Today we’d like to introduce you to James Moss.
Hi James, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
On December 8, 2025, Family Coin Laundry officially opened its doors—a milestone born from a deeply personal turning point.
For years, I served as a Principal Port Engineer for Military Sealift Command. It was an exciting and rewarding career, but its heavy travel demands frequently kept me away from home. In the fall of 2023, during a rare road trip with my youngest son, our conversation shifted through various “father-son” topics until a hard truth became clear: my frequent absence was taking a toll on him, and he needed his father home.
Determined to find a way to support my family without sacrificing my presence, I turned to prayer for guidance. While sitting in a laundromat one afternoon, reflecting on what step to take next, an idea struck. With my background in marine engineering, maintaining complex mechanical systems was second nature—I knew I had the foundation to run a laundromat.
I began searching for opportunities, making calls, and visiting businesses on the market. That path led me directly to Mr. J. Stallings, the owner of Family Laundry. He was looking to sell because commuting weekly from Northern Virginia to Virginia Beach had become too much of a hardship. As we spoke, it was clear our needs aligned perfectly. The Most High heard my prayer and paved the path forward.
Today, Family Coin Laundry stands as the answer to that prayer—a business built on prayer and faith, engineering expertise, hard work, and a commitment to being present for the family that matters most.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Like other businesses, Family Coin Laundry has it’s own obstacles and challenges which have dissolved all ideas of a smooth and easy road.
Aging laundromat:
• Constant fighting: Fighting to keep outdated equipment running is a full-time job all by itself; always interrupting planned maintenance.
• Emergency repairs: Just when we thought we were on top of things, we were struck with major gas leaks which shut us down for two weeks.
• Reality check: whenever machines are down, Family Coin Laundry loses revenue.
Our community engagement and the maintaining of our facility environment is a delicate balance. We’ve noticed a rise in the homeless population and navigating this reality while improving our image as a business has become an arduous daily challenge. Finding that middle ground between treating people with dignity and keeping our laundromat secure and professional is a constant effort.
Inflation has been relentless. The cost of rent, utilities, insurance, etc. are climbing daily with no break in sight. The rising cost of everything just keep digging into our budget and profit.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Family Coin Laundry?
Family Coin Laundry is a more community-oriented laundromat. We offer arguably the lowest prices in town to operate our machines. We have comparable prices for “Wash and Fold” services and we’ve just started our shoe cleaning service. The customers here at Family Coin Laundry is truly close-net. Customers donate food to our mini-food bank and clothes for the Goodwill. We do our best to provide resources for job announcements, health programs, and other community services. In the near future, FCL is seeking to start its pick-up and delivery service for the Hampton Roads area but more concentrated on the elderly and shut-in who require laundry services.
What does success mean to you?
I define success by striking that balance of having lucrative businesses throughout Hampton Roads with successful ties to resources and services in this area that would serve the community’s everyday needs. Providing effective connections that would empower families with tools and resources that would assist their everyday lives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.familycoinlaundry.biz/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61589387422971
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-moss-7b3442407/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/family-coin-laundry-virginia-beach?osq=Family+Coin+Laundry&override_cta=Get+pricing+%26+availability
- Other: https://nextdoor.com/pages/family-coin-laundry/
