An FGCU student’s start-up business was created to help students with their busy schedules.
Vinny Paluck’s Eagle Laundry Service offers doorstep pickup and swift returns – and he’s doing it all himself.
The sophomore entrepreneurship major started the business during the fall semester. The delivery laundry service was designed to make laundry day effortless for college students.
“Eagle Laundry Service was created to meet the needs of Florida Gulf Coast University students who often have busy schedules and may lack convenient access to laundry facilities,” Paluck said. “Seeing an opportunity to provide a solution, I launched the service with a focus on convenience, affordability and quality. My goal was to ease the load for students so they could focus on their studies and campus life without worrying about laundry.”
Originally a business management major when he came up with the idea, Paluck did not have any mentors to help him start the service. Most of his insights to launch the business came from online research and various YouTube videos.
He started to get the word out about Eagle Laundry Service using multiple methods, including putting up flyers around campus. He also has an Instagram account, @eaglelaundryservice. Paluck said a lot of his business comes from word of mouth, too.
Most of his orders come through his website eaglelaundryboss.com. Customers can choose a pickup and drop-off location and time that is convenient for them.
“Students can schedule their laundry pick-up by reaching out to us when it is convenient for them,” Paluck said. “They then bring their laundry to the pick-up location, where we take it and handle the washing, drying and folding. Once the laundry is ready, we notify them, and they can pick it up, all clean and folded, at the designated location in under 24 hours.”
Paluck uses local laundromats to his advantage.
“I have a couple of laundromats that I go to that are open 24 hours, so I can wash clothes at night. I can put the clothes in the laundry and study while I’m doing it. I have nothing else to do, so it just kind of fills up my time,” Paluck said.
On average, he spends four to five nights a week doing laundry.
A medium load of laundry costs $25.99 and a large load costs $39.99, an inexpensive rate compared to other laundry services.
“There are other laundry systems, but they don’t deliver it, right? And it’s expensive compared to what I do,” Paluck said.
Sophomore Kevin Kelly has used the Eagle Laundry Service three times. He heard about the business through his and Paluck’s mutual friends. He booked through the website, a process he described as “fairly simple.”
“The experience was amazing,” Kelly said. “It seems like a simple service but having one less thing to worry about when you are at class or studying at the library makes such a big difference. Vinny was very articulate and had great communication throughout the process, and it was all handled with care.”
Paluck has enjoyed the feedback from customers, mostly being positive.
“Students appreciate the convenience, and the time saved. By removing the hassle and other issues associated with laundry, Eagle Laundry Service helps students focus on their academic and social lives without the added stress of managing their laundry. It’s a service aimed at making campus life a little easier, and many students have found it to be a great relief in their busy routines,” Paluck said.
If you want to schedule an appointment with Eagle Laundry Service, they are open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Sunday, except for Tuesdays. They are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays.
