Reader: In praise of Smiley’s, no longer the world’s largest laundromat

Patricia Calhoun's post about the end of Smiley's, once the world's largest laundromat, sparked a lot of nostalgia among our readers, who associate it with a lot more than an often-unpleasant but necessary task. Here's an example from someone who thinks there's still a place for laundromats in the 21st...
By Michael RobertsApril 12, 2013
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Patricia Calhoun’s post about the end of Smiley’s, once the world’s largest laundromat, sparked a lot of nostalgia among our readers, who associate it with a lot more than an often-unpleasant but necessary task.

Here’s an example from someone who thinks there’s still a place for laundromats in the 21st Century.

Fred Kaplan writes:

Laundromats are a dying breed. I like to go when I have large items to wash because of their large washers. They are also great when you have 5 or more loads since it saves a lot of time. While the crowd there was always “interesting,” at least during day and evening hours you could feel safe.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword‘s news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor’s degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master’s degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

michaelrobertscolo@gmail.com
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