Kmart (Troy, Mich.) is opening a coin-op laundry facility, called Kwash, inside its store in Iowa City, Iowa. Expected to open by early June, the laundry facility will offer 31 washers and 30 dryers of varying sizes, along with free Wi-Fi service, wash and fold service, a children’s play area, and a laundry attendant on site, says Kim Freely, a spokesperson for Kmart.
The laundry services will be attached to the store so that customers can shop while their clothes are being washed, or chose to shop online while waiting. “You can do all of your shopping right there and after an hour, you can pick it up,” says Freely.
The company says the Iowa City Kwash will serve as a test market, with no plans for additional locations.
A wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corp., Kmart operates 1327 Kmart stores across 49 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The company plans to close 21 Kmart stores in 2010.