HYDE SQ.—A laundromat that has served as a basic community resource and chatting spot for decades re-opened last week after changing owners and a four-month closure and remodel.
The Jamaica Plain Laundry Centre at 410 Centre St. closed in late May.
The new owners, the Demopoulos family, have installed new washers and dryers and new TVs and are providing free Wi-Fi for their customers. The Demopouloses are also the property’s landlords.
“We’re very excited to be back in the community,” said Stella Demopoulos.
“I think this is going to be a nice fresh start,” she said.
Besides filling a basic need, the Laundry Centre was known for its outdoor benches, where Hyde Square’s residents often hung out and chatted, a perk Demopoulos intends to keep: her father, John, built brand new benches to match the new facilities.
The laundromat is located across the street from the future Whole Foods. Gentrification was a major concern in the laundromat’s closure, though a laundry employee told the Gazette before the closure that Whole Foods is not a factor.
A large rent increase was the reason for the closure, then-employee Sara Castellanos told the Gazette. John Demopoulos previously told the Gazette he sought a minor rent increase.
When asked if they hired any former laundry employees, Stella Demopoulos said, “At the moment, it’s a family-run business.”