Photo by Kelli Johnson
The Washroom
The Washroom
Laundry day is now far more enjoyable at The Washroom, located 2706 Murray Ave. on Milwaukee’s East Side. Owner Kelli Johnson has transformed an existing laundromat into a brightly colored third space where folks can do laundry but also study and grab a snack, access community resources or even just hang out with friends. The Washroom is open daily, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and features complimentary wi-fi, comfortable seating and refreshments.
The website describes The Washroom as “an inviting environment that fosters community connections beyond home and work. Designed for comfort and social interaction, it provides a relaxed atmosphere where people can gather, chat or simply enjoy some downtime while handling their laundry.”
While studying abroad in Europe, Kelli Johnson noticed how different countries used laundromats as dual spaces. While in Krakow, Poland, she came across one in particular that had a bar in the laundromat.
“I thought it was really cool, and I kept it in the back of my mind,” Johnson recalls. “If I ever started a business, I thought something like that would be super awesome. We all need to wash our clothes, and we also all like hanging out.”
Buying a Laundromat
In 2024, Johnson phoned several laundromats, seeing if any were interested in selling. After getting many no’s, she eventually connected with the owner of Murray Park Kwik Wash, who had been looking to get out of the business. “Eventually I purchased all of the equipment and started the remodel,” Johnson says. The space officially rebranded as The Washroom last November.
From the street, a gleaming mural recently completed by Howl Hazebrook is visible. Inside, a painted color scheme of red, orange, yellow and teal encircles the room, leaning into an old-school ‘60s feel.
Upon rebranding, Johnson replaced about half the washing machines and dryers with new ones. “I specifically decided to only do half because a lot of the people rely on the older machines,” she explains. “Some people were concerned about the price increase, so the older ones are kept lower.”
Laundry Library
In addition to the machines, The Washroom features new signage and countertops as well as a mini-library. There is also a vending machine where customers can purchase laundry supplies, Narcan, fentanyl test strips, condoms, Plan B and packaged baked goods from Midwest Sad. “I want to partner with more small businesses and get their stuff in there,” Johnson remarks.
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Another beautiful mural by Muta Aliah, depicting the business name in a wash cycle surrounded by bubbles, adorns one of the walls. Johnson affirms, “I’m really impressed by the mural. It incorporates all the colors that I was thinking of and really makes the space feel all-inclusive.” Then when folks leave, they may find a third mural saying “Thank You” repeatedly in all caps as well as “Have A Nice Day” above the door.
“Someone told me they had a first date at The Washroom,” Johnson mentions. “There’s been a lot of super supportive people who love it and are happy that life is going back into the space.”
Expanding its roles as a community hub, Johnson is open to hosting events at The Washroom. A free seed pop-up in April, hosted by We Have Always Been Related Collective, was the first such event, followed by a food bank event in June.
“Having a second location would be really cool,” Johnson contends. “I’m not sure what that looks like, but a larger space where people could come hang out would be awesome.”
