By Jim Utter
Director of Journalism
Rising Tide Car Wash, a family-owned car with a primary mission to employ adults with autism, recently received approval to build its fourth South Florida location.
During a recent special exception hearing, the City of Pompano Beach Zoning Board of Appeals gave unanimous approval to the company’s plans to open its newest location on a 1.2-acre lot at 2851 W. Atlantic Blvd.
The company hopes to open the site in either the fourth quarter of 2026 or first quarter of 2027.
With over 100 employees and 80 percent of its workforce with autism, Rising Tide Car Wash is one of the largest employers of people with autism in the U.S. The car wash currently has sites in Parkland, Margate and Coral Springs, Fla. The Pompano Beach car wash is expected to provide at least 25 jobs for individuals with autism.
The newest site will be custom-built and feature state-of-the-art equipment, free, self-serve vacuum stations and drive-thru lanes. It will also have a special members-only vacuum area and other amenities. Jack Brown of GBM Architecture is the architect.
“We are proud to open our fourth South Florida location in Pompano Beach, where we will provide the best car wash membership experience on the market, and help individuals with autism realize their capabilities, gain confidence, make friends, gain financial independence, and have a place to call their own,” Rising Tide Car Wash co-founder and COO Thomas D’Eri said in a statement.
“This wouldn’t be possible without the support of many Broward County elected officials who have advocated for Rising Tide Car Wash for more than a decade. They understand the critical importance of inclusive employment opportunities for individuals with autism and related disabilities.”
For the 20th anniversary Autism Speaks fundraising event in April – the Celebrity Chef Gala in New York City – D’Eri donated 650 copies of his book, “The Power of Potential.”
In “The Power of Potential,” D’Eri discusses employment opportunities for workers with autism, discovers and corrects common problems that typically fly under the radar in businesses, and tells readers the inspiring reason why.
Autism is a complex neurological and developmental disorder that impacts social skills, communication, speech and behavior. Individuals with autism are often unable to navigate the social dynamics and can face substantial challenges navigating the workplace.
About one in 36 children have been identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) according to estimates from the Center for Disease Control’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network.
