Staff Reports
The car wash industry continues to expand and innovate with acquisitions, new openings, and renovations. Here’s a roundup of the latest news from around the industry:
Construction is nearing completion on a new Golden Nozzle Car Wash location in Leominster, Massachusetts, with the final landscaping installation work being done by Perrone Landscaping Inc. Golden Nozzle was founded in the 1970s in Springfield, Mass., and has more than 60 locations across five states – Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Golden Nozzle has another location coming soon in Webster, Mass.
Sonny’s Car Wash College recently unveiled a new web site that features several new upgrades to help strengthen and equip car wash teams with resources in a central location. Among the new features include a streamlined site login (which provides faster access to courses, tools and training materials); more training resources (including the latest how-to maintenance video and guides); enhanced search filters (smarter ways to search for the right classes); and discounts and special offers on the special offers page.
Last week, the Audubon (New Jersey) Joint Land and Use Board reviewed an application for a corner property at 755 S. White Horse Pike, which has remained vacant since 2023. The application is for plans to put a new flex car wash called Flagship Carwash at the location. The site most recently houses an AT&T store. Flagship, one of several brands owned by Spotless Brands, has more than 40 locations in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC.
At least two dozen car washes in the Los Angeles and Orange County, California, areas have been the sites of immigration sweeps this month, according to CLEAN Carwash Worker Center, a labor advocacy nonprofit. According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, some of the targeted car washes have remained open while others have lost enough workers – either because they were detained by immigration officials or because they’re staying home, fearing future raids – that they have been forced to shut down. Several of the car washes that are open report their business has dropped off as well following the raids.
A car wash and laundromat in Wilkes-Barre Township has been condemned due to unsanitary conditions. A letter from a Zoning and Code Enforcement Officer address to the owner of Blackman Street Car Wash and posted at the location says the property “is not being maintained properly.” In addition, the letter says, “There are rotting bags of garbage and rubbish scattered throughout the property. At this point the property is unsafe due to the unsanitary condition it is in.” The car wash cannot reopen until the trash is removed and an inspection is completed.
D&S Car Wash Supply, a leading manufacturer of all-welded stainless steel car wash systems, recently announced the promotion of Michael Wagner to Chief Revenue Officer. In the new role, Wagner will oversee sales and marketing across both D&S Car Wash Supply and WashCard Systems, aligning the teams to work smarter and faster on behalf of customers. That includes a more unified sales experience, better coordination between equipment and payment technology and streamlined communication from initial consultation to grand opening.
Sud’s Factory Car Wash recently celebrated the grand opening of its third site, located at 607 Bustleton Pike in Feasterville, Pennsylvania. The company has two other sites, both in Philadelphia, at 7885 Oxford Ave. and 7930 Roosevelt Blvd. Sud’s offers four different wash packages, beginning at $12.99 for a basic wash up to $24.99 for “Suds Ceramic.” It also offers unlimited memberships ranging from $21.99 to $39.99 per month.
The site of a former restaurant in Butler Township, Ohio, could be transformed soon into a car wash. The township’s Board of Trustees has scheduled a public hearing this week on a proposed plan to create a Flying Ace Car Wash at 3311 Benchwood Rd. The property is the former location of a Frisch’s Big Boy, which closed in December 2024. Flying Ace is one of five express car wash brands owned by Express Wash Concepts, which has nearly 120 sites across six states.
A new car wash is set to open on a long-time vacant lot in Fayetteville, New York. The fenced-in site which is located at the intersection of Highbridge and East Genessee streets, will be the home of a new Splash Car Wash. A development project for the area fell through in 2019 and the car was option was first brought up in 2022. The current automated, indoor car wash site is approximately 5,500 square feet. Splash has more than 35 locations in New York State.
Tommy’s Express Car Wash recently celebrated the grand opening of its first location in Norfolk, Virginia, located at 450 N. Military Hwy. The Tommy’s Express team also held a ribbon cutting on the new location with representatives from the Hampton Roads (Virginia) Chamber of Commerce. With nearly 250 franchise locations across North America, Tommy’s Express ranks No. 1 in the car wash category on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list.
The Anderson family, which owns Anderson Crude Transportation, recently hosted the grand opening of Patriot Car Wash in Kimball, Nebraska, which is currently the only car was in the small town. The car wash, which features both self-wash and automatic car washes, originally opened at the beginning of the year, but was only open sporadically due to continued technical difficulties.
A vacant building along Route 30 in Hempfield, Pennsylvania, will be torn down after township supervisors approved plans to build a new Clean Express Auto Wash location at the site. The building formerly held law offices. The plan was approved contingent upon the developer getting a stormwater management plan and various permits. Clean Express is part of Express Wash Concepts, which operates in six states – including Pennsylvania – with more than 115 sites under five different brands.
Auto Butler Car Wash, located at 1706 Homer Adams Pkwy. in Alton, Illinois, was forced to close on Wednesday following a water main break in front of the business. The water leak, which occurred on the road where customers enter the business, has caused the water supply to be shut off while crews dig up the road to make repairs. Officials hoped water will be restored within 24 hours.
A recent immigration raid at Jack’s Car Wash and Detailing in Bell, California, resulted in at least three people being detained. Protesters gathered to confront the Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents in the area, which is about six miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles. In one video shared with The Los Angeles Times, a protester sprays white paint on a silver SUV while others repeatedly hit the vehicle while chanting vulgarities.
A bizarre incident in Upland, California saw a woman allegedly high on drugs drive the wrong way through a car wash, causing thousands of dollars in damage to the machinery. The woman then started walking away from the scene but was stopped and evaluated. She was ultimately booked for DUI, hit and run, and her vehicle towed.
The St. James Economic Development Authority participated along with other city officials and business leaders in a recent groundbreaking for a new Crystal Clean Car Wash in St. James, Minnesota. The site features a range of modern amenities, including automatic and manual car wash bays, a pet wash station, and an on-site laundromat. “We are thrilled to welcome Crystal Clean Car Wash to St. James,” said Brianna Sanders, economic development director for the EDA.
Tagg-N-Go Car Wash recently hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening for its newest location in Idaho Falls, Idaho. As part of the grand opening, the site offered free Platinum washes all week long. Tagg-N-Go was founded in 2016 by Quinn Allgood and Conner Atkin. The company currently has more than 20 locations across Utah, Nevada and Idaho.
Freddie’s Auto Spa, opened on June 21 in Bowling Green, Ohio, following some operational delays. Freddie’s combines state-of-the-art technology and a high level of customer service. The name Freddie’s Auto Spa is a nod to Bowling Green State University’s ‘Freddie Falcon’ mascot. The service packages for ‘Main Street’ and ‘Full Pull’ washes reference the downtown area and the National Tractor Pulling Championships held in town.
Spark Car Wash, which property at 3703 Route 1 in South Brunswick, New Jersey, , is seeking township approval to build an approximately 4,841-square-foot automated car wash with a drive through lane, 22 vacuum parking spaces, four employee parking spaces and signage at the site. The site covers approximately 1.47 acres. Spark has multiple locations in New Jersey, with only one in Central Jersey in Woodbridge. The company also has plans to dozens of more locations in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
Registration is now open for this year’s Northeast Regional Carwash Convention, which will be held Oct. 6-8 at the Atlanta City (New Jersey) Convention Center. This year’s convention delivers a larger platform for professionals to take part in education, innovation and networking. The show floor will feature more than 380 exhibits with new products, technologies and services in the car wash industry. For more information on the convention, visit www.nrccshow.com.
A 16,300 square-foot Splash n’ Dash car wash and cafe at the corner of Meehan Street across Bradley Road has been approved by the Santa Maria (California) Planning Commission. Originally approved in September 2019, the updated development permit allows for a 3,200 square-foot car wash tunnel, a drive-thru coffee café and other significant design changes. The permit approved at the June 4 meeting also includes the removal of on-site detailing service and a caretaker’s unit. Structural designs were completed by ATOM Architects.
A woman was injured after being assaulted at a Take 5 Car Wash in the Hickory Hill area of Memphis, Tennessee, on Tuesday morning, according to a report by WREG News Channel 3. Memphis Police responded to an aggravated assault call at the Take 5 Car Wash around 6 a.m. ET and discovered a woman suffering from injuries. She was transported to a local hospital and listed in critical condition. A man was detained at the scene at that time. Police say it remains an ongoing investigation.
New Day Car Wash, which currently has four locations in the surrounding areas of Birmingham, Alabama, recently opened its newest site along the Highway 280 corridor. The site officially opened on June 20 and held its ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Shelby County Chamber and the Hoover Chamber of Commerce a week later. The newest site has the longest wash tunnel of any of the company’s sites.
A new Tommy’s Express Car Wash is planned for a 1.65-acre parcel of land on South Koeller Street in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The site is a former location of an Applebee’s restaurant. With nearly 250 franchise locations across North America, Tommy’s Express ranks No. 1 in the car wash category on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list and is also recognized on the list of Fastest-Growing Franchises.
With the Independence Day holiday this week, Buster’s Car Wash in Malta, N.Y., has turned its car wash tunnel into a bright red, white and blue display of patriotic spirit. Buster’s utilizes ColorWash from G&G Industrial Lighting to create their dazzling and popular display. G&G’s ColorWash lighting control system is purpose-built for the car wash environment and fuses together dramatic arch lighting effects with mood lighting and ambient white lighting to create dramatic and vibrant shows.
Marcus & Millichap recently announced it was facilitating the sale of The PC Fresh Wash Car Wash, an express car wash property located in Gainesville, Georgia. The listing includes the sale of the business and underlying real estate. Marcus & Millichap is a leading firm specializing in commercial real estate sales, financing, research and advisory services. It has the largest team of investment specialists in the industry to meet the needs of private and major investors throughout the United States and Canada.
Developers of a new commercial endeavor at one of the heaviest trafficked intersections in Manteca, California, are seeking a year’s extension of their project’s approval by the City of Manteca. The project includes a 3,400-square-foot convenience store, 2,300-square-foot fast food drive-thru restaurant, a car wash and a gas station with 10 fuel dispensers to accommodate 20 vehicles at a time. Dubbed “Daniels Center,” it is being pursued by the owners of Two Guys Food & Fuel.
Village of Grafton, Wisconsin, planning commissioners were less than satisfied with the latest proposal for a key parcel in the South Commercial District, where a developer hopes to move a Culver’s restaurant location and add a Tommy’s Express Car Wash. Several commissioners and members of the public who spoke during a public hearing expressed concerns with the traffic flow. Ultimately, commissioners voted to table the restaurant and car wash so the developer can bring back a plan that allows for better movement of vehicles.
Construction is underway for a second location of Bubble’s Foam Farm Car Wash, which will be located at N101 Highway 83 in Delafield, Wisconsin. The new car wash is being built on a site of a former Hardee’s restaurant, which was recently torn down. The Foam Farm is an eco-friendly car wash that uses 75 percent reclaimed water and biodegradable products to reduce environmental impact. The first Bubble’s Foam Farm is located in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. The sites are known for their “barn” design, with the new location about 25 feet longer than the original.
Marcus & Millichap recently announced it was facilitating the sale of Marty’s Express Car Wash, an express car wash property located in Lexington, South Carolina. The listing includes the sale of the business and underlying real estate. Marcus & Millichap is a leading firm specializing in commercial real estate sales, financing, research and advisory services. It has the largest team of investment specialists in the industry to meet the needs of private and major investors throughout the United States and Canada.
At least four people were detained during an immigration raid at the Santa Palm Car Wash in West Hollywood, California, on July 4, according to multiple reports. The West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce condemned the raids in a statement. “On this day that marks the birth of our nation and its founding ideals of liberty, opportunity, and justice for all, we at the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce are deeply troubled by the news of the ICE raid that occurred in our community at one of our businesses,” it read in part.
A grand opening was recently held for a new Sud Daddee’z Car Wash on U.S. Highway 87 in San Antonio, Texas. The company has four more locations coming soon around the city and additional locations throughout Texas in 2026. It currently has locations operating in Floresville, Giddings and Port Lavaca, Texas.
Marcus & Millichap has brokered the sale of Storage Solutions USA and Bay Wash Car Wash in Middletown, New York, about 75 miles north of New York City. The site spans 4.2 acres, and the property consists of 30,475 net rentable square feet of storage space across 288 units and the car wash which includes five self-service bays and one in-bay automatic wash. Andreas Makris, Kevin Bledsoe, Alan Cafiero and Matt Junkin of Marcus & Millichap represented the undisclosed seller in the transaction and procured the buyer, Manas Equities.
Tommy’s Express Car Wash will host a grand opening celebration on Friday for its newest location in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The site is partnering with the Northeast Arkansas Children’s Museum to mark the occasion and reaffirm its commitment to supporting local communities. All window sales on Friday will be donated to the museum. Tommy’s Express has more than 250 franchise locations across the U.S. and is ranked No. in the car wash category on the Franchise 500 list.
