looking guy with a beard loitering around the door. As I walked in, he followed me right on my heels, invading my personal space. Then he  asked me if he could help me with my change, and I told him no, I needed my change for the laundry. Slurringly, he led me to understand that his question was in reference to MY need for change for the machines. Had he been a little less scruffy, slurry , and maybe wearing a T shirt that said "Empire Laundry" on it, I wouldn't have treated him like a pesky pan-handler.

Donn thought this was the funniest thing in the world. This morning, I have to concede he's right.

In the end:
The dryers were roasty-effective, but that won't be enough to have me wash my didies at that joint again. 

Pluses:

• location location location
• We weren't bored, at least.
• Nuclear powered dryers (at least the ones that worked)

Minuses:

• Literally half the machines were busted, and half of them didn't have signs on them letting people know that
• The bar next door IS a haven for riff-raff and flotsam from the human jet stream.
• There weren't enough wheely-baskets by a long stretch. I had to hold onto the one I had with dear life; some doughy bastard was ready to swoop it away from me even before I was able to tell him no, I wasn't done with it, thanks. 

Campbell Laundry and Cleaners

1800 E. Ft. Lowell Rd., Tucson, AZ 85719

  

     So, the spouse needed to scrub his scrubs, and we selected a laundromat nearer the Bookman's on Grant. This was no fly-by-night operation; everything was clean & tidy.

      The laundromat itself has as neighbors a Chinese place, a Japanese place, a Mexican place, and a sandwich place. You'll never starve doing the didies here! There's also a nail salon just in case you're feeling super-diva while the drips are drying. That's not even the end of it. There's a TV, which was on CNN when we were there. There's wireless, unless the lady in the seat at the end of the (bolted down) cast-metal garden chairs was using her own hub to do accounts receivable. There is also a GREAT BIG SIGN touting the solar heated awesomeness of them. Good business strategy- there are yoga studios around here too. Heh.

The Laundry:

The spouse was happy with the wash, and said that even though the dryers were only 7 minutes a quarter (pbbt!), they were an efficient seven minutes. However, it took him $1.75 worth of minutes (he only did one load, mind), so I say these dryers are where these kids make their money. Yay America!

Pluses:

• No shortage of distractions for those who do not contemplate the infinite as the laundry spins... and tumbles... and falls... and spins....and...  
• The atmosphere was very businesslike and goal-oriented. 
• Zero shrieking baby factor at the time. That's a fun. 

Minuses:

• This is more of a disclaimer, since the spouse was the one having sudsy-time, and I cannot speak to the results on my personal wardrobe maintenance routines and habits. However, I will say that I would wash my own clothes there, based on what I've seen, and that's more than the last two got.