Fresh out of the dryer

An essential service will return to Carrington this week.

Main Street Laundry, a coin-operated laundromat on west Main Street, opens July 22.

The laundromat is located in the former JOB Welding building on the 1300 block of Main. Tyler and Preston Carr purchased the property in 2022, which they use as a shop for their construction business, Carr Construction. In March, they started remodeling the building into a salon and laundromat, and as of Tuesday, gas line connections to the dryers and finishing touches were all that remained before they could officially open their doors.

Although it looked rough on the outside when they purchased it, "The building is still in really good shape," Tyler said. The steel beam construction is sound, and with new spray foam insulation, exterior siding and trim, and interior finish work, the building is set for decades of future use.

All new plumbing was installed, with room for future expansion of the laundromat if demand warrants it.

For now, there are five washers and five dryers, all front-loading machines. Four of the washers hold twice the capacity of a standard household machine. There is also one jumbo washer, capable of holding the equivalent of four standard loads. A king size comforter should fit comfortably, the Carrs said. On the dry side, there are three standard and two jumbo dryers.

Customers will also find a utility sink, folding table, chairs and laundry carts.

Coin operated soap, softener and bleach dispensers, as well as a change machine and ATM, are onsite for convenience. The change machine accepts $1, $2, $5, $10 and $20 bills.

Main Street Laundry will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with camera surveillance for safety and security.

There is angled parking available for laundromat customers along the north side of the building, with a handicapped accessible ramp in the works.

Preston was the one who suggested also renovating space for a laundromat, Tyler added, noting that people were driving out of town for those services. The community has gone without a laundromat for 6 years, since Sunspot Laundry owners Marvin & Connie Dunn closed their business and retired in 2018.

In addition to the laundromat, the property is also the new home for three local stylists.

Studio Five owner Leah Carr and stylist Brenda Ekren have relocated from a storefront in downtown Carrington. Holly Stangeland, owner of Hollydazzle, is also operating her salon out of the new space. The salon is located on the east side of the building, facing downtown.

The salon officially opened in the new space on June 10, per a Facebook post by Stangeland.