Chelsea Laundromat Claims Neighboring Pizza Shop is Hurting Business

A laundromat in Chelsea is raising concerns over unpleasant odors from a nearby pizza restaurant that, they argue, are damaging their business. The West 23rd Avenue Laundry Project 23 serves a clientele that includes high-end customers, and it has been able to charge about $100,000 per month for its services. However, the opening of Pizza Studio appears to have negatively affected their operations.

According to owner Dong Hong Choi, “Since we began testing and operating the pizza oven, odors and smoke have entered the laundry grounds, contaminating the air and clinging to customers’ clothing.” Choi claims that the laundromat’s clothing is absorbing these smells as soon as they’re exposed.

The laundromat argues that it’s facing issues such as “contamination of customer property, disruption in business operations, loss of customer trust, harm to reputation and exposure to serious financial liability due to potential customer claims.”

Relations between the two businesses have soured, with the laundromat calling for the pizza shop to cease operations. They are seeking legal action to prevent Pizza Studio from using its pizza oven.

Choi has previously suggested that a meeting take place between the pizza shop and their landlord, noting that the pizza oven’s ducts would be installed through a shared ceiling space. Although Pizza Studio reportedly agreed to take responsibility for any issues, the laundromat expressed doubts about whether the ductwork was properly sealed, allowing odors to spread into their space.

The situation has further complicated matters, with the pizza shop reportedly keeping its front door open during cooking, exacerbating the issue for Laundry Project 23. They describe this arrangement as “irrational” and believe that simple measures, like sealing ducts properly or closing the door, might alleviate some of the problems.

As of now, Pizza Studio has not responded to requests for comments regarding the situation.