JANUARY 14, 2023 / JOHNNY
photos by Kenta Hasegawa courtesy Suppose Design Office
Every day is a holiday, even if it’s laundry day. At least that’s the idea behind Laundry Holiday, a laundromat in Ehime prefecture the underwent a drastic facelift last year, rebranding itself as a community-centered gathering spot where neighbors can come together, get chores done and, of course, eat ice cream.
Located minutes from the coast and sandwiched between Japan’s Inland Sea and the lush mountains of Shikoku, Laundry Holiday was previously a dilapidated laundromat that had served the community for years but time had taken its toll. With offices in Tokyo but also nearby Hiroshima, Suppose Design Office was hired to transform the laundromat into a space where doing chores didn’t feel like doing chores.
The architects retained the existing facade but in a way that feels brand new. They also incorporated wood and transparent, corrugated sheets that create a bright and open feel while connecting the laundromat to the rest of the neighborhood. The folding tables even double as ping-pong tables! […]
More: Laundry Holiday in Ehime Combines Laundromat and Ice Cream Parlor
A family-friendly version of the dive bars in New Orleans with washing machines in the back for unsteady patrons. I seem to recall James Booker taking off his clothes and playing his gig in his underwear while he washed them at the Maple Leaf Bar.
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Great story!
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Here’s a clip of Booker’s last gig at the Maple Leaf (where I washed clothes between beers myself, although I always got home a few socks short). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xpHSzhBK5A
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Wow a sad loss for th rest of us!
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