Water Water Everywhere

Water was turned on at Bubbles last week. 

You may have assumed we had water - 

probably because you've never tried to open a laundromat in Ukraine.

Assume nothing, and take nothing for granted - even water.

 The construction group Abilit insisted that we had to get permission to and then lay our own water pipe - that the building's water wouldn't work for our store (more work and money for them).

After 50+ trips back and forth to the Lviv Water Department - we were right - and there is no need for extra digging, governmental permissions, and wasted time.

And, though water was turned on last week, it wasn't until today that we received the stamped, signed, stitched, and notarized certificate from the Lviv Water Department that we can show to random governmental inspectors and say, "back off!" 

Counter Cover

Question: How do you make piping like this look neat and tidy - like it belongs in an upscale place- and still have access to it for maintenance?

Solution: Custom counters with a removable front.

Don't forget a utility sink at one end - after all, we're trying to get stains out!

And plenty of  cupboard and storage space.

The removable front lets us fix any problems that may come up, add more machines as demand increases, gives more counter space for folding clean clothes, and keeps the store looking great.  

Parking

Good news is Bubbles is located on one of the most trafficked streets in Lviv - Volodymrya Velykogo.  

The not so good news is that parking is in the back, making it less convenient to access our store from the main street.  

So, we are currently in the process of negotiating this cement slab as a parking lot for Bubbles.  

The other good news is the Bubbles parking sign will be another billboard marker for us once the parking lot becomes a reality.

exterior

Before & After:

New windows, facade, sign and paint.

Of course, before we went from this to this:

 There was a middle time in 'no-man's land' where things were getting done, 

but not getting done correctly.

 

There you have it - the store front we leased and the new one we created.

reflections

We upgraded our Dexter dryers to have a reflective plate 

so when you open the dryer it's like looking in a mirror - sort of.

We've repeated the reflective concept in other aesthetic aspects of the store ...

 We'll give you a little tour - here's the front door and sign with our address and store hours:

When you walk in the beautiful new glass entry, there is an etched glass Bubbles sign and a glass bubble Bubbles chandelier:
 
You then walk through (left) another beautiful glass door and into the actual store. Here is a photo of the almost complete glass counter - there will be another glass Bubbles sign on the grey-stone behind:

The smaller counter on the left will be our smelling bar - where clients can smell the various types of fabric softener and choose what they want their clothes to smell like.
To the right of the counter will be a scale for customers to weigh their clothes for drop off, or to choose the right size washer to clean their own clothes.
Things are definitely coming together.

Getting Closer

And things are looking good in here!

The skeleton for the cover and folding areas around the washing machines is being built. It's really a neat contraption that Benj designed. Once it's complete I'll post pictures of the finished product - complete with removable top and front to get to the pipes for maintenance. 

On a more decorative note, the "bubble" mirrors above the dryers were hung today.

There is a pop singer in Kyiv who's agent heard about our store and the bubble chandelier we're making, and they called to see if they could video her singing in the store in front of the chandelier. Sure! We don't know how this information spreads, but we'll take it.

Every year our business has to be re-tested to make sure we're up to fire code ... different than the fire permissions and certifications. So, yesterday the guy shows up to check all the plugs, outlets, and wiring. Good news, we pass inspection. Bad news is, he's only one of three people who have to sign off on the inspection. He informs us that one signature will require a large bribe, and the other guy is out of town for the next 10 working days. Ugh. But then he catches a vision of how ridiculous all these hoops are that people have to maneuver in, around, and through to open a business in Ukraine ... and he VOLUNTEERS to sign for all three names! Bam! Job done, just like that - he stamps it - and we walk it over to the government agency so they can file it away until next year. No waiting 10 days, no bribes ... it's taken care of.

On a final note for the day, I'd like you to meet our friend 'the Babuska'! And we really are friends. She stops by almost everyday, let's us know she's keeping a close eye on our building and bushes, making sure no one takes anything they aren't supposed to, and asks us for bread money - which we give her. 

 All is well that ends well ... and we really are getting closer!

In The Press

We have a new 'press page' at the top of the blog because press coverage has begun.
This article comes out next week in Ukraine's "Personal Business" magazine.
Here's a brief synopsis - since the picture I took of the article is not legible, and unless you read Ukrainain, it wouldn't really matter if it was readable anyway.
It's a Q & A article - about us, our background with Ukraine, how Bubbles came to be, the services the laundromat will offer, what we expect from employees, what differentiates our business, and what is most important for us in business.
The article highlights two quotes:
"Bubbles is clean clothes, clean life," and "I want to start an honest business in Ukraine."
We explain while trying to hire an experienced accountant we interviewed 25 candidates and asked each the same question: "Is it possible to have an honest business in Ukraine?" Only ONE said it was possible (not a coincidence, that is the one we hired) the other 24 said "no" - you can't have an honest business here.
There are more articles coming, and interviews scheduled ... so there should be more "in the press" images and updates soon!