T Monahan
Supportive Member
What are your observations on appropriate demographics to make it a go in rug washing?
Without mentioning names or specific cities, here is one reality of an operator that I know personally:
He is established in an area that has demographics of a service radius of 25 mile with a 50,000 population base. Inside this base there is at least 2500 households earning $150,000 annually. (He thinks that is key) There is a college and also a medical center inside that radius. (He thinks that makes it unique too) Giving these elements and circumstances, his plant generates $250,000 in rug washing and related sales each year for a number of years now consistently. His volume justified having a wash tub and centrifuge to handle the load to keep staff down to two people doing pick-ups and deliveries and washing when they are not doing that. Note: They pick-up and deliver for free for anything over a $250 order. One other person handles the phone and some repairs. The price points on cleaning per square foot are as follows: $2.25 for synthetics and $4.00 for natural fiber and $5.00 for hand knotted with fringe. (Oh yes, he does have competitors that take a slice from his pie too) He still has capacity to do more with his current staff and facility size.
Can you imagine if he had a bigger population to draw from what he may be able to do? I might add he is not a franchise operation with big marketing power.
Without mentioning names or specific cities, here is one reality of an operator that I know personally:
He is established in an area that has demographics of a service radius of 25 mile with a 50,000 population base. Inside this base there is at least 2500 households earning $150,000 annually. (He thinks that is key) There is a college and also a medical center inside that radius. (He thinks that makes it unique too) Giving these elements and circumstances, his plant generates $250,000 in rug washing and related sales each year for a number of years now consistently. His volume justified having a wash tub and centrifuge to handle the load to keep staff down to two people doing pick-ups and deliveries and washing when they are not doing that. Note: They pick-up and deliver for free for anything over a $250 order. One other person handles the phone and some repairs. The price points on cleaning per square foot are as follows: $2.25 for synthetics and $4.00 for natural fiber and $5.00 for hand knotted with fringe. (Oh yes, he does have competitors that take a slice from his pie too) He still has capacity to do more with his current staff and facility size.
Can you imagine if he had a bigger population to draw from what he may be able to do? I might add he is not a franchise operation with big marketing power.