KEEP IT CLEAN. Cousins-turned-business-partners duo, Amanda Garner (left) and Julie Orton Endvick (right), recently opened downtown Eau Claire's only current laundromat at 1117 S. Farwell Street.

If you’ve lived in the Eau Claire area for several years, you probably noticed the corner of South Farwell Street and Wisconsin Street looks a bit different these days.

Back in 2021, Just Local Food – which stood at 1117 S. Farwell St. for well over a decade – merged with Menomonie Market Co-op. After the latter officially opened up shop at its brand-new downtown Eau Claire location, the former Just Local Food closed its doors in the fall of 2023. The building at the corner of Farwell and Wisconsin was quiet for about a year. Then, Amanda Garner and Julie Orton Endvick entered the picture.

The business partners – and cousins – landed in Eau Claire years ago thanks to UW-Eau Claire. Originally from the Hayward area, Amanda’s now-husband was a student at the university, as was Julie. As Amanda and Julie put it, “life happened,” and they put down roots in the Chippewa Valley.

But neither of them ever planned on entering the laundromat biz. Each with their own careers, the duo had bounced around the idea of opening a business together for years but never nailed down a concrete idea. Then, a few curveballs and career changes later, Amanda and Julie met up again.

”

THE BIG THING ON OUR HEARTS, AND THE REASON WHY WE NAMED IT WHAT WE DID, IS WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS

to provide a clean shirt for every student. As an educator, you see all kinds of things. That includes when a child comes to school wearing the same clothes day after day.

JULIE ORTON ENDVICK

FORMER EDUCATOR, CO-OWNER OF CLEAN SHIRT CO.

“We’d had all different kinds of ideas, looked at all kinds of venues, and nothing ever came to fruition before,” Julie said. “A little over a year ago, we came together and we just knew: it was like a now-or-never thing.”

“I’ve always had an entrepreneurial streak, and talking to my mom about this idea to open up a business, she threw out the idea of a laundromat,” Amanda continued. “It may not be a sexy thing, but it was something that could actually help the community.”

The former Just Local Food building had sat vacant for about one year, and the previous owner hadn’t found the right fit to take it over. “When we found this location and met the owner, we mentioned we were thinking about opening a laundromat,” Amanda said. “(The owner) really cared what went into the building, and he loved our idea. We put in an offer, somehow got it, and then things happened very fast.”

While the exterior of the building is different – new siding, paint, and brand-new signage for Clean Shirt Co. – the interior is where significant remodeling took place. Just about everything is new, from the rows of washers and dryers, the bar-window seating, vending with laundry products and snacks, TVs and a bookshelf, and a kids area.

“We knew immediately the kind of vibe we wanted to bring to this side of downtown,” Julie said. “We wanted people to walk and think, ‘Oh, this is something different’. Something that was refreshing and somewhere people wanted to be.”

“Now, we have people who come here to do laundry with a pizza and their friends,” she continued. “People are here on date night; college students come in and do their homework while they wait; families come in together.”

While the laundry machines themselves are fitted with modern, slick features, they’re also user-friendly: payment is accepted through card, coin, or with the tap of your phone; each machine has multiple languages in an effort to be more accessible; and the business offers commercial laundry.

But Clean Shirt Co.’s mission is a lot bigger than some new machines.

As a former educator, Julie knew she wanted to give back to the kids in the Chippewa Valley. Together, the duo envisions an impact that stretches beyond their corner of Farwell and Wisconsin Streets.

“The big thing on our hearts, and the reason why we named it what we did, is we hope to be able to partner with local school districts to provide a clean shirt for every student,” Julie said. “As an educator, you see all kinds of things. That includes when a child comes to school wearing the same clothes day after day.”

“Once we’re established, we would really love to give back by giving schools clean shirts for every kid, whenever someone needs a clean shirt.”

So, yeah, that corner looks a little different these days – yet it continues to be home to a locally-owned business with a community-focused mission. Swing by Clean Shirt Co. at 1117 S. Farwell St. to check off your to-do list or just to see what's goin' on. You'll be greeted with a smile, every time.

Keep up with Clean Shirt Co. on their Facebook and Instagram pages, or check out the space at 1117 S. Farwell St., Eau Claire. Clean Shirt Co. is open seven days a week from 6am-11pm.