Locals Blame Dirty Rent Practices For Queens Laundromat's Closure

QUEENS, NY — A longtime laundromat on Bell Boulevard is closing, citing the owner's retirement, but neighbors think dirty renting practices are to blame.

As of Saturday, Lee Laundromat on Bell Boulevard near 73rd Avenue is permanently closing, a worker confirmed with Patch, citing the owner's retirement as the reason for the closure.

"We hate to announce that our store is closing," the laundromat announced on Facebook Friday, thanking its longtime customers. "It's not a goodbye. We will see you around the neighborhood!"

Neighbors who think there's more to the story, though, flooded the post's comments with their suspicions that Lee's closure is related to the opening of a nearby laundromat.

"I think [there] is a new larger laundromat opening three stores to the left of Lee's," one neighbor said, adding a suspicious face emoji. "Yes. The reason Lee’s is closing!" another responded.

Indeed, Laundrybee, a large chain with locations across Queens, recently opened several storefronts down from Lee's — in a building all owned by the same landlord, property records show.

A couple of neighbors were quick to blame the building's landlord, saying that opening another laundromat nearby was a dirty renting practice.

"I’m actually surprised it happened. Used to be landlords couldn’t put another identical business in," said one neighbor, a dedicated Lee's customer who doesn't plan on patronizing the new laundromat. (Efforts to protect small businesses from larger chain competition have been ongoing, with limited success, for years in New York City).

Another neighbor said this is a trend she's seeing more often in Bayside, pointing to a situation in Bay Terrace where a longtime pizzeria's lease was ended just to be replaced with another pizza restaurant. "Greed!" she said.

Patch was not able to get in touch with the landlord immediately; a company whose offices are registered at a P.O. Box without a phone number or email contact.

Most neighbors, though, are just sad to see Lee's close.

"We will miss you. Thanks for your many years of cheerful service," wrote one neighbor.

"Good luck. Will miss you be well," wrote another.

"So sorry that you are closing! I wish you the best in your next chapter!" echoed a third, ending her comment with prayer hand and heart emojis.