Laundromat Does More For The Community Than Just Clean Clothes
By: Matthew Farrell
Updated: September 19, 2012
Laundry. It's a necessary evil.
Thankfully there's at least one West Texas business trying to make the process just a little more convenient.
Sean Corbin recently opened his third Wash-Em-Up Laundromat in Odessa.
He says he owes most of his success to the convenience his stores offer.
He builds his stores in under served locations and fills them with creature comforts so his customers will feel welcome and comfortable.
Of course, it doesn't hurt when the area is knee-deep in the middle of an oil boom.
"We have several contract customers with oil companies and oilfield service companies, providing a laundry service to them," Corbin said.
The bottom line though, according to Corbin, comes down to the people you hire.
Not only does he build in under served areas, but he also helps his community by hiring employees who may not have other options.
Aside from helping the community, it also fills his stores with people that truly want to work.
"We frequent the halfway houses. We frequent the salvation army. We frequent goodwill. We actually go out of our way and look for people that may not have a chance otherwise of finding a job," Corbin told Big 2.
Beatriz Davila is one of the employees at the Midland Wash-Em-Up location.
She recently moved back to Texas, and was looking for work when she heard about an opening with Wash-Em-Up.
She echoed Corbin's sentiment, and offered her own thoughts on the success of the store.
"[We're] Giving the customers what they want. Doing their laundry for them, makes it easier for them, and laughing and joking with them makes them want to keep coming back and they enjoy the entertainment. They say it's free entertainment," Davila said.
Customers we talked to also appreciate the convenience of the laundromat.
Whatever the reason may be, Corbin has created an atmosphere where people don't mind doing their chores.
Corbin opened his first Wash-Em-Up location in an abandoned store on Midland Drive, and that laundromat is currently the only 24-hour facility in the area.
The newest location is at the intersection of 52nd and Dixie in Odessa and it opened last Tuesday.
Thankfully there's at least one West Texas business trying to make the process just a little more convenient.
Sean Corbin recently opened his third Wash-Em-Up Laundromat in Odessa.
He says he owes most of his success to the convenience his stores offer.
He builds his stores in under served locations and fills them with creature comforts so his customers will feel welcome and comfortable.
Of course, it doesn't hurt when the area is knee-deep in the middle of an oil boom.
"We have several contract customers with oil companies and oilfield service companies, providing a laundry service to them," Corbin said.
The bottom line though, according to Corbin, comes down to the people you hire.
Not only does he build in under served areas, but he also helps his community by hiring employees who may not have other options.
Aside from helping the community, it also fills his stores with people that truly want to work.
"We frequent the halfway houses. We frequent the salvation army. We frequent goodwill. We actually go out of our way and look for people that may not have a chance otherwise of finding a job," Corbin told Big 2.
Beatriz Davila is one of the employees at the Midland Wash-Em-Up location.
She recently moved back to Texas, and was looking for work when she heard about an opening with Wash-Em-Up.
She echoed Corbin's sentiment, and offered her own thoughts on the success of the store.
"[We're] Giving the customers what they want. Doing their laundry for them, makes it easier for them, and laughing and joking with them makes them want to keep coming back and they enjoy the entertainment. They say it's free entertainment," Davila said.
Customers we talked to also appreciate the convenience of the laundromat.
Whatever the reason may be, Corbin has created an atmosphere where people don't mind doing their chores.
Corbin opened his first Wash-Em-Up location in an abandoned store on Midland Drive, and that laundromat is currently the only 24-hour facility in the area.
The newest location is at the intersection of 52nd and Dixie in Odessa and it opened last Tuesday.
