The problem with most high-profit businesses is that you spend so much time on the job, you have little free time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. But coin-operated laundries are different. They’re low-maintenance, recession-proof, and you can make as much as $200,000 a year, working only part-time hours. But you have to know what you’re doing. And with our guide, you will.

You’ll get an in-depth overview of the industry — where it’s been and where it’s likely to go — and learn everything you need to know before launching your own self-serve laundry business including:

The New Laundromat

The coin-operated laundry industry has undergone a revolution. No longer dingy, unsafe, boring places that customers must endure on a weekly basis, laundromats are becoming fun and attractive multiservice centers that customers enjoy visiting. “The industry is now getting a facelift,” says Brian Wallace, president and CEO of the Coin Laundry Association, a national association for self-service laundry owners. “There’s a trend toward coin laundries being more comfortable for the customer.” The newer laundries have snack bars, a place to leave off and pick up dry cleaning, and video games. Some of them don’t even use coins. Instead, customers use swipe cards that subtract the cost of the wash or dry, much like a phone card or debit card. Many laundry owners also employ attendants to keep an eye on the store and help customers use the equipment.