The World’s Largest Laundromat is an industry leader – and not just in doing laundry. We feature amazing events for all ages all the time, from live radio broadcasts to health fairs and holiday parties. You can also enjoy clowns, jugglers and musicians. Every day, customers are treated to free coffee all day and free bakery donuts in the morning – until they run out! And every Wednesday is pizza night, with free pizza for customers from about 5 to 7 p.m.

And we've brought some of the great outdoors in with our bird aviary, a favorite of kids and seniors. Finches, canaries and doves flutter all around. Don't worry about the volume of our 16 flatscreen TVs, either: We've got the birds mic'd so you'll hear them sing all day.

() SOUTHPAW IS COMING!!!! That's right, that big, green South Side mascot is going to be at the store Sunday, May 16, at 6p.m. There will be games, prizes and more. It's all free! Bring the wash and the kids for a great Sunday afternoon!

() State Democrats are trying to reach into the pockets of the poor, and the World's Largest Laundromat isn't going to stand by and let that injustice happen. We are reaching out to the media and state officials to make sure this doesn't happen, since it would be a really painful gut punch to our customers. As part of our effort, we submitted a letter to the editor to many local/statewide papers. Here is the letter, which will explain the issue and our stance:

It has come to our attention that a very small item in a very large bill would have a startling impact on low-income families throughout the state of Illinois.

In Springfield, the House will consider HB174, which raises/creates taxes on 39 industries in the hope of pooling money for education.

A noble goal, indeed, and while most of the taxes can be justified, one of them sticks out like a sore thumb: a new tax on coin-operated Laundromats that will result in higher prices.

It sticks out because Laundromats have two fundamental characteristics the other targeted industries don’t have. Coin-operated Laundromats a) provide a necessary service for b) mostly low-income families.

Our customers are mostly renters, second- and third-shifters – many new immigrants – trying to get a foothold in our communities. Clothes need to be washed, no exception. For work. For our kids’ schools. Food, shelter, clean clothing.

These hard-working folks go to Laundromats because they either can’t afford their own washer/dryer, or the buildings they live in don’t provide them. A person who has the money/living situation to have their own washer/dryer isn’t taxed for doing a load, but the Democratic leadership in Springfield thinks they can pile this onto the backs of the poor.

A strong, character-driven legislator would defend low-income families from injustice, not saddle them with it. This is a poor people’s tax, plain and simple. We’re looking for someone to stand up and be that voice in Springfield. Laundromat customers hardly have a powerful lobbying presence in the capital.

So we urge you to call the state’s Democratic leadership and urge them to stop this poor people’s tax from becoming law. Again, if necessary educational programs need funding, we understand hikes on most of the other targeted businesses and their clients. But singling out a necessary service utilized by low-income families? Now that’s a punch in the gut they shouldn’t have to stomach.

Please write or call your own representatives, but also the leadership: Sens. John Cullerton, Don Harmon, James Clayborne, James DeLeo, Kimberly Lightford, Jeffrey Schoenberg; and Reps. Michael Madigan, Barbara Flynn Currie, Lou Lang, Art Turner.

Tom Benson, owner

Mark Benson, manager

World’s Largest Laundromat, Berwyn