ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - A new Albany business owner is making it his mission to give back to the east-side community.
Clean Machine Laundry has been open for a month already, but today is their official grand opening. And with that comes some much-needed community resources. Norton Ceramic Grinding Disc
“We actually partnered with the city of Albany for some urban development,” Shane Harris, laundromat owner, said. “So that was one thing, and we also feel like we met a need. There was really only one other laundromat on the east side. And sometimes it’s really full. And so the comments and feedback I’m getting is it’s great to have another option on the east side of Albany.”
For the grand opening, Harris is inviting community members to come wash and dry their clothes for free on Thursday and Friday, something that they’ve seen great participation in so far. Some of the people who have already taken Harris up on the community were the homeless.
“Literally our first customers today were three homeless people,” Harris said. “And then that actually got me thinking that there’s a huge need in outreach for some of the homeless community out here. So, I’m actually going to put something in position where maybe the second Wednesday of every month we’re going to have a day for anyone homeless to come in and bring their stuff in and let’s help get it sanitized and cleaned. And who knows? It may help them get a job. It may help them turn their whole environment around.”
Customers at the laundromat say a service like this is essential, especially for the east side of Albany.
“Its good for the community, and very convenient because everybody doesn’t have cars or is in walking distance,” Dontavious Hall, a customer, said. We needed more wash- we didn’t have but one on this side of town, so I think it was very good for everybody on this side of town.”
“It’s computerized,” Margaret Ransom, a customer, said. “Very good washers and dryers. Clean clothes, dry clothes. That’s what we’re look for. It’s a very good area.”
Many people at the laundromat say it’s great to see more businesses coming into the community. Some even had suggestions for what else they’d like to see come to that area.
“We could do like more restaurants, more places like for the kids to play. Like different stuff like that,” Mercedes Toomer, a customer, said. “Because so many businesses done went out of place. And it’s like really nothing here to do. So yeah I think more restaurants and more places for the kids to play and enjoy themselves.”
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