History has produced some terrific enemies over the years: dogs and cats, Hatfields and McCoys, cellphones and laundry machines.
Now, thanks to technology, a Felton laundry is getting a facelift that could lead some to consider phones and wash not such a bad mix after all.
Technological spin cycle
For more than 20 years, the Speed Wash in Felton was a typical self-service laundry, with the necessary facilities to wash and dry clothes and little else.
Since buying the business in October, Watsonville native Rich Maddy has upgraded his equipment to be compatible with modern smartphones.
Maddy, who spent his career installing laundry machines as proprietor of Central Coast Commercial Laundries, partnered with American Dryer Corp. Vice President Tony Regan to install the Clean View Media Network in three self-service laundries in Santa Cruz County. They consider it a beta test before taking the system nationwide, which they plan to do later this year.
So far, Maddy has installed four ADC dryers that feature the network feeds on video screens built into the dryer doors. The screens display local weather, news, horoscopes, trivia items, paid local advertising and the occasional contest.
“It’s been a piece at a time,” Maddy said. “I’ve never seen this anywhere else.”
He said the advertising on the screens would offer local businesses, even those not on the Internet, a chance to have a Web presence, as all advertisers would have profile pages made for them that customers could visit for coupons and information by way of a smartphone scan or text code.
“It’s all green and paperless,” Maddy said. “It’s taking a company that has no Web presence and bringing them into the 21st century.”
‘Nice, peaceful vibe’
In addition to modernizing the laundry machines, Maddy enlisted local artist Will Northcutt to create a mural displaying scenes from Felton’s history along the walls.
Northcutt, whose work includes the mural along the side of the Mountain Spirit store on Felton Empire Road, said he was trying to create a “nice, peaceful vibe” that reflected Felton’s history and natural beauty.
His mural depicts historical spots in Felton and former incarnations of local landmarks, but astute art aficionados might also recognize some familiar faces. Northcutt borrowed a few of Felton’s present cast of characters for his scenes, including Outback Trading Post owner Clare Campbell on horseback, one of the baristas from the White Raven and all four of Maddy’s sons in classic cars.
“I had the opportunity to represent this town,” he said. “It’s all authentic Felton history.”
Maddy said he had had to do some sleuthing to track down Northcutt, whose previous works had made an impression.
“I am amazed by this guy,” he said. “I am amazed by his details.”
Information about the laundry facilities is available by email at
ri**@dr******.com
.
