Vending

13-year-old launches successful vending machine business in California laundromat

Photo: Adobe Stock

March 3, 2025

Crosby Wills, a 13-year-old student at Acton Academy Placer in Sacramento, has installed and is operating a vending machine at a local laundromat, Country Tubs Launderette, according to an ABC 10 report. Wills, inspired by his school's emphasis on entrepreneurial thinking, identified the laundromat as a prime location due to the availability of customers with cash and the potential for impulse purchases.

After researching various options, Wills purchased a card-reader vending machine and stocked it with popular soft drinks. He negotiated the placement of the machine with the laundromat owner and now manages the inventory and maintenance, typically restocking on Fridays when he is not in school.

"My school really inspired me to do it because they really encouraged entrepreneurial thinking, and it made me want to research passive income in ways that I can make my own money," Wills told the news outlet.

Wills is now exploring opportunities to expand his vending machine enterprise to other locations.