There are three things in life that are certain: death, taxes and laundry.

Last Saturday, local residents joined The Laundry Basket to celebrate the grand reopening of the local Fort Collins laundromat.

Located at 925 S Taft Hill Road, The Laundry Basket opened its doors after months of renovations. Back to the service the community’s laundry needs, the renovations include high-capacity front load washer and dryers that allow customers the ease of using coins, debit cards or The Laundry Basket loyalty cards where members can receive 10 percent off their loads.

To kick off the reopening, The Laundry Basket gave guests loyalty cards with a complimentary wash and dry and offered raffles, including a $250 loyalty card.

“They have the really big washing machines and double dryers. You can just put everything in one washer and then use one dry then ‘boom-’ you’re done.” Peaches Amspacher, Fort Collins resident

In addition to the giveaways, The Laundry Basket offered light snacks and refreshments to customers. Local residents Peaches Amspacher and her daughter watched football on one of the new HD TVs mounted on the walls as they knocked out plenty of loads of laundry.

“They have the really big washing machines and double dryers,” said Amspacher. “You can just put everything in one washer and then use one dry then ‘boom’ you’re done”.

Originally opened under previous ownership in the 1980s as a laundromat and tanning salon, The Laundry Basket was purchased by Colorado native father and son, Tom and “Bear” Burgett in March 2017.

With Tom Burgett’s 40 plus years and Bear’s five years of laundry service, including multi-housing and commercial service, The Laundry Basket came as an opportunity for the father and son to utilize their skills and open an establishment of their own.

“It started as a quest to do something different in life, work-wise,” Bear said. “I just happened to find a place where the guy was waiting for the right person at the right time to walk through that door and ask him to sell the place. I happened to be that guy”.

After purchasing the laundromat last year, the duo operated The Laundry Basket as its original tanning and laundry concept, but the renovations revealed the discontinuance of tanning service in the reopening.

The decision came as a response to the everchanging of needs in the community says co-owner and seasoned laundryman, Tom Burgett.

“We didn’t feel, in a state that has 300 plus days a year of sunshine, that there was much demand for more competition in the tanning business,” Tom Burgett said. “We felt we should concentrate on the laundry side, so we do both self-service laundry. We also have an extensive wash, dry and fold service for those clients who are pressed or time or just want the convenience of someone else doing their laundry”.

The remodeling also included an expansion of the operation including spacious seating, bathrooms and folding areas. In addition to more machines, high-speed Wi-Fi and several HD televisions throughout the establishment, guests can feel safe with the convenience of close parking and an on-site attendant during business hours.

“People are going to always have dirty clothes,” Tom Burgett said. “So it’s a need [that should] be serviced…that’s our goal”.

Life is full of uncertainty, and clean clothes shouldn’t be one of them.

The Laundry Basket is open daily 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. More information can be found about The Laundry Basket at laundrybasketfc.com

Deja Calloway can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com and on Twitter @callowaydeja.