People have been dropping off their laundry at Perth’s newest restaurant.


Australia’s first crowdfunded permanent bar, Lucky Chan’s Laundry & Noodlebar, welcomed diners after 18 months of preparation that involved an old building in Northbridge being converted into a quirky three-storey establishment including a rooftop bar.

Lucky Chan’s, in the heart of William Street, has WA’s only ramen room, which the owners say is the most expensive room in the house because of a specially made machine imported from Japan that cost “the price of a Lotus”.

The machine will be put to good use, with the restaurant expecting to dish up 2000 portions of ramen noodles a week and more than 1000 dumplings a day — from 11.30am until the “wee hours of the morning”, seven days a week.

The restaurant’s name pays homage to Asian migrants who set up stores and laundries when they settled in the area and the owners have played on the theme with washing machine tables, a wall of 36 ironing boards and a bar top covered with 2304 mahjong tiles.

“It is the world’s smallest fake laundry, ” co-owner Andrew Bennett said.

Lucky Chan’s entry looks like a laundromat, which is why passers-by have wanted to drop off their laundry.

So the owners have included a drycleaning service — one of many ways they have catered to requests from future customers.

 

 Co-owners of Lucky Chan's Laundry & Noodlebar (L-R) Andrew Bennet, Daniel Sterpini & Sasha Verheggen.


The “people-powered” venue was created with the $100,000 raised during a 60-day crowdfunding campaign of pledges ranging from $5 to $20,000.

The names of almost 800 supporters have been recorded on the Great Wall of Chan on the roof.

"Those who invested in Lucky Chan's through crowdfunding should be very proud of being a part of the process," Mr Woods said.

 

"Lucky Chan's is one example of Perth's exciting hospitality evolution and an indication of why WA is fast making a name for itself as an international hospitality destination."

 

Lucky Chan's general manager Sasha Verheggen said the experience was extremely humbling for the small business owners.

"Our vision for this project could not have happened without the support we received - most of it from people we'd never met - who believed in us and what we wanted to deliver to Perth," she said.

 

© The West Australian