At the very least one member of The Chicks is able to make good with San Antonio. Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist Emily Strayer will open SOAP Laundry Lounge, a swanky laundromat and occasional bar at 900 Oblate Dr., on December 4.
Though Strayer and her husband, musician Martin Strayer, are sometimes on the street, they bought the constructing as a long-term funding of their adopted hometown. She envisioned the spot as each a neighborhood amenity and a neighborhood hub.
“SOAP was born from the concept that on a regular basis duties will be pleasant,” Emily Strayer says in a launch. “I needed to create an area that’s not simply purposeful however inspiring, a spot that brings individuals collectively and helps elevate how we reside, even within the easiest moments, like laundry.”
SOAP Laundry Lounge clients can make amends for emails whereas dealing with their chores.Photograph courtesy of SOAP Laundry Lounge
The laundromat portion of the 5,500-square-foot constructing gives 64 gradual water, energy-saving machines — 28 washers and 36 dryers — outfitted with the Aquawing Ozone Laundry System, a hospital-grade sanitization expertise that kills 99.9 p.c of micro organism and viruses.
Along with self-service, SOAP gives a wash-and-fold possibility beginning at $4 per wash. The laundromat makes use of a card-based fee system, which permits clients to load funds by way of money, card, or EBT. The playing cards can be utilized all through the idea, together with the espresso bar.
The drinks take at the least among the drudgery out of the much-hated chore. The menu features a full roster of espresso drinks, teas, lemonades, and pastries alongside a couple of seasonal favorites like a Mexican mocha and a peppermint chilly brew. With the complimentary WiFi, the idea nearly features like a coworking house.
A view of SOAP Laundry Lounge’s fashionable inside.Photograph courtesy of SOAP Laundry Lounge
Though they couldn’t do a lot with the machines, Austin-based FÖDA conceived an inside to look far totally different from most dirty laundromats. Pure supplies, a heat colour palette, bubble-inspired particulars, and tons of lighting make the inside look removed from sterile.
Strayer says she just isn’t by means of investing within the Alamo Metropolis, hinting at some long-term plans.
“I needed to spend money on one thing that actually belongs to San Antonio,” she provides in an announcement. “SOAP is only the start. I hope to proceed increasing choices that make on a regular basis life a little bit extra stunning for our neighborhood.”
After the invite-only grand opening celebration, SOAP Laundry Lounge can be open day by day from 7 am-10 pm., with the final wash at 9 pm.
