How I’d structure a laundromat deal to make $160K a year with $0 down

Happy Tuesday!

Last week I wrote about why laundromats are one of my favorite acquisition targets:

• Recession-resistant

• Minimal staffing

• Consistent cash flow

• And an industry full of retiring owners who haven’t modernized in decades

Today I want to get into the specifics:

How I’d actually structure a laundromat deal, and what the numbers can look like when it’s done right. 👇

Rodrigo bought a $1.25M mechanic shop and is on track for 250% ROI in year one after joining Acquisition Ace.

“It was everything... you can have all the tools there. You have all the information. We have all the calls. We have people to rely on, ask questions if we need to. Everything is there. Now it’s on you if you want to achieve something with that... Without it, I wouldn’t be here.”

He went from running a Turo car rental business to owning a 32-year-old mechanic shop with clean books and strong cash flow.

👉 Want access to all the tools, calls, and people you need to succeed? Book a call with our team here.

How to buy a $500K laundromat with zero out of pocket

The financing approach combines three sources: an SBA loan, a seller note, and a small investor contribution.

The SBA covers 90% of the purchase price - $450K on a $500K deal (Laundromats can be harder to get SBA financing on since they are cash heavy businesses. You need one with clean financials.)

The seller provides a 5% note ($25K) on full standby for the life of the loan, meaning no payments for at least 10 years.

The bank counts that standby note toward the buyer’s required equity injection.

That leaves just $25K - the remaining 5% - which can come from a private investor in exchange for 10% equity in the business or out of your own cash.

Total out of your own pocket: zero or 25k depending on the strategy.

What the numbers can actually look like

A $500K laundromat generating $35K per month across three revenue streams - self-service machines, vending, and wash-and-fold services - with monthly expenses around $20K leaves approximately $15K in monthly profit, or $180K annually.

At 90% ownership (your investor holds 10%), your share comes to roughly $160K per year.

On zero personal cash invested, that’s a massive return in year one.

The $20K in monthly expenses breaks down across the loan payment, utilities, rent, labor, and maintenance.

None of it is unpredictable or hard to model, which is another reason laundromats work well for first-time buyers.

The cost structure is straightforward and the revenue is consistent.

(Inside Acquisition Ace, members learn how to combine SBA financing, seller notes, and investor capital to structure deals like this, and how to find investors when you need them. To see how our community can help you on your path to business ownership, book a call with our team here.)

What the time commitment looks like

In the first six months, plan for five to ten hours a week.

You’ll be setting up remote monitoring systems, making any needed updates to the space, coordinating maintenance, and getting your attendant dialed in.

After that initial setup period, a well-run laundromat with the right systems in place can operate with very limited owner involvement.

It’s not zero (and no business truly is).

But it’s about as close to semi-passive as you’ll find in the small business acquisition world.

Now, it’s important to note that the deal structure I described isn’t a guarantee.

Numbers vary by market, and finding the right location takes legwork.

But the framework is solid.

And this is the same logic that makes laundromats consistently attractive acquisition targets.

They’re boring, essential, cash-flowing, and underestimated by almost everyone who walks past them.

If you’d like help finding and structuring opportunities like this, the Acquisition Ace community is where thousands of members are actively doing that work.

👉 Book a call with my team here to see how we can help you secure your first acquisition.