Washing machines hum in the background as customers at Pearl Lee’s Washtub in Crown Heights sip beer, work on laptops and eat on the patio, waiting for spin cycles to finish. It’s a Tuesday afternoon, and what started as a laundry run has turned into an impromptu neighborhood gathering — exactly what the owner Theo DuPree envisioned when he opened his “laundrobar.”

Brooklyn’s laundromats have long served as informal neighborhood gathering spots, particularly in areas where in-unit washers and dryers are rare. Now, a new generation of entrepreneurs is reimagining the utilitarian businesses as hybrid community hubs. Laundromat owners are transforming the traditional self-service and wash-and-fold models by adding bars, coffee counters and snacks, maximizing revenue from limited square footage and turning the chore into a social experience.

A D.J. plays music while customers chat and enjoy the bar at Pearl Lee’s Washtub.Amir Hamja for The

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