Laundromat now open in Cathlamet

After years without, Cathlamet finally has a laundromat again, thanks to Stephanie Vossen and Curtis Bean.

Vossen, who owns The Spar, purchased the old River Rat Tap building with her fiancé Bean, and they have been renovating it into a meeting room, laundromat, and private residence.

"We wanted to give back to the community," Bean said. "We asked around about what the town needed, because we have The Spar up there, and laundromat was top of the list when we bought the building here."

Smart locks open the laundromat at 7 a.m. each day, and close it at 10 p.m. It costs $2.50 to wash, $2.50 to dry, $6 to use the large washing machine, and $6.25 or $6.50 to dry in the large dryer, depending on whether it's set for warm or hot.

Because they've heard horror stories of previous laundromats in town being vandalized and abused, they've set up cameras at the Rat Tap 'N Laundry.

Laundry soap and other essentials are available in a vending machine, and a television has been mounted on the wall. ADA bathrooms are nearby, and a ramp provides ADA access to the laundry.

"Hopefully this will help a lot of people out, with gas prices and everything," Bean said. "It costs $20 just to go do your laundry without getting your laundry done. Why not just do it here in town?"

And save some time too, Vossen added.

Rat Tap N' Laundry can be found on the first floor on the north side of the River Rat Tap, which is on Broadway, by the city dock.