Everything you need to know about owning a WaveMAX laundromat franchise — the investment, the model, the support, and the brand.
Investment & Costs
Total investment for a WaveMAX laundromat franchise ranges from $1 million to $1.5 million depending on location, size, build-out scope, and equipment configuration. This includes franchise fees, lease and build-out, all commercial Electrolux equipment, signage and branding, technology, and pre-opening marketing.
We require a minimum of $400,000 in liquid cash for investment and a $1 million minimum net worth. These thresholds ensure you can weather the build-out and ramp-up phase confidently and absorb any unexpected costs that arise during opening.
WaveMAX charges a royalty fee on gross sales and a marketing fund contribution. The specific fee percentages, payment schedules, and any ancillary costs are detailed in our Franchise Disclosure Document, which we share early in the discovery process so you can evaluate them in full.
Yes. We work with a network of laundromat-friendly lenders who understand the unit economics of the WaveMAX model. Most franchisees finance a portion of equipment costs and use SBA-eligible financing for build-out, meaning the actual cash required at signing is typically a fraction of the total investment.
Earnings & Profitability
Based on Item 19 disclosure data from 50 stores in 2024, average gross revenue was $471,201 with a median of $436,114. Top-performing single locations reached $713,934 in gross revenue. These figures represent brick-and-mortar revenue only and exclude mobile services and pickup-and-delivery.
Our company-owned Jacksonville store generated $217,762 in net cash flow in 2024 after royalties, marketing, and POS — before equipment financing. With full equipment financing, net income still reached $113,074. Individual results vary by market, operator execution, and ramp speed.
Most WaveMAX locations reach operational break-even within 6-12 months of opening, with full ramp to mature revenue typically taking 18-24 months. Specific ramp curves depend on market, demographics, competitive density, and operator execution. We walk you through realistic projections during discovery.
The Business Model
WaveMAX is a modern laundromat franchise designed to serve working-class neighborhoods with modern Electrolux equipment, fully attended stores, advanced sanitation technology, and a clean, professional customer experience. We are a community-focused brand replacing aging zombiemats with safer, cleaner, more efficient laundry solutions.
Yes. We are a semi-absentee model from day one. Most franchisees commit approximately 10 hours per week in-store handling staffing, KPIs, and oversight — typically 3 days a week at 3 hours per day. Day-to-day operations are run by trained on-site attendants.
We serve blue-collar, working-class families who rely on laundromats as a necessity rather than a luxury. Our stores are located in urban cores, rental-heavy ZIP codes, and underserved communities where laundry demand is consistent. Wash-dry-fold service brings additional upscale customers as a secondary revenue stream.
Yes. WaveMAX is built for multi-unit ownership with structured area development agreements, growth incentives, and operating playbooks for scale. Many of our most successful franchise owners scale from one store to three, five, or more locations across their region.
Training & Support
No. Our training program, operations manual, and ongoing coaching are designed to take qualified business owners from zero to operational confidence. What we look for is operating discipline, capital, and coachability — not industry experience.
Yes. Site selection is a critical differentiator. We use demographic targeting, traffic pattern analysis, competition mapping, and proven location playbooks. We guide you toward working-class ZIP codes and brand-approved locations and help you avoid deals that won't perform — before lease sign-off.
Our team and vendor partners coordinate layout, equipment installation, signage, and the full opening playbook. You focus on decision-making and capital while we manage the execution alongside you. No construction headaches, no figuring it out alone.
Multi-day classroom and on-site training, complete operations manual, marketing templates, KPI dashboards, attendant training programs, opening playbooks, and onboarding support. Plus an active owner network of 75+ franchisees who have already solved the problems you'll face.
Hands-on coaching, monthly KPI reviews, regional meetings, ongoing marketing support, equipment partnerships and pricing, technology and POS support, and direct access to leadership. We are invested in your long-term success — not just collecting royalty checks.
The Brand
WaveMAX operates 75+ locations across the United States and is actively growing. We focus on building durable, cash-flowing businesses with strong unit economics — not opening as many stores as possible. Our growth pace is intentional and selective.
Realists. Mid-career executives. Operators. Engineers. Retired military and law enforcement. Multi-unit franchise developers. Side-hustlers building toward financial independence. If you are capitalized, coachable, and committed to long-term ownership, we want to talk. Skip it if you want set-it-and-forget-it.
We are awarding territories nationwide, with particular focus on growth markets in the Sunbelt, the Midwest, and underserved metros across the East Coast. We currently operate in 75+ markets across the United States and help qualified candidates identify the right territory and site within that territory.
WaveMAX combines disciplined site selection, modern Electrolux equipment partnerships, fully trained on-site attendants, advanced sanitation technology including the Omni LUX system, real operating systems and SOPs, multi-unit growth playbooks, and active ongoing franchisee support — all the operational fundamentals that the legacy laundromat industry abandoned.
Still have questions?
Talk to our franchise team about whether WaveMAX is the right fit for your goals and your market.