With a permitting issue finally resolved, islanders once again have access to laundry facilities now that  Doug Sudduth has opened  his Suds Laundromat in town next to Rock Island Pizza.

“It took four months to get the permits sorted out,” Sudduth said of the delay. “That’s what held us up.”

Sudduth had hoped to open the laundromat during the summer, but work was stopped when King County notified him that a change-of-use permit was required for the former Joy’s Village Cleaners space because his plan also included a frozen yogurt shop.

With the permit issued, Sudduth was able to open the laundromat part of the operation last Friday, though the frozen yogurt shop is still at least several weeks away from being ready. When it is done, it will be called Kenny’s Brain Freeze, after Sudduth’s brother who died in a car accident on the island this past summer.

Becky Elias, King County’s Food Protection Program Manager, noted that Sudduth’s plan for the yogurt shop addition has been approved and that once the work is done, the board of health will need to perform a pre-opening inspection before the final permit to operate the yogurt shop is issued.

Vashon has been without a laundromat since the summer of 2013, when Joy’s Village Cleaners closed  after 25 years in business.

Suds Laundromat will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, and though an attendant is not necessary, Sudduth said there will be someone on site most of the time.

The facility has all new machines, with one old one kept from Joy’s to handle extra large loads, pet bedding or horse blankets. Machines currently accept quarters only — there is a change machine in the laundromat — though Sudduth explained that they will be able to take credit or debit cards in the near future.

Patrons should enter Suds via one of the new doors at the side or rear of the building.