Friends and Family

Bubbles first "Friends and Family Wash Night" was a success!
It was a great training experience as workers learned how to take 'wash and fold' orders, greet customers, stain removal tips, how to take and process an order start to finish, the importance of keeping orders separate and organized as they transfer from washer to dryer, how to operate the equipment, and customer service training.
Some of these things may seem intuitive, but that is because customer service and how a dryer works may be more common in the culture where you reside.
We also realized some details we've over-looked ... like a coat rack, garbage can in the restroom, and a table for customers to set their complimentary fruit-tea on while they wait for their clothes.
Finally, it was truly rewarding to see people stand in awe as they wash blankets for the first time ever, and feel clothes come out of a dryer, warm and clean.
Here's an updated picture of our work-in-progress Bubbles Chandelier ... a few hundred more bubbles to go, and it's going to be a dazzler!

A Broken Scanner

Before you can open a business in Ukraine, you must submit all the documentation (a moving puzzle game with many parts) to the local government ... then and only then, they submit a form of completion to the national government in Kyiv. Once Kyiv signs off on the paper, the paper is electronically submitted to a national data-base where your business receives a work number to operate. The local government (our case, Lviv) must then print that work number, and then we pick it up, and march it over to the city-council office for it to be filed and on record. No more signatures, but the city-council has to have a record of it before you can do business. 

Stock Photo

This process was painfully close to being complete last Friday ... we had everything submitted through the government in Lviv, and they forwarded their form of completion to Kyiv. We should have received the work number on Monday, allowing us to open our business for customers, but it didn't come.

So, we called to find out what the problem is ... A BROKEN SCANNER. That's right - our final documentation is sitting on a desk in Kyiv waiting to be scanned before it can be electronically submitted and printed off in Lviv, so we can file it with the city-counsel. 

Didn't Adobe solve this problem years ago with electronic signatures and pdf, you may ask? We ask that too - but since said technology hasn't made it this far east ... we are all waiting on a 'technician' to fix the scanner, so we can print, pick-up, drop-off, and file our official work number and finally get this laundromat show on the road!

Metal Trim

How did we get these great looking metal baseboards?

Here's how.
First, go to an industrial metal warehouse like this one.
Try not to think of all those scary Hollywood movies of Ukrainian mafia and torture, because if it does exist ...
this is probably the place it's all happening at.

Once the metal is purchased, and you have safely exited the premises with all extremities attached, find another abandoned looking building where they actually cut the metal. Mind your step, because there is a bit of a moat around this structure ... so good luck traversing (with all that metal) the wood and metal scraps to get to the door. If the first place didn't scare you just a bit - this one is sure to give you the creeps ... and if anything were to happen here ... we're pretty sure there would be no evidence, or remains, to find.

Great - now we're good to go. Have the metal, got it cut, head back to the store to have the baseboards installed ... just another work errand to check off the list for the day. 

Maybe there are some benefits to a desk job.

The Iron

This is Bubble's industrial iron:

It's great for sheets and other non-pleated items.

You need two people to operate it correctly. 

They stand on either side, and feed the sheets through - pulling tight on each side to eliminate edge wrinkles. Then in about 7 seconds the finished, pressed, and ironed product comes out the bottom ... 

Only time (and a few lucrative hotel contracts) will tell if it was worth the pretty penny it costs. 

Here's a demo:

Did you know there are machines in America that wash, dry, iron, and fold sheets and towels - all in ONE machine. Yes, they are several hundred-thousand dollars to buy ... but isn't that incredible?
Who knew the laundry business had so many facets.

Washing Up a Storm

Though not officially open for business (still waiting on that 'declaration' document) we had an employee training meeting today and invited each worker to bring a load of wash from home. Who doesn't love washing clothes at work?
It was good for us too, since we were able to run the machines, fix a leaky pipe, and show everyone how great the Dexter products are. The wash is done in 26 minutes and the clothes are dried in 30 - it's amazing - perhaps life changing.
So fast, so efficient, and so much better. Plus, Dexter machines really do look sharp. Aside from the quick turn-around time for washing, everyone was very impressed with the dryers - how fluffy and soft sheets and towels can feel, how clean and warm the finished product is compared to line drying.

See the woman in the red turtleneck and blue coat (far right) - that is the worker who tied two thousand bowline knots in the fishing line for the Bubble's chandelier.





Here is a video of the back of the gas dryer - sort of boring (nothing happens) but you can see why it was so important to have gas ... gas dryers just don't work the same without gas!

First Load

Bubbles ran the first load of wash today - a personal load of sheets and towels. Hot soapy water, working pipes, gas run dryers spinning, glowing lights that show things are properly installed ... all good signs.

Though not yet officially open for business (a few more stamps and signatures), we are finally able to run the machines, and thrilled to do our first loads of wash in Ukraine's first self-serve and full-service laundromat.

Sewage Connection

Abilit, the not so honest construction firm, insisted that we had to create our own sewage line - rather than taking the less expensive, more obvious road of connecting to the land-lord's existing line. So, we went through the lengthy, time consuming, headache causing process of getting 'official' documentation from the water and sewage department that insists we connect to the landlord's line rather than dig our own. In a meeting with Abilit two weeks ago this situation was among those discussed on our list of grievances ... we explained we were not paying more money and spending more time on construction to put in our own line, showed them the official paper from the water and sewage department and told them to connect us to the landlord. They consented.
So, we were a little confused yesterday when this crane, six workers and all this equipment showed up and started putting in a separate sewage connection. Apparently there isn't a lot of communication within the Abilit structure - we told the man in charge of the dig that we weren't paying for any of the parts or labor they were using to create our own sewage line - that we already agreed to connect directly to the landlord.
Well, that did not go over well at all - and a conversation of more expletives than actual words ensued. We ended up bringing in three other engineers, and our local attorney ... they installed the thing anyway ... and we are not paying for it.
Whatever.
As long as we're connected (finally) that is the main thing ... because we can't turn on washers if there is no where for the dirty water to go.

AMAZING

While we've had more than a few run-ins and set-backs with construction, permissions, and the firm doing our work ... we've also had lots of second and third opinions on the work that has been completed. And, the really great news is, all those added opinions from engineers, the gas, water, and electrical departments are all very impressed with the quality of construction, piping, and work that has been completed. 

That's all fine and well. It's costing enough, taking long enough, and giving enough grey-hairs and premature wrinkles that it should be done well. 

Saturday another plumber came to do some work. He was truly in awe with all the piping and work that we've put in. His response, similar to too many local responses to mention, was something like:

"Wow, this is a lot of work. You must have been at this for what ... a year-and-a-half? Two years?"

No. Four-plus months, thank you very much. 

But here in lies a major problem ... all the local people are patting themselves on the back for doing so much in such a short period of time, and we are banging our heads against the wall saying "why is this taking so long!" Different perspectives? Maybe. Different expectations? Certainly.

Blending American and Ukrainian building and business techniques requires a bit of finesse and patience that we are trying to cultivate.

Changing Laws

A week ago we were fretting about a certain document we had to have ... we found out yesterday that the law that requires that document is no longer valid.
Great news for us ... hurrah!
But that hurrah, as is often the case in Ukraine, was short lived.
Because, today a new document was discovered that we must have before we could open Bubbles.
So, the better part of the day has been spent running around (which on over-trafficked cobble-stone streets takes far more time than it should) trying to figure out if we need this document ... how to expedite it's six-week processing time, and if anyone in this whole country knows for sure what documents are and are not needed.
It's a wonder that any businesses at all, other than government, exist in Ukraine.

Question?

How many Ukrainians does it take to clean the floor?

Not as many as it takes to make a Bubble Chandelier. 

Good News

Who's the most powerful man in town?
Mayor - No, he's elected and can be ousted.
Mafia - a Hollywood farce. Please.
Okay, that was sort of a trick question, since it isn't a single person in Lviv ... more like a single entity. And the answer is (drum roll please) - Lviv Gas. Nothing here gets done without the blessing of the gas department (especially if you have industrial dryers that run on gas).
Today Lviv gas came, dug a trench from the main gas-line in the road to our building, laid the gas pip-line, and covered their marks. This is good news for Bubbles, great news for us. Now we just need them to flip the switch and send that clean-burning energy our way.

Covered & Completed Gas Line for Bubbles

To grasp the full-nature of this situation, we have to give a little back story. Before we quit the day job in San Francisco to start this venture, we hired two Ukrainians who are long-time, trustworthy friends to get the business process started. A main task entrusted to their care was to find a location for Bubbles - said location was to have specific capability for the water, gas, and electric needs (all clearly outlined in writing). The location we're in, they said, met all the needs we sent ...

and to be sure, they even sent pictures of the gas pipe-line connected to our building (painted yellow).
So we gave the green-light, and they began the time consuming paper-work process to lease the building.
You can imagine our horror when, in July, we learned that the building does not have gas at all. How can this be?! You even sent pictures of the gas-line to the building before we gave the final okay? "Oh, sorry ... those pictures must have been to a different building," was the only response and explanation we received. While an honest mistake, this 'mix-up' has cost us dearly. Lesson learned - you are only as successful as those who represent you ... and if you want something done correctly, you have to do it yourself.
We then began the arduous process of securing gas for our store. Many, many hours (late nights, early mornings, and full-days of work) were spent meeting people, getting signatures, project approval, and such ... yes, even at times meetings in back seats of cars, because 'offices' are not where such business is conducted.
White gloves were used as many players seemed to emerge with vested interest in how, when, if, and at what cost we were to receive our necessary gas-line - our construction company, and landlord, for example. In truth, the whole scenario has not yet fully been played out. The good news, however, is that we hold the ace - the gas-line - and it is sure to be a meeting of gentlemen that even Georgette Heyer would be proud of.
In addition to the gas-line, yesterday we also received final documentation from the water and sewer department, allowing Abilit (the construction company) to connect our sewer line to the already existing line - rather than building a whole new line, costing more money, and time (which Abilit previously insisted was the only way).
All and all, we'd say it was one of our most productive days since we've been in Ukraine - and that is the good news!

1,500 glass bubbles

Very soon, this lighting feature will be graced with over a thousand hand-blown glass bubbles.
Allyson conceptualized this dramatic chandelier and drew-up the plans to create it. Check out more of her inspiration and creative whiz here.
We call it our "Bubble Chandelier," and it's going to be stunning.
The glass bubbles were blown custom made in various sizes, and some with a different color hue of glass ... the more silver balls will be at the top of the netting.  To attach the glass balls we have hooks and fishing line.  The line is cut to various lengths, then special knots are tied at each end.  Sounds like a laborious process, right? We think so too - and wondered who would want to tie 3,000 special knots. 

Well, it just so happens that over the last couple months we have hired some wonderful employees. One of the ladies who will work in the laundromat once we are up and running volunteered for the task. That's right, volunteered! Refused payment. She said she was so excited to be able to work at Bubbles, and doesn't have a lot going on until it opens, that she is happy to help in any way. That is exactly the type of employee we want to see - Thank you!

Attaching some of the lower-hanging glass-bubbles ... we've always said this is a family business.

The glass-bubbles were delivered in these boxes. Apparently no one thought we would actually take inventory, but it turns out we were shorted a few. The glacier was a bit embarrassed, and is blowing more glass ball for us to complete the order.  So many little details to oversea. 

Devil's in the Details

While it's true, 'the devil's in the details,' detail work can be fun (and a bit more easy than government approvals and documents).  The glass reception area and decor are nearly complete ... Our blue and grey couches arrived ... The wall heaters are installed ... And the custom door to the industrial iron-room was put in place - now we just need to drywall the edges.

We had a brief issue with the piping connection from the washing-machines to the water-line. 

The threads on the American machines did not match any of the connections in Ukraine. We knew this ahead of time, of course, and sent Abilit (the construction people) all the specifics regarding thread-count, sizes, and every possible dimension imaginable. Plus, we sent the crew to Poland to take scrupulous notes on how everything was installed at a similar laundromat that uses Dexter products. 

Needless to say, Abilit forgot this detail, and said it would take THREE weeks and hundreds of dollars to special order parts from America. Oh, the grey-hairs this construction team has caused. We, of course, did what any resourceful, forward-thinking person would do ... found a reputable welder in Lviv to custom make the parts. Done in a day - cost $12 American dollars, and the problem is solved.

20,000 Fliers

Here they are - 20,000 fliers. Front back. Color. For some reason I'm having trouble rotating the image for the blog ... but if you tilt your head, you get the idea.

People love fliers here - putting them on car windshields, handing them out in Center, at King Cross ... fliers are what the people want and expect, we're told.
On a side note, the original fliers had very Mickey Mouse looking bubbles of information, which we mentioned to the marketing team, and asked them to change. The marketing team almost died laughing! They agreed, but said they would have never thought of that - that no one would have made the connection, and that it was 'very American' of us to point it out. Funny.