Tiger King set to serve Ephrata

EPHRATA — After three years of dreaming, planning and searching for the right location, Tyson and Hunter Mollotte have opened Tiger King Laundromat, a newly renovated and fully coinless laundry facility in downtown Ephrata. The couple, who also own two other laundromats in the region, said bringing a modern, safe and convenient laundry option to town has long been a goal. 

“It’s been a dream of ours for around three years,” said Tyson Mollotte. 

The duo initially considered constructing a new building but found the cost and financial risk too high. They also inquired about purchasing Ephrata’s other laundromat, but “it wasn’t for sale,” Tyson said. 

Their opportunity finally arrived when the building, now home to Tiger King Laundromat, hit the market.  

“When we came to look at the space, we realized it needed a lot of work, but we could make it work,” Tyson said.   

They purchased the property, renovated the laundromat and the apartment above it, added a customer bathroom and modernized the layout with bright colors and a welcoming feel. 

Located directly across from Safeway and Time Out Pizza, the laundromat was intentionally placed where customers can multitask.  

“People can go get lunch or grocery shopping or whatever it may be as they wait for the laundry to finish,” Tyson said. 

The new space is equipped with 24/7 camera monitoring, and the Mollottes say customer support is easier than ever thanks to the coinless system. The laundromat uses a prepaid laundry card – affectionately nicknamed “arcade cards” by the Mollottes’ kids – that loads money virtually. If a washer or dryer fails to start properly, Tyson or Hunter can refund the balance directly back onto the card within minutes. 

“Previously, we mailed checks for like $2 because a machine had an issue,” Tyson said. “Now they can get that money returned virtually and within five minutes.” 

Additional amenities are still on the way, including soda, snack and laundry‑goods vending machines expected to be installed in the coming weeks. The laundromat will also be getting new chairs and tables in the coming weeks.  

The name Tiger King Laundromat is a playful nod both to the viral Netflix series that entertained millions during the early pandemic and to the Ephrata School District’s tiger mascot. The Mollottes say they wanted something fun, memorable and uniquely local. 

“We wanted it to feel like it belonged to the community but not take itself so seriously,” Hunter said.  

The couple already has a mascot for one of their other laundromats – a laundry butler – so they decided this space needed a character of its own, too. 

The Mollottes said the idea for a new laundromat came not only from their business experience but also from conversations with community members. They own apartments down the street and heard repeatedly from tenants that they were driving to Moses Lake just to access dependable laundry services. 

Hunter said the positive response since opening has been immediate.  

“Everyone has been very welcoming, stopping in to say hi and encouraging us to join the chamber,” she said. “Customers seem to like the space. It’s very orange and bright and it makes me happy.” 

For the Mollottes, the mission is simple: provide a clean, safe and reliable place for people to wash and dry their clothes, something Ephrata residents have told them is needed. 

“We are excited to provide a needed service to the Ephrata community,” Tyson said. 

The couple also hopes to collaborate with local organizations, including the Ephrata School District and the Chamber of Commerce, to support community programs. 

Tiger King Laundromat is now open to the public, with more features and improvements expected in the coming months. 

Tiger King Laundromat
1105 Basin St. SW, Unit D
Ephrata, Wash.
509-361-8313
7 days a week
5 a.m. to 11 p.m. 

    Tiger King Laundromat owners Tyson and Hunter Mollotte said they wanted to create a bright, modern space in Ephrata for people to do their laundry.