BARRON, Wis. — Scott Olson, a man who clearly had his sights set on the glamorous world of laundromat ownership, took a detour from the realm of medical equipment service to dive headfirst into laundry suds. His ambition? To start an equipment rental business. But lo and behold, when a modest laundromat in his sleepy little town went on the market, he and his wife thought, “Why not own a slice of local life?” Little did they know that two months later, they’d be knee-deep in dirty laundry.
Fast forward to 2025, and Olson has now launched Village Spin, his sixth Maytag laundromat—because apparently one can never have too many of those. This new gem is gracing Barron, a quaint town still wondering how to keep its laundromats clean and functioning. Contrary to the modern obsession with online side hustles, Scott’s journey has been more about hands-on apologies for the community laundromats of yore than mastering the art of dropshipping.
SMALL TOWNS, BIG OPPORTUNITIES
Olson’s growth strategy is about as unique as a single sock in the dryer—he targets underserved rural communities that larger operators wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole. “We look for populations between 1,500 and 2,000,” he says, adding a hearty laugh. “Operators shun these towns, but we’ve managed to turn them into goldmines—well, laundry goldmines.”
This means he’s pounced on the opportunity in towns like Spooner and Grantsburg, where aging laundromats are about as common as bad haircuts. Instead of avoiding competition, Olson decides to embrace it like a long-lost uncle at a family reunion, often attempting to buy out the very laundromats he dreams of replacing. “As long as we have clean stores and reliable equipment,” he muses, “the competition can keep their rusty machines.”
FROM SHAMBLES TO SHINING
The Barron location has a backstory worthy of a soap opera. Eight years ago, Olson attempted to launch a store but was sidetracked by a health scare — who knew a person could have such a passion for laundry-related trauma? Fast forward to a stroke of luck when the neighborhood laundromat spontaneously combusted. He thought, “What better way to dive into business than after a good ol’ fire?”
Initially, he had a gas station in mind for its newer structure, but the owners of the charred laundromat convinced him to reconsider their century-old building. “I didn’t want to buy it,” Olson says. “But they threw me an offer so stunning, I thought it was a prank.” Turns out the newly acquired building needed a full renovation, a detail often skipped over in most real estate shows.
WASHROOM WIZARDRY
Owning laundromats isn’t enough for Olson; he designs them too. “It’s like slipping into a pair of comfortable shoes,” he quips, as if he’s some sort of modern-day laundromat philosopher. Over his two-decade career, he’s perfected the machine mix like a fine wine connoisseur — a few hefty 80-pounders and some quaint 20-pound machines, served with a side of utility. Forget the antiquated top-loaders; he’s all about speed and reliability, with a dash of style that makes laundry day feel like a shopping spree.
LOYALTY TO A TUMBLE DRYER
Maytag has been the brand in Olson’s life story since chapter one. He bought his first few Village Spin stores already equipped with their machines and has been a faithful customer ever since. “Maytag pretty much owns the market here. It’s like cheese to Wisconsin,” he chuckles. Not only do these machines save him from laundry disasters, but he’s also taken time to understand them intimately — something like a marriage with a great warranty.
DISTRIBUTOR RELATIONSHIPS: NOT JUST FOR MARRIED COUPLES
Olson recently teamed up with E. Weinberg Supply & Equipment, and let’s just say it’s off to a great start. “My sales rep is faster than a sock disappearing in the dryer,” he asserts. Quick responses and helpful advice are invaluable when you’re trying to run a business in rural America — where DIY repairs often lead to DIY disasters. His motto? “You need a partner who can keep up with your laundry escapades.”
WISDOM FROM THE WASHBIN
Now, one might expect now-seasoned Olson to be doling out complex business strategies, but no! His advice is straightforward and delightfully snarky:
- Know your machines. “If you’re calling for help every time something breaks, you might as well throw your wallet in the dryer.”
- Find a reliable distributor. “Someone who knows their way around your equipment is worth their weight in detergent.”
- Reinvest constantly. “Keep money in your business like it’s an endless pocket for clean socks.”
- Build service relationships. “You need a network that’s quicker than the spin cycle to save your business.”
- Don’t overextend. “Be smart about your investments—too many laundromats lead to a washing machine empire in chaos.”
With six stores under his belt and more dreams in his laundry basket, Olson isn’t hitting the brakes anytime soon. If he spots a prime property in a quaint town, his eyes light up like a fresh load of laundry. “We’re always looking,” he declares. “If we can snag another, we’ll rinse and repeat!”
