Hey guys I'm wondering how many of you have seen vintage laundromats in person?
Vintage Laundromats
- Thread starter adam-aussie-vac
- Start date
Help Support :
I did! In my hometown of Pointe-Claire, QC I got to actually use the Westinghouse bolt-down washers in the local laundromat. The coin-op washers and dryers were located in an area behind the counter of a dry cleaning store. The best laundromat I ever got to use was somehwere near Wildwood, NJ - this was the first time I got to see a Frigidaire Jet-Cone washer in action! I remember the machines had window lids and were.... wait for it.... turquoise!
When I was a brat, our family camped a lot and I remember seeing and using other vintage coin-op machines but nothing stood out like the Westy and Frigidaire machines.
When I was a brat, our family camped a lot and I remember seeing and using other vintage coin-op machines but nothing stood out like the Westy and Frigidaire machines.
losangeles
Well-known member
Vintage Laundromats
I remember staying at my Grandmothers one summer. She lived in a town in Mississippi no bigger than a dot on the map. This particular summer a laundromat had been installed in an abandoned building. It was also equipped Frigidaire Jet Cone Washers with the window in the lid. I went back to my grandmothers and gathered up some towels and washcloths and used my pocket money to use the machine just so I could watch. I gave up an ice cream cone just to have enough money for the washer. I thought I loved ice cream more than life till that day.
I remember staying at my Grandmothers one summer. She lived in a town in Mississippi no bigger than a dot on the map. This particular summer a laundromat had been installed in an abandoned building. It was also equipped Frigidaire Jet Cone Washers with the window in the lid. I went back to my grandmothers and gathered up some towels and washcloths and used my pocket money to use the machine just so I could watch. I gave up an ice cream cone just to have enough money for the washer. I thought I loved ice cream more than life till that day.
frigidaireguy
Well-known member
LAUNDROMATS OF OLD
Our first Laundromat was put in around 1960 or so. It had Speed Queen washers that only had hot or warm water settings. Don't remember the brand of dryers.
We called it a "Washateria" instead of a Laundromat. The Laundromat in the town where my Grandmother lived had slant front bolt down Westinghouse washers which were later replaced with turquoise Frigidaires.
Our first Laundromat was put in around 1960 or so. It had Speed Queen washers that only had hot or warm water settings. Don't remember the brand of dryers.
We called it a "Washateria" instead of a Laundromat. The Laundromat in the town where my Grandmother lived had slant front bolt down Westinghouse washers which were later replaced with turquoise Frigidaires.
cornutt
Well-known member
We used to have a 1960s-vintage Norge Village here. My mom did laundry there, and I did laundry there myself when I was a college student in the early '80s.
Our first house had a Westinghouse Laundromat washateria at the end of our street. I remember we went there a couple of times. When we moved to the new house in 1961, the nearest washateria was a Norge Cleaning Village with TimeLine coin-op washers, dry cleaner washing machines, and 20 pound Norge front loaders (based on their combo). The TimeLines were replaced in aroun d1964 or 1965 with commercial washers based upon our 1964 Norge, but with a smaller capacity. They featured fabric switch for regular (Normal/Normal) speed combo and Perm Press (Normal Wash/Slow spin speed).
I'll try to get some pics of the washing machines there also did any laundromats use twin tub washing machines?
In the town I live in there used to be a laundromat that had all Bendix FL’s from the late 40’s. They were up on a concrete ledge that had floor drains, and sometimes you could see the sudsy water in the trough when more than one machine began to drain at once. I used to go there in the early 70’s, before I got my first washer, a used Maytag wringer in 1972, because it was the cheapest laundomat around, 20 cents to wash and 10 cents to dry. The building is still there, about two blocks from where we live, but its now a used clothing store.
This is a college town, and I once saw Jon Provost, from TV’s Lassie, doing his laundry there. He was going to college here. He even settled her in Sonoma Co. The last I heard he was working as a Real Estate agent. Over the years I’ve seen him at Mervyn’s dept. store in Petaluma and an Antique Store in Sebastopol.
Eddie
This is a college town, and I once saw Jon Provost, from TV’s Lassie, doing his laundry there. He was going to college here. He even settled her in Sonoma Co. The last I heard he was working as a Real Estate agent. Over the years I’ve seen him at Mervyn’s dept. store in Petaluma and an Antique Store in Sebastopol.
Eddie
Some I've snagged online over the years, some from the web and some have been posted by members here. (One appliance store pic snuck in, we can do those next!)
We used a Maytag laundromat for a couple years after we moved to the city in 69. A local Maytag distributor, Jenco, built and equipped their "Highlander Centers" with Maytag washers.
We used a Maytag laundromat for a couple years after we moved to the city in 69. A local Maytag distributor, Jenco, built and equipped their "Highlander Centers" with Maytag washers.
I remember going to the washateria with my mom when our washer had "tore up" as she would say. It was Westinghouse equipped, and was in an older building that had been an auto dealer at one time.
We also would sometimes visit the washateria in Seminary, MS near where my grandfather lived; I think it had Frigidaire washers. After my uncle and aunt built a house nearby, mom would use their washer.
We also would sometimes visit the washateria in Seminary, MS near where my grandfather lived; I think it had Frigidaire washers. After my uncle and aunt built a house nearby, mom would use their washer.
I am from Pontiac, Il and as a kid the first laundromat that I was first in opened in 1958 and was equipped with Norge washers and Heubish dryers. Another laundromat had Speed Queen machines and the third one had whatever the appliance dealer there sold. Speed Queen, Hamilton and Easy.
After awhile some of the Speed Queens were replace by large Wascomat machines that had a huge tub in them.
After awhile some of the Speed Queens were replace by large Wascomat machines that had a huge tub in them.
70series
Well-known member
In my hometown growing up, we had 3 laundromats within a 2 mile span. The one at the north end of town had all 1970s Maytags. The one right near my house had all Zanussi front loaders, and my mother used to go there to wash our large bathroom rug. These were replaced by Wascomat front loaders when the laundromat was rebuilt after being destroyed in a gas explosion in 1985. Nobody was hurt, thank God; the explosion occurred during the night. The third laundromat, which was a half mile south of my house had all 1970s solid tub Speed Queens.
The Maytag and Speed Queen laundromats had gold top loaders. I cannot be sure of the colors, but they were in that neighborhood.
The Maytag and Speed Queen laundromats had gold top loaders. I cannot be sure of the colors, but they were in that neighborhood.
rll70sman
Well-known member
Zanussi front-loaders
70 series or anyone else,
Does anyone have pictures of Zanussi commercial front-loaders? Several laundromats in the area where I grew up had them. They seemed to last forever and did an excellent job of washing. I always thought it was cool to see them do a spin-drain instead of a tumble-drain.
70 series or anyone else,
Does anyone have pictures of Zanussi commercial front-loaders? Several laundromats in the area where I grew up had them. They seemed to last forever and did an excellent job of washing. I always thought it was cool to see them do a spin-drain instead of a tumble-drain.
wft2800
Well-known member
Were those Zanussis hard-mount like the typical American front-loading commercials, or did they have suspension and a door boot?
Going by what is in advert copy would say those Zanussi washers were similar to other commercial front loaders on market at time. "No clutches, transmissions, or pumps to break" tells one at least these were hard mount machines with gravity drains.
Searched internet and couldn't find anything more on these washers. Maybe if one has time will try Zanussi and Italian word for "laundromat" to see if there is something.
Going by ad copy Zanussi had an office right here in Manhattan, NY on Madison Avenue. Thus they must have sold more machines than just what were in the linked laundromat pictures. All probably have long been scrapped.
Searched internet and couldn't find anything more on these washers. Maybe if one has time will try Zanussi and Italian word for "laundromat" to see if there is something.
Going by ad copy Zanussi had an office right here in Manhattan, NY on Madison Avenue. Thus they must have sold more machines than just what were in the linked laundromat pictures. All probably have long been scrapped.
rll70sman
Well-known member
Zanussi commercial front-loaders
There they are! Thank you, Launderess! Oh, how I miss those. My family knew the owners of one of the laundromats that had both double- and triple-load machines. I got to go in the service bay immediately behind the machines and watch the mechanicals. Zanussi washers in fact did have a gravity drain system. A valve would snap open at the beginning of each spin, sending a torrent of water into the drain trough. Cycle sequence was a quick three- or four-minute prewash, about a 30- to 45-second spin, at least a ten-minute wash, another brief spin, three rinses with a brief spin in between, about a five-minute final spin, and about a minute fluff. Rinse temperatures were warm with a hot or warm wash and cold with a cold or permanent press wash. Water levels came about half way up the door window, but these machines were made at a time when both soap and phosphate detergents were in use (laundromat built about 1971 or '72). More water equated to thoroughly-clean clothes and no residue.
There they are! Thank you, Launderess! Oh, how I miss those. My family knew the owners of one of the laundromats that had both double- and triple-load machines. I got to go in the service bay immediately behind the machines and watch the mechanicals. Zanussi washers in fact did have a gravity drain system. A valve would snap open at the beginning of each spin, sending a torrent of water into the drain trough. Cycle sequence was a quick three- or four-minute prewash, about a 30- to 45-second spin, at least a ten-minute wash, another brief spin, three rinses with a brief spin in between, about a five-minute final spin, and about a minute fluff. Rinse temperatures were warm with a hot or warm wash and cold with a cold or permanent press wash. Water levels came about half way up the door window, but these machines were made at a time when both soap and phosphate detergents were in use (laundromat built about 1971 or '72). More water equated to thoroughly-clean clothes and no residue.
Another laundromat Zanussi
Here ya go!
Here ya go!
norgeway
Well-known member
We had 3 in my hometown
One is still operating, It has a few Norge front loaders, yes, NORGE front loaders still running, and also great big old round topped Milnors, the Norgese are gradually being replaced with new front loaders, but they still have a few ANCIENT Cissel dryers, the laundry looks like two laundromats in one...That's because when it opened in the late 50s it was segregated and was divided with a wall, in 64 when the laws changed they opened up a space between the two, The others now closed were a Norge Village, and one that had PHILCO BENDIX front loaders AND High Frequency PHILCO top loaders!
One is still operating, It has a few Norge front loaders, yes, NORGE front loaders still running, and also great big old round topped Milnors, the Norgese are gradually being replaced with new front loaders, but they still have a few ANCIENT Cissel dryers, the laundry looks like two laundromats in one...That's because when it opened in the late 50s it was segregated and was divided with a wall, in 64 when the laws changed they opened up a space between the two, The others now closed were a Norge Village, and one that had PHILCO BENDIX front loaders AND High Frequency PHILCO top loaders!
