OSHKOSH, Wis. — Coco and Louie Lin, owners of Sunshine Laundry, a vintage mom-and-pop corner laundry in Philadelphia, are the winners of Continental Girbau’s Oldest Washer Contest. The contest debuted as part of Continental’s 15th anniversary celebration, says company President Mike Floyd.
Sunshine Laundry utilizes eight washer-extractors that span three decades of Girbau history. A rare trio of 30-pound-capacity Golder Girbau washers—manufactured in the mid- to late 1970s—represent the workhorse ancestors of several of today’s Continental Girbau models.
“The Golder Girbaus are over 30 years old and still running strong,” says Russ Arbuckle of Wholesale Commercial Laundry Equipment SE. “That’s a real testament to the quality of these machines.”
In addition to the three Golder Girbaus, the unique neighborhood laundry is also outfitted with three 40-pound Girbau washer-extractors, exported to the United States under a private label 23 years ago. These six older Girbau machines sit near their newer counterparts—two 30-pound Continental washers.
The laundry’s previous owner, Montha Thong, discovered the old Golder Girbaus for sale at a neighboring coin laundry. She called on Arbuckle to inspect the washers prior to their purchase.
“After I saw the condition of the machines, I was in shock,” says Arbuckle. “The Golder Girbaus ran great, despite three decades of continuous use.” He assessed their condition and advised the upgrade of minor parts.
