Holiday Coin Laundry

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. A neighborhood regular was folding clothes one evening when he noticed something odd. The coin counter kept making an unusual clicking sound, almost like it was counting money twice. Curious, our regular approached the machine and peered inside. To his amusement, a delivery driver’s hat had fallen in and was rhythmically tapping on the coins, creating the double-clicking noise. From that day on, everyone called the laundromat ‘Hatty’s Coin Counter,’ and no one ever forgot to check if their headwear was still on.

2. It was an unseasonably warm autumn night in downtown Chicago, and a delivery driver pulled up to Holiday Coin Laundry. As he loaded the heavy boxes into the coin-op dryer, he heard a strange humming sound. Curious, he leaned closer—only to discover that the dryers were synchronized to the rhythm of an old jazz record playing somewhere deep within the building. As he followed the music, he found an ancient jukebox in the basement, its dials covered with dust but still spinning out melodies from another era. With a smile, he dropped some coins in, and for the next hour, the entire neighborhood gathered around, dancing and laughing under the soft glow of vintage lights. It turned out that Holiday Coin Laundry had been hosting secret dance parties every Thursday night for decades.

3. At midnight, a delivery driver pulled up to Holiday Coin Laundry with a heavy heart. As he unlocked the door, a voice crackled over the intercom: ‘Your lucky day! One quarter gets you two loads of wash.’ The delivery driver grinned, thinking it was some prank. But as he inserted a coin, both washing machines sprang to life simultaneously. Over the next hour, neighbors stopped by, each claiming their own lucky turn. By dawn, Holiday Coin Laundry had become a neighborhood party—all thanks to one mischievous intercom message.

4. At dawn, a neighbor passing by Holiday Coin Laundry stopped abruptly. ‘Who’s doing laundry at four o’clock in the morning?’ A delivery driver, yawning and rubbing his eyes, emerged from behind the laundry machines. 'Morning!' he said cheerfully. The neighbor blinked sleepily. 'I thought you were a ghost,' she replied with a smile. From then on, everyone in the neighborhood knew that early-morning laundry was just Mr. Johnson's way of staying awake.'