Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1950-05-09

handle the work, sometimes leav-
ing backlog for not-so-blue Mon
day.
Auto Tvatt depends on speed
more than price for its appeal;
cost is 2.40 kr (about 4S cents)
per nine pounds, or roughly equal
ling the charge for an equivalent
amount of work done by the con-
ventional, slow-motion laundry.
People from all over the city bring
clothes by the suitcase and satchel
full, but do none of the processing
themselves greater volume
can be handled by the hard-pres-~
sed machines, if the work is done
by trained attendants. Customers
pick up their bundles, still wet-dry
but soon ready for ironing, the
same afternoon or the following
day.
Dutch-American Enterprise
It took the combined efforts
of an American and Dutchman
to quicken the snail's pace of the
Stockholm wash day. Ken Park
hurst, now studying at Amherst
College, Mass, first had the idea
of establishing the quick service
laundry while attending Stock
holm University's American Col
lege in 1913. After meeting Nieu-
borg, Dutch student who speaks
English like an American, the
two set about starting a revolution
amongst the wash tubs.
In Brussels, Vienna and in
numerous German cities. setting
up a launderette has presented
no great obstacles but in dollar
conscious Sweden it's a different
matter. Here, acquiring an i'm
port license for such items as
American (none other would do)
washing machines is like pulling
teeth.
Red Tape, Too
. At first Parkhurst figured he
had the answer, simply by pur-
chasing the equipment in tn e
, States with his own funds and
| then shipping it to Stockholm, with
no loss of dollars to Sweden. But
, he hadn't considered the view
point of the Swedish government,
/ which is in no mood to encourage
, foreign investment. Before they
| l,ch
. on this point. Parkhurst and Nieu-
J borg pleaded their case and pa
, tiently warmed their chairs in
more than dozen government Of
. fees and committees.
That was only a part of the
problem of getting the business
in motion. Finding a location in
housing tight Stockholm was
something of stickler. until the
search turned up a dark basement
along semi-residential Vanadis-
gatan. Even then, windows had to
be put in, the floor level lowered,
tile flooring laid. a boiler and
plumbing installed, interior dec
orations made, and a host of other
details worked out before Svensk
Auto Tvatt could ring up an ore
of income.
Tough Beginning
With no more background in
the laundry trade than most other
bachelors, Nieuborg as the operat-
ing manager found he had lot to
learn about the business - like
which soap is good and which is
just foamy, and that it's not good
practice to dump red socks into
tub full of white shirts and
pillow cases. Since no service
facilities are available in Sweden
for the Bendix machines, Nieuborg
has to be his own repairman and
trouble-shooter. No hot shot
electrician by training or trade, he
had to learn what makes the
machines tick by tearing one apart
and putting it together again. APP
parently he learned well, for the
experimental washer runs smooth
ly as ever.
: Washing Once a Month
"Swedes think the idea of fast
service is fine" Nieuborg says.
but they have to be educated in