“ | I mean, that laundry I told you about - let's start there. Come on, man, it's a perfect spot for a meth superlab.
|
„ |
― Hank Schrader to Steven Gomez. |
Lavandería Brillante is an industrial laundromat department that was owned by Gustavo Fring, and purchased on the advisement of Lydia Rodarte-Quayle, to conceal a meth Superlab. The business' large plot of easily accessible land, and regular chemical usage and deliveries made for an ideal location.
A furtive construction project began in April 2004, led by Mike Ehrmantraut. The operation took years to install a subterranean lab under the space. Though it was delayed by an investigating Lalo Salamanca, it is finally completed sometime in 2008.
The fully functioning laundry business employs migrant Hispanic workers, who could be threatened with deportation should they dig too deeply into business' true purpose. ("Cornered")
At different times, Gale Boetticher, Walter White, and Jesse Pinkman all regularly work at the lab, parking at and entering through the laundry.
The laundry eventually again drew suspicion, this time from DEA agent Hank Schrader, who sends Steven Gomez to investigate the premises, to no avail. After the death of Gus, and the destruction of the Superlab by Walt and Jesse, Hank's suspicions are proved correct.
Dennis Markowski, the Industrial Laundromat Manager, was arrested after being tied to Gus' Drug Empire, though he was shortly thereafter killed in prison.
History[]
Better Call Saul[]
Season 3[]
Lydia Rodarte-Quayle identifies the for-sale property as a potential site for Gus' planned Superlab. She brings Gus to survey the grounds, who deems it acceptable, purchasing it sometime thereafter. ("Off Brand")
Season 4[]
Mike Ehrmantraut conducts interviews of potential construction foremen for the Superlab project, bringing them into the laundry to inspect the space. While one is rejected for his spurious measurements and over-ambitious estimate, Werner Ziegler wins the contract with his meticulous measurements and conservative approach. While an ideal spot for a finished lab, the property is less than ideal for a furtively installed basement. The amount of rock underneath the laundry necessitates costly and time-consuming blasting, a process further complicated by the lab's central location in the city. ("Quite a Ride")
Over a series of eight months, Mike heads up the project to transports Werner and his construction team to and from the laundry, hiding them inside laundry trucks. The closed laundry has a simple plastic sheet where the entrance concealed by a trick machine will later go. ("Something Stupid")
Construction grows complicated as the operation stretches far beyond even Werner's conservative time-table. Tensions mount between Werner's men, and Werner himself flees their accommodations to meet with his wife, Margarethe Ziegler. Though he intends for Kai to lead the work in his absence, this will not come to pass. ("Wiedersehen")
Werner is killed by Mike by order of Gus, though not before a curious Lalo Salamanca learns choice details about the secret construction project, namely, the forthcoming concrete pouring for the south wall. That day, Gus brings his chemist, Gale Boetticher, to view the space though he coldly rejects any cook before the space is finished. ("Winner")
Season 5[]
Work on the lab ceases following the death of Werner, his death blamed on a cave-in, and the construction crew sent home. Gus masks the activity of building the lab with another of his front businesses, that is, an industrial chiller for Los Pollos Hermanos. Though the cartel is satisfied, Lalo Salamanca is unconvinced, taunting Gus that the south wall is coming along well. ("Magic Man")
Privately, Lalo speculates about the construction with his uncle, Hector Salamanca. ("50% Off")
The stalled project puts pressure, especially concerning embezzled funds, on Gus. Nevertheless, he promises a bright future at a secret gathering with a concerned Lydia and Peter Schuler. ("JMM")
On this note, at some point before Lalo's return to Albuquerque, the secret door concealed by a mechanized laundry machine is installed in the lab, allowing it to function again as a legitimate business.
Season 6[]
Gus assesses the vulnerabilities of the lab from a vengeful Lalo Salamanca. When Mike assures him the only way into the lab is through the hidden entrance behind a laundry machine, Gus takes the opportunity to hide a gun in the lab, in anticipation of a future confrontation. ("Black and Blue")
Lalo, after a globetrotting tour ending with the interrogation of Casper in Germany, learns about the secret underground location at the Laundry. ("Axe and Grind")
He returns to Albuquerque with his sights set on the laundry. Using binoculars, Lalo monitors the building from a storm drain. In the process, he begins to make a video for Don Eladio, explaining the situation, and identifying on camera Gus' embedded security team, including Mike. After Lalo's bugged call to Hector Salamanca, Gus' men are taken off non-priority targets, with a contingent headed up by Tyrus Kitt left at the laundry. ("Plan and Execution")
While Kim Wexler distracts Gus and his men under threat of violence, centering his forces on the safehouse and Jimmy and Kim's apartment, Lalo sneaks into the laundry by disabling an industrial fan. Gus, catching onto Lalo's plan, arrives at the laundry with his bodyguards, who are promptly gunned down. Lalo forces him to lead a guided video tour of the laundry by gunpoint, personally noting that the door behind the laundry machine "is better" than the trick bathtub at his hacienda. Gus gets the better of Lalo, shooting him dead in the unfinished lab.
Lalo and Howard Hamlin are buried underneath the lab, and by extension, the laundry. ("Point and Shoot")
The Salamanca situation dealt with, Gus instructs Mike to find a new build team to resume construction as quickly as possible. ("Fun and Games")
Breaking Bad[]
Pre-Season 3[]
In a flashback, Gale and Gus are present for the finishing touches on the lab, the various machines, and the cook-wear installations. Gale takes the opportunity to extol the virtues of Heisenberg's Blue Sky meth to a skeptical Gus. ("Box Cutter")
Season 3[]
The industrial laundromat is first seen as Gus inspects the property, accompanied by Victor. The two are interrupted by a call from Mike about Walt's present near death predicament with Marco and Leonel Salamanca. The two seek to avenge their slain cousin, Tuco Salamanca, called off by Gus as he stands above the body of Lalo. ("Caballo Sin Nombre")
The location is later fully introduced when Gus brings Walt to give him a tour of the Superlab. Here, Fring extols the Superlab's capabilities, and the convenience of the laundry. The facility includes a large state-of-the-art filtration system that converts the odor from the meth cooks to clean oxygen. ("Más")
The job starts as a paradise for Walt his preferred partner, Jesse Pinkman, with security and flexible hours. When their relationship with Gus sours, the two become prisoners in the space, snuck in through laundry carts, and constantly monitored via camera and armed guards.
Walter White is brought to the lab by Victor, under pretext of chemical leakage. Promising Mike that he can deliver a hidden Jesse to them, Walt instead instructs his partner to kill Gale, ensuring they are the only cooks available to Gus. ("Full Measure")
Season 4[]
A furious Gus kills Victor underneath the laundry. ("Box Cutter")
DEA agent Hank Schrader, brought onto the Gale investigation by police detective Tim Roberts, identifies Gus as a possible drug-kingpin. Cross-referencing Gus' publicly owned properties, Hank correctly identifies the laundry as the perfect spot for a potential Superlab. on a drive he asked to take him to the laundromat. Walt is taken by surprise and in total panic he drives passed the entrance deliberately causing an accident by driving into traffic to prevent Hank from seeing the laundry. ("Crawl Space")
Steve Gomez and another DEA agent come to investigate the laundromat. At first Dennis Markowski, the laundry's manager, refuses entrance. When Gomez talks Dennis into letting him see the facility Dennis nervously agrees and Gomez brings out a drug dog to sniff the place, finding nothing. ("End Times")
After Gus’s death Walt and Jesse destroy the meth lab by spilling flammable chemicals, solvents, and the lab equipment on the floor and disabling the sprinkler system, then they create a spark by rigging a Christmas light timer to a frayed wire before quickly escaping the lab. As they exit the laundry basement, they wipe away their finger prints from the machinery and evacuate the laundry workers. All flee as the lab explodes, damaging the laundry in the process. ("Face Off")
Season 5[]
DEA agents led by Hank and and Gomez explore the burned Superlab after Gus’s death, in shock that the fire destroyed every evidence. Hank notices the security camera, though all evidence on Gus' laptop would be destroyed shortly thereafter by Walt, Jesse, and Mike. ("Live Free or Die")
Dennis is arrested for his involvement with the Gus Fring origination. ("Hazard Pay")
When Dennis is killed, along with Mike, and several other members of the Fring organization, all police leads on the illicit business concealed by the laundry are lost. It is unknown what becomes of the laundry after this point. ("Gliding Over All")
Deaths[]
Murders committed in (or under) Lavandería Brillante[]
- Four of Gustavo Fring's bodyguards ("Point and Shoot"): Ambushed and shot by Lalo, to get to Gus.
- Jose ("Point and Shoot"): Ambushed and shot by Lalo, to get to Gus.
- Lalo Salamanca ("Point and Shoot"): Shot in the dark by Gus, choked to death on his own blood. Body storied deep under the foundation. His fabricated death becomes as reality.
- Victor ("Box Cutter"): Throat slit by Gus. Body dissolved in acid by Mike, Walt, and Jesse.
- Two of Gus' henchmen ("Face Off"): Shot by Walt to free Jesse. Bodies burned beyond recognition.
Murders connected to Lavandería Brillante[]
- Werner Ziegler ("Winner"): Shot by Mike for untrustworthiness. Death blamed on construction cave-in.
- Howard Hamlin ("Plan and Execution", "Point and Shoot"): Shot by Lalo, then buried with him under the laundry. Death blamed on drug-addled suicide by drowning, body never recovered.
- Gale Boetticher ("Full Measure"): Killed by Jesse on order of Walt.
- Dennis Markowski ("Gliding Over All"): Burned alive in prison by associates of Jack Welker's Gang on order of Walt.
Appearances[]
Breaking Bad[]
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Season 4 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||||||
Season 5A | ✔ | ||||||||||||
Season 5B |
Better Call Saul[]
Episodes | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
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Season 6 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
External links[]
- Lavandería Brillante at BreakingBad-Locations.com