Carlton Soap Bar Laundrette combines coffee and washing

As Ben Shaw and Constance Bernard walked past the laundrette in Elgin Street, Carlton, on their second date last year, Bernard remarked that she'd often thought about taking it over, cleaning it up and adding a cafe to the washers and driers.

Fast forward to March this year and that opportunity came up by chance, says Shaw. "We heard it was up for lease and had two weeks to get the money together, which we did."

Soap Bar Laundrette has been operating since with the washers at the back and a small cafe at the front serving Sensory Lab's Steadfast blend, Storm in a Teacup tea, St David's Dairy milk and a small range of cakes and sandwiches.

To add to their burgeoning laundry-cafe empire, in August they opened Soap Bar Brunswick at an existing laundrette on the corner of Heller and Grantham streets. The couple plan to build a kitchen, bar and outdoor deck and be operating as a bar and cafe by next spring.

The cafe at Soap Bar Laundrette Carlton, 63 Elgin Street, Carlton, is open Monday to Wednesday 8.30am-5.30pm, and Saturday and Sunday 10am-5.30pm. Both launderettes are open daily from 6am-11.30pm. Details: soap-bar.com.au.