James Adams already is the owner of three businesses. But back in 2006 he and his partners, Rita Richards and Tony Ivey, were interested in starting another. It was a drive around Fort Mill, S.C. presented a coin operated laundry business opportunity.

"We looked around and there was no laundry in the area," he said, adding that the nearest vended laundry was some distance away. All agreed they hit on a good business idea.

Interviewing Distributors

Adams is candid in describing his first contact with a distributor, "I just didn't feel comfortable with the sales person," he said. So the group moved on and spoke with an IPSO distributor. They were sold.

Fantastic Financing

While impressed with the guidance of his distributor out of the gate and the after-sale support that followed, Adams and his partners were blown away by IPSO's finance department.

"The store was financed easier than you can finance a car," Adams joked, "it's a great finance department."

With equipment and financing in place, the 2,000-square-foot Lucille's Laundry opened in 2006 off Highway 21 in Fort Mill.

The Future

Though Lucille's has been open just over a year, already there's talk of adding a second coin laundry business within the next 12 months.

"It will definitely be IPSO," Adams said of the second location. "I know IPSO ... they're right on it."

Advice to Investors

Adams is quick to point out a misconception that laundries should be built in low-income areas.

"Really look at the area real good," he said, adding that Lucille's is situated in a middle class neighborhood and doing quite well. He also recommends that investors need to be patient.

"Don't think it's an overnight deal ... you have to be patient."