Durham Laundrocenter

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. At midnight, when Durham Laundrocenter’s fluorescent lights flicker on, a regular hears an odd voice over the intercom. ‘Your clothes are waiting,’ it says, but only once every week or so. One day, a delivery driver hears the voice and rushes in, frantic. The attendant shakes her head: 'No one’s here.' Later, standing outside, she whispers to a regular, ‘Probably just our ghost washer.’ The neighbor nods knowingly: ‘Yep, he likes his quiet time with the dryers.’

2. In the early hours of morning, a delivery driver pulls up to Durham Laundrocenter and asks curiously: ‘Why does everyone here seem to be ironing money?’ The laundrocenter manager looks up from his iron and says with a smile: ‘Oh, you’re new around here? That’s not money they’re ironing—it’s our special fabric softener sheets!’ The delivery driver scratches his head and mutters, ‘I’ll remember that next time I come for my dry cleaning.’

3. At midnight, when Durham Laundrocenter’s fluorescent lights flicker on, a delivery driver pulls up to the building and shouts, ‘Hey, did anyone order a load of laundry tonight?’ No one answers, so he yells again, ‘Laundry pickup or delivery? It’s your lucky night!’ Suddenly, an old lady pokes her head out from behind the laundry machines, muttering something about ‘not another prank caller.’ The delivery driver shrugs and drives away, leaving Durham Laundrocenter to its late-night hum of washing machines.

4. At dawn, when Durham Laundrocenter’s doors usually remain locked, a delivery driver pulls up with a mysterious package. The driver whispers something to himself and carefully places the box on the counter. Inside is a basket of freshly laundered clothes—except for one sock that keeps appearing in random neighbors’ dryer compartments every week. It turns out it belongs to nobody but everyone. The legend lives on.