Wednesday, March 11, 2026

[UPDATED] La La Laundry team opening new venture on 3rd Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

On Monday, we noted that neighbors reported some activity inside the long-vacant storefront at 97 E. Third St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

Turns out it's a familiar name behind the new venture. Pranai Rai, co-owner of La La Laundry (below) — the plant shop/laundromat combo at 180 Avenue B and 11th Street — is expanding his business with a new concept here, with his business partners Lucy and Aaron.
The space will be called La La Laundry x Atelier and is expected to offer drop-off dry cleaning, tailoring services, and a bespoke atelier, along with plants and Aromic, the shop's soap line. 

A soft opening could happen as soon as this week today!
The last tenant here, the Monk Thrift Shop, never reopened after the pandemic PAUSE of March 2020. 

Updated 5 p.m. 

Oh! The new space is now in soft-open mode as of today!
And on-hand were the owners — Pranai, Aaron and Lucy. ...

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

La La is la best. Didn't know that guy is the owner -- works right alongside his nice staff. The "quick wash" setting on their washers has been a revelation :)

Unemployed Editor said...

After being a steady customer for years, I had to give La La a rest. Their prices for doing a couple loads of self-service laundry kept going up and are now about the highest in the neighborhood. So I converted. I worship the gods of cleanliness at Suds Buds now.

kb said...

Holy smokes! I’ve been using that laundromat since it started off as a sandwich shop/laundromat. I’ve also been driven away by their insane prices.