Festiva Laundry

I've got a busy schedule and love the extra early opening time--great for when my husband suddenly needs a "lucky" shirt clean for work. And when I'm *too* busy, I can trust the next day laundry service. If I drop it off first thing in the AM, *sometimes* I can even get it that same evening.

But neither of those are my favorites about Festiva.

+++Festiva is card operated, which means no heavy rolls of quarters to lug in and no dropping loose quarters by a change machine.

+++They always have courteous and professional staff on site to keep things sparkling clean. If I drop damp clean items on the floor, even inside-out underwear, I feel no shame putting them straight into the dryer.

+++The space is well lighted without being blinding, so if I check for spots before I load my wash, I know I won't have set-in stains when I pull it out of the dryer.

+++Not only do they have a no-smoking rule, I've never once seen someone try to sneak a smoke inside. The courtesy and professionalism of the staff seem to rub off on the patrons.

+++They have color security cameras and a TV near the entrances and desk showing rotating views inside and out. You can feel safe with your car and your laundry.

+++If you forgot something, they have the standard one-load vending machine products, but they also have larger items available for sale at the desk. Yeah, it's a heck of a lot cheaper to bring your own detergent, brightener, softener, hangers, etc. but the convenience is nice if you run out of something while you're there.

+++They have a great kids' area (with games, TV, and even homework desks) and they strictly enforce rules about parental supervision--no board kids rummaging though my dryers while mom is grabbing a smoke outside!

+++To keep the grown-ups happy, they have a large number of TVs set to various English and Spanish TV stations; food and beverage vending machines with both fun and semi-healthy choices; even nice tables at which you can read, eat, or do other work. I’ve even been known to meet my husband there for a carryout supper while I do the wash. (Yeah, technically my husband could help, but even the best laundry-mat doesn’t have magical protection against pink socks.) They keep the eating area by the desk and away from the machines, don't worry about a kid with Cheeto-fingers touching your stuff.

+++They have 2 sizes of dryers and 4 sizes of washers and plenty of all the machines to go around. Yeah, weekends are busy like any laundry but, if you go during non-peak times, chances are you can grab your favorite machines.

-+-The dryers are a little pricey, it's 40 cents for the standard and 85 cents for the big, but they give you 10 minuets instead of 8 and the rotating specials on the washers more than make up for that little extra cost.

---The only other drawback is the parking lot. Built on a hill, bring something to shove under the complimentary carts' wheels when bringing your laundry in and out--no sense having it get away from you. There is a loading/unloading parking space next to the handicap one at the base of the hill, but too often someone parks there and stays there until done with their wash.

Is Festiva the closest laundry to my home? Not by a long shot, I've got two laundries within walking distance. But I don't mind driving about a mile to do my wash someplace that feels as comfortable as doing it at home, or maybe even a bit nicer.