I’ve been doing this thing that I’m calling “last wash 10 pm,” a photo series of old school laundromats in San Francisco.
growing up in New York, I spent a good portion of my Saturdays in a laundromat with my Dad. we would load up our granny cart with our family’s sheets, towels, and dirty clothes, and head down the block where we could get them all washed, dried and folded in a matter of hours.
they’re rarely glamorous, highly utilitarian third spaces many of us are forced to frequent. I had gotten spoiled by having in-unit laundry while living in San Francisco, but when I moved back to Brooklyn for 2 months in the fall of 2021, we became reacquainted again. quarters were out, and reloadable chip cards were in but pretty much everything else remained the same.
I don’t know what it is I like about them so much, but at this point I can hardly pass one by without taking a photo.
maybe it’s the patterns created by stacked square washers and dryers with round doors. maybe it’s the punny names that all seem to be obsessed with bubbles. maybe it’s the multicolored clothes doing their little dance.
I just know deep down inside that they’re a dying breed, and I should maybe document them when I can.
it feels slightly voyeuristic taking picture of people doing laundry, so I content myself with their unmentionables spinning in machines, on the way to becoming clean (and an occasional dog waiting for his Person to finish chores so they can go for a walk).
so if you have a photogenic laundromat in your neighborhood, please let me know, I will come and discreetly photograph it. I promise not to include you in it (unless you really want).