Originally Posted by Hotrocket

2:1 is washers to dryers is ok, it wouldnt hurt to have a cpl extra dryers above that, some people have washers and just come to dry the clothes, especially on rainy days if they use a clothes line...
Another thing to consider is you may want to look into buying a couple large load capacity washers so customers can wash comforters and bedspreads, a lot of people that do have washers and dryers at home will use a laundomat for this reason only, + you can get a little more $ per use..

Also as some have pointed out above, wash and fold service is a good money maker and will keep the attendant busy, (truck drivers and single men make up a large segment of wash n fold customers) also you can contract with a local Dry Cleaners and offer Dry Cleaning service as well, that really doesnt add anything to the overhead, all you need is a rack to hang the orders on for pick up and generally some cloth or mesh laundry bags for the orders as they are brought in. You wont make a great deal profit, but its an added service to offer to your customers.

Yes purchasing an existing facility is also an option, just consider the neighborhood, sometimes what happens with laundromats is they lose their customer base after awhile if they are in neighborhoods that are a little older, people tend to use the closest facility to them and as time goes on, people that couldnt afford washers and dryers when they initally moved into their homes finally aquire them and no longer use the neighborhood laundromat.
Another thing to consider is the rent to own stores have cut into this timeline a bit over the years as well..

The most important thing to be wary of when purchasing an existing facility is the age of the equipment and potiental maintenance that could add to the real cost of the facility. Also if you have a particular facility in mind, keep an eye on it over a week or 2, drive by, do a customer count or go in and see how many machines are being used at various times through out the day, you might even do a load or 2 of your own and hang out for awhile as well as see if the machines seem to be in good condition. Late afternoons and early eve's are typically the busiest times as well as weekends (saturdays mostly) you will find that young mothers with children tend to show up right after they pick the kids up from school in the afternoon.
(not a bad idea to have a TV or 2 on hand to keep the kids occupied...lol)