Medina Laundromat rebuilds after fire

Photo by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Rich Colonna, center, is pictured with his children Jeff and Lindsey. The family is working to rebuild the Washboard Willy’s Laundromat that burned in a May 23 fire on Starr Street in Medina.

Colonna opened the Washboard Willy’s in 2001. The family opened a second Laundromat last December on maple Ridge Road.

Customers there have asked that the Starr Street location be reopened, Colonna said. He said it has been inconvenient for many of the Starr Street customers, who often need to find rides to get their laundry done on maple Ridge Road.

Photo by Tom Rivers

Washboard Willy’s should reopen in February or March after extensive renovations. A new roof should be on by the end of next week. Colonna wants the site to be closed up before winter, then the new electric, plumbing and gas will be installed.

The new laundry machines will use less energy, water and soap.

Photo by Tom Rivers

The family said they could have bulldozed the site and sold the property. But they wanted laundry services to be available for residents in the immediate neighborhood.

Jeff, Lindsey and their brother Kevin, a sheriff’s deputy, all work with their father in the business, which is a demanding enterprise.

“It’s seven days a week, 24 hours a day,” Jeff Colonna said. “It has to be cleaned daily.”

Provided photo

Rich Colonna says the fire from May 23 remains under investigation. He said he is grateful for the quick response from the Medina Fire Department at 2 in the morning.