One of the great benefits of living in an immigrant-heavy society is getting to walk into a foreign world every time you walk through the door of an immigrant-owned business. Case in point: Walnut Place Laundromat. It's not the interior that makes the atmosphere -- clean, well lighted, spartanly furnished, functional, almost German (which is odd, considering the owners are from Nigeria). What's special is the family-room feel. The chairs encircling the TV form a virtual outdoor African café where strangers while away the spin cycle, talking about every subject under the sun. Boisterous owner Wally propels the feeling of fraternity with his voice -- he's a man with an opinion on everything and a ready laugh when you offer yours. His daughters, who frequently buzz in to buy candy from the vending machines, receive healthy doses of Wally's fatherly wisdom or motherly advice from Wally's wife, the stately Victoria. Meanwhile, patrons enjoy enough machines, carts and -- best of all -- folding tables to get their laundry done quickly and comfortably. The only problem is, you don't want to leave.
