When Hitesh Aurora opened his first self-service laundromat in 2009, he was determined to approach what can sometimes be a stagnant industry with an innovative, customer-oriented mindset.
“The industry is not generally known for being innovative. Usually, people open a laundromat, put in equipment and then leave it alone for 10 years,” he says. “I’m always trying something different to attract customers.”
Aurora now has five locations throughout Massachusetts in Marlborough, Milford, Natick and Framingham and his business philosophy includes:
- Regularly upgrading with the state-of-the-art equipment, including the introduction of washers and dryers that can be operated using a credit card.
- Reinvesting in the business.
- Making the customer experience relaxed and comfortable, including having attendants on hand at all times.
In addition, he has painted his laundromats blue and orange. “Those are the Tide detergent colors, and that’s what people think when they think of laundry,” he says.
Aurora’s EZ Laundromats have between 40 and 80 washers and dryers at each location and as he has expanded, Aurora has relied on Yankee Equipment Systems every step of the way.
“Yankee has been very good in suggesting what to do,” he says. “On most projects that I have taken on, I go to them for their ideas.”
