Thread Number: 18302
Commercial SQ |
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Post# 297509   8/17/2008 at 17:56 (5,729 days old) by supersurgilator (Indiana)   |   | |
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I was wondering if any of you know about when SQ made these models? I have heard mid 80's, but always thought it was earlier than that. If anybody has an idea, let me know. Thanks. |
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Post# 297519 , Reply# 1   8/17/2008 at 18:28 (5,729 days old) by pulsator (Saint Joseph, MI)   |   | |
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I went to my first laundromat when I was 8 years old with my mom when our BD Whirly went belly up, we used 2 of these exact washing machines, I thought it was sooooooooooooooooooo weird that you had to put money in to start it! Of course, that day was the also the first day I had ever seen or heard of a front load washing machine, they had triple load Milnors!
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Post# 297536 , Reply# 3   8/17/2008 at 19:57 (5,728 days old) by laundromat (Hilo, Hawaii)   |   | |
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We had many of the original Westinghouse Laundromat equiped half-hour coin laundries as well as the Norge World com ercial laundries.However,my two absolute favorites were a good ways from where I lived but,I could walk along the dirt roads parralell to the Penn-Central(AmTrak)train tracks.As I'd walk or ride my bike along the trail,the Metro Liner trains would sneak up and go by at incredible speeds(anywhere from 85 to 145 MPH!) Martins(a corporation that manufactures air plains and airplain parts)owned a huge factory in the Essex-Middle River are of Baltimore County)developed a neighborhood to house Air Force members and employees of their own naming it Aero-Acres.After the Korean war,the empoyment wen down and the workers laid off moved and got other jobs.The area was open to the public.all the streets,avenues and roads were named after plain parts.There was a medium size shopping center called Aero Planes where there was a theater,supermarket and some small shops.There was also a huge coin laundry there with all FRIGIDAIRE washers and Huebsch gas dryers.the propritor of this laundry leased three individual stores and knocked out all the adjasent walls to make three individual rooms.The first one had all pink FRIGIDAIRE Jet-Action Washers.The second one, or the main business one where the office and service desk was located,had all white FRIGIDAIRE Jet-Action Washers (two of which were set next to 4 Big-Boy front loading dryers and a Bock extractor)a detergent dispenser,coin operated popcorn vending machine,cigarette vending machine,snack vending machine,drink vending machine and a change machine.The third and largest one had all turquiose FRIGIDAIRE Jet-Action Washers.The first two rooms had 25 washers and 15 gas dryers each.This one had 60 FRIGIDAIRE Jet Action Washers And 30 Huebsch gas dryers.The wash was 25 cents and 10 cents to dry.All the FRIGIDAIRE washers had round windows on their lids. I found this place by accident when one summer,Mr Abe,our daycamp leader(whom I saw at the Hippo a major gay club in Baltimore decades later LOL)took us on a dreary,rainy day to the theater to see the new thriller"Hush!,Hush!,Sweet Charlotte!"When that ax went and that head rolled ,that was enough for me,I ran out and found the laundry seeing all the Frigidaire washers going and got mesmorized watching pink,white and turquoise washers agitate and spin splashing sudsy and clear water onto their lids! Screw Betty Davis!I needed a fix so I stayed there until the movie ended not missed by anyone! |
Post# 297538 , Reply# 4   8/17/2008 at 20:14 (5,728 days old) by laundromat (Hilo, Hawaii)   |   | |
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The other FRIGIDAIRE comercial laundry was on the other side of the tracks in Dundalk right on Northpoint Road not far from a Roller scating rink(Rolla-Rina) I visited regularly. The A&P was on one side and a huge 100 washer/50 dryer and drycleaners/coblers business was on the other directly across.Their FRIGIDAIRE Jet Action Washers were newer and had the rectangular window lids.They also had he FRIGIDAIRE Jet Action Washer Illuminated Direction signs with the FRIGIDAIRE logo and Jet Action,RapiDry,Lint-Away and 18 Minute Cycle listed on them.There were at least 8 signs like that scurried all around. They also had 5 Big Boys and if I remember corectly,the drycleaning machine they had was uniique and I think i was an Ajax? It was so like the LaunderAll machines because it had 4 or 6 seperate sections to load the clothes in to and it tumbled.The owners knew my appliance dealer/friend,Charly Rudolf and they lived in the same neighborhood right up the street from his FRIGIDAIRE dealership.I'd go visit them during a trip to see Rudy!They were realy nice and made me feel like I was always welcome to come and visit there shop or home.When they closed and got out of the business(seamed like it happened overnight)I was devastated.I am very fortunate to have so many fond memories of that era. |
Post# 297539 , Reply# 5   8/17/2008 at 20:17 (5,728 days old) by laundromat (Hilo, Hawaii)   |   | |
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Post# 297568 , Reply# 8   8/17/2008 at 23:35 (5,728 days old) by supersurgilator (Indiana)   |   | |
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Ah ha, I finally found the link to a video I found on youtube that shows these machines in detail, except harvest gold versions. CLICK HERE TO GO TO supersurgilator's LINK |
Post# 297602 , Reply# 9   8/18/2008 at 08:09 (5,728 days old) by jaytag (Atlanta)   |   | |
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These look more like almond. They are not the 70's version. The agitator was grey with a metal cap that had beads on it. |
Post# 297619 , Reply# 10   8/18/2008 at 09:54 (5,728 days old) by peterh770 (Marietta, GA)   |   | |
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Post# 297655 , Reply# 11   8/18/2008 at 12:50 (5,728 days old) by supersurgilator (Indiana)   |   | |
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Does anybody have any pics of the 70's version solid tub model? |
Post# 297707 , Reply# 13   8/18/2008 at 17:46 (5,728 days old) by queeny77 (BERWYN, ILLINOIS)   |   | |
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Post# 297834 , Reply# 14   8/19/2008 at 08:45 (5,727 days old) by supersurgilator (Indiana)   |   | |
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The solid tub had the round lights? There is a laundromat around here (the one that had the others) with one of those. It isn't in operation though but I would like to see the inside, maybe have to take a trip back down there. |
Post# 298033 , Reply# 15   8/19/2008 at 21:16 (5,726 days old) by queeny77 (BERWYN, ILLINOIS)   |   | |
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Post# 298097 , Reply# 17   8/20/2008 at 06:04 (5,726 days old) by queeny77 (BERWYN, ILLINOIS)   |   | |
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Post# 298111 , Reply# 18   8/20/2008 at 07:48 (5,726 days old) by irishwashguy (Salem,Oregon.............A Capital City)   |   | |
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There was for many years, was a laundomat a couple of miles from where I grew up that had solid tub Speed Queens, of which the outsides looked just like or rather simmilar to these.We went there when the Moms very old Maytag finally bit it, and we used them, overflows and everything, that was 1985, they also locked in the spin.. A few years later, I went back, maybe 1988 or 89, just to check it out...... the outsides looked the same, but the insides were the new style Speed Queens. That was a trend all over town.I am thinking that they went though some kind of upgrade, just the insides.I have not seen a solid tub Speed queen since 1985 in the Pacific Northwest anywhere. Any thoughts?
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Post# 299761 , Reply# 19   8/28/2008 at 04:41 (5,718 days old) by irishwashguy (Salem,Oregon.............A Capital City)   |   | |
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