A Trip to the Spruce Goose

When I was in college I had a roommate who didn’t do laundry weekly or even every other week. He did laundry when he was reaching the limits of his ability to carry his laundry bag. I have never had that many clothes, do not want that many clothes, and will not have that many clothes. I have a week’s worth of clothing.

When I’m at home that’s all well and good but when I’m travelling it means that I may need to do laundry every now and again. I could have had the hotel send my clothes out but I retain the old-fashioned American quality of frugality (even in the extreme) and I simply refuse to pay $200 a week to have my laundry done. On this trip I brought exactly one week’s worth of clothes so that meant that today I needed to make a trip to the rather improbably named “Spruce Goose” launderette. Howard Hughes does not appear to have been involved in any way.

The Goose is located on a tiny sidestreet but, after a few false steps, I managed to find my way there and wash and dry my clothes. Ironing will come later. I do have an ironing board and iron in my room. All told, it cost me about $12 (not counting my time).

What do coin-ops cost in the States these days?

6 comments… add one
  • jan Link

    “When I was in college I had a roommate who didn’t do laundry weekly or even every other week.”

    Every month or so suits my son.

    As for the Spruce Goose, it appears to be a laundromat with ambiance — very quaint!

  • MaryRose Jeffry Link

    It is $1.25 for washing. It is the dryers that cost you. $.25 for 10 minutes which adds up if you have jeans and towels.

  • A very small load of washing cost 4 pounds 40 pence–that’s just about $8. Some detergent for another pound ($1.90). You get 10 minutes of drying for a pound. I spent one pound 50 p.

  • The exchange rate is really awful. I’m used to thinking that a pound is $1.50.

  • steve Link

    $4 for a regular load and $5 for a large capacity machine where we are. Drying is $0.25/10 minutes.

    Steve

  • Andy Link

    That’s a pretty bad rate. When I lived in th UK in the late 1990’s it was about 1.65 and that was, at the time, pretty bad.

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