QuikTrip area real estate manager, Alan Renner, said Monday that the former QuikTrip location in Maplewood — 3010 S. Big Bend Boulevard — which closed June 4, 2014, may be used as a laundromat.
QuikTrip has a lease on the corner until 2019 and has been looking for a lease buy-out since they moved to a new location at Manchester and Big Bend.
Renner said a “laundry-type facility” was the last thing he heard talked about for the corner. “Not a dry cleaner, but a self-serve laundry, and possibly adding a little space onto the building — and possibly having a second small retail use there as well, but that’s very preliminary.”
He said he hopes to have the buy-out done this week, worst-case scenario, next week. “We’ll come to an agreement. It’s just a matter of getting the paperwork passed around, and basically QuikTrip will be out of the site.”
I guess everyone has forgotten, or did not know, that from the early 1970s up until 10 years ago, the space on the south side of the Saratoga parking lot was a laundromat. Services are always needed in every community.
We were hoping that Strange Donuts would move there so we could have easy parking.
Maplewood has a lot of really unique businesses and restaurants that add a lot of character, and I can understand why some people would love to continue that trend. But let’s not forget that there are plenty of community members who will benefit more from a laundromat than a high end grocer, wine shop or greenspace.
I lived in a Maplewood apartment building that had 2 coin-op washers and dryers for 40+ residents. Would have LOVED a nearby clean, safe laundromat! With an attached cafe would be a plus, as others have suggested.
They lied maybe they can limited the hours of operation
Well, not every new place in M’wood can be a locally sourced artisan craft James Beard award-winning whatnot. Sometimes we get businesses that are actually useful for a lot of people, even if the business seems . . . common. While the neighborhood behind the QT is all houses (presumably with W/D) and could care less about the laundromat, there are a ton of apartments in town, and local laundry facilities are wanting, to say the least. If they wanted to step it up a notch, though, they’d check out other cities that have bars or cafes connected to the laundromat so that you can do something else in the meantime (e.g., Checkpoint Charlie’s in New Orleans).
There was a place in Seattle just like this called the sit n spin. I was just at checkpoint Charlie’s last week!
What about the comic store on manchester? I thought with all the hype around Marvel, etc. the comic store would be doong well and looking for a more high profile location.
What a waste of high visibility space. I was hoping for a unique destination or niche business to draw people to town. Instead we might get the smell of detergent and fabric softener wafting through the neighborhood. At least it’s not a used car lot.
The irony is that when the QT reps were pitching P&Z for the new location they said the old building would be bulldozed if it wasn’t occupied in one year. Of course, the town didn’t get that as part of the official deal. Kroenke’d again.
I thought that spot would have been ideal for Enterprise Rent a Car now on Manchester. The parking lot is huge enough for a fleet of cars and the building wouldn’t be as cramped as the current site. Also there would be plenty of space for the signing and branding to attract customers as well as the Quick Trip down the street to fill up your rental before returning it.
Good idea, Dave. Maybe someone of Enterprise Rent a Car will come across this post!
I have a washer and dryer in my house but use a commercial laundry mat for comforters and large blankets. Great idea. The other place by Porters is often crowded.
The place by Porter’s Chicken is not clean. The washers seem set to use as little water as possible and clothes don’t smell or feel clean. Maybe some competition would be good.
I love the direction M’wd is going –early (early) Greenwich Village in NY. They are finding ways to combine practical needs with personally creative adventures, drawing out the artists who need clean clothes. i live in B’wd, but loving M’wd’s investment in mom-pop shops and back to the arts and other necessary basics. love, maureen
like your thinking, Maureen.
I think the owners of the business down the street want that location to tell you the truth…
I was hoping an organic food market,wine store, or restaurant would take the space! Not a laundry facility! As everyone has stated, there is one down the street!
Hi Meg, i only know about the one by Porter’s Chicken– Where is the other one? thanks. maureen
By Porter’s- which I use. I am not against a new laundry mat- just not in the highly visible location.
A Laundromat we already have . We could use a good dry cleaner near by.
What would you all like to see go there instead?
I suppose my hope was for something a bit more unique. A creative office space perhaps. Certainly thought a restaurateur may have considered the building a blank slate for something different. Recall Zinnia was a blah building the owner made interesting. Would personally rather have greenspace there than a laundromat in that location.
Total waste of this space, in my opinion. I suppose this is better than a vacant building… barely.
Wow, really? What a joke. That is just about a worse case scenario for that space imho. What can be done to keep this from transpiring?
*worst-case
What a waste for that space. There’s a laundry facility right down the street
there moving to that location from what I understand…