POD BENDIX-EQUIPPED COIN LAUNDRIES

[tomturbomatic]

I noticed the line about veterans being encouraged to investigate the opportunities of owning a coin laundry. A schoolmate's father operated the Avondale Automatic Laundry, but it was not a coin-op, more like a drop off with round Bendix automatics. It was pretty busy because the shopping center served an apartment complex.

There was an TV show starring William Bendix called The Life of Riley which was in itself ironic because the expression meant a carefree life and his was anything but. In one episode, he and his neighbor Dudley were going to open a coin laundry, but got hung up on the name because they both wanted their names on the store. Finally Dudley proposed using the first syllable of his name and the last syllable of Riley's name. At first Riley approved, then, as he kept repeating Dud-Ley and the screen began to darken for the end of the show, he realized he had been had. This formula was also used in the episode where the two were going to buy a boat. Dudley wanted to call her the Nautical Queen and Riley, Queen of the Sea. As a compromise, Dudley suggested the first syllable of his choice and the last syllable of Riley's choice which even Riley got: NAUSEA. I guess the only name worse than that would be CRAMPS.

 

[gansky1]

Look how happy!

Doesn't it look like there's a hanging bag or basket holder on the front of the tub?

 

[vacbear58]

"No rough red hands"

I know just what she means LOLOL
Maybe when I am in there Madge will pop in with some Palmolive washing up liquid.

In all seriousness it does look like there there is some sort of frame where the handles of a shopping bag are held apart to assist loading or unloading.

And the link is for those "of a certain age"

Al

 

[akronman]

Laundromat cartoon

It's Maytag instead of Bendix, sorry. Just how often do 2 cute bachelors do their laundry together? Methinks she's barking up the wrong tree.

 

[tomturbomatic]

An elementary school friend's father, who was a Baptist minister, had a Mary Maytag coin laundry in the small town where they lived before coming to our area. All of the machines were pink, even the dryers.

I think the frame we see is a portable gadget for helping customers transfer laundry between their laundry bags to the washers without getting laundry on the floor, but I would hope there was cushioning on the metal tubes so that the porcelain was not damaged. This was proably before those rolling carts made an appearance.

 

[alr2903]

Was "telecoin" the common thread in this investment opportunity?  I seem to remember the same adverstisement but with "Laundromat" and of course "Westinghouse Electric".  alr

 

[tomturbomatic]

From what I could find in a cursory search, that was the coin box company.

 

[alr2903]

Thanks Tom,  that makes sense.  alr