Farewell to New Life
mom&pop 11
A 62 year old laundry shop in North Park just closed down their doors on Dec 30th 2023. New Life Laundry was loved by it’s community and was still in full operation up until the day they closed. Having dedicated 22 of his life, the current owner Tom was ready to retire, marking the end of an era for New Life Laundry.
By the end of this year the space will likely be transformed into some fancy new restaurant. The hums of laundry machinery will be replaced by the bustling noise of people enjoying their brunch completely unaware of the rich history this place once held.
I stumbled across New Life on a run, I first noticed the sign announcing their closure. Intrigued, I stepped inside. The superintendent, Daniel graciously gave me a tour and shared more of the space’s history to me. He showed me where the original owner Peter etched his name and the year 1961 into the beams and how Tom later wrote his name and the year he took over. He showed me where Peter and his wife once slept, cooked, raised chickens and his personal favorite spots of the building.
Wandering through the laundromat, I was surrounded by foreign machinery yet there was a familiar feeling. Little things like a Father’s Day card hung up in the office reminded me of my childhood with my own family’s business. I could feel the significance that this space carried for everyone who was involved. Grace, the original owner’s wife, lives across the street and continues to visit daily, bringing food for the current employees.
New Life Laundry was always more than a laundromat. It quite literally gave New Life. It provided an opportunity to Peter, who sought work in a foreign land. It paved the way for the children of both Peter and Tom, enabling them to pursue higher education and less demanding jobs. It gave a chance to individuals like Daniel and Lorraine, who found employment and purpose within its walls. The doors of New Life Laundry may be closing, but the impact and legacy of New Life continue to live on.
Photographs were taken on a mix of film and digital
This is part of an ongoing passion project of mine called mom&pop where I talk to and photograph small businesses that I discover and love. If you liked the story be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the next one (-: