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:
HighBar Property Group and Nexthome Modern Realty recently brokered the sale of two New Hampshire car washes, at 572 U.S. 4 in Enfield, and 1049 North Main St. in White River Junction. Sam Obar of HighBar, and Spenser Molloy of Nexthome, represented the seller in the transaction. Both properties sold to one buyer in an ‘as is’ sale of both the business and the real estate including furniture, fixtures, and equipment. The sale price was undisclosed. The Enfield location was constructed in 2021 and the White River Junction site in 1980.
Valvoline has signed a long-term lease in Maple Shade, New Jersey, as part of a site that will also house a new-look car wash business, brokers with Vantage Commercial reported. The site at 586 Route 38 will reactivate what was the former home of a prior car wash. Valvoline will use the location for an instant oil change center, while the property’s new owner will operate the modernized tunnel-style car wash as an independent business. The latter will also feature a subscription-based service model.
Monster Express Car Wash in Stuart, Florida, is opening a second location at 3373 SE Federal Hwy. this month. The expansion builds on the success of the operator’s original site at 2160 NW Federal Hwy. Family-owned and operated, guests can enjoy premium soaps, waxes, ceramic coatings, immersive light shows and free vacuums. The new express tunnel brings speed, shine and entertainment.
It’s been a few months since Car Wash Queen opened in New Bedford, Massachusetts, replacing the former Tarkiln Hill Car Wash. New owners Chloe and Andrew Melanson are eager to show off the upgrades and are offering free car washes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 11-16. The property originally had three automatic car wash bays: two soft-cloth touch and one touch-free. The problem was that the equipment was outdated. Car Wash Queen now features two touch-free bays open 24/7 and one upgraded soft cloth tunnel.
A second AquaSonic Car Wash site is now identified in Jacksonville, Florida. According to the Jacksonville Daily Record, city utility JEA is reviewing a service availability determination request for a 1.66-acre site at 7002 Normandy Blvd. in West Jacksonville, east of Interstate 295. A 6,465-square-foot former medical building occupies the site, which is owned by a limited liability company led by Chesapeake-Portsmouth Broadcasting Corp. AquaSonic opened its first location in June in New Port Richey. JEA request indicates a project is being explored and not that a deal has been done.
A new Bubble Down Car Wash location in Spring Hill, Florida, recently hosted the Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the site. Bubble Down’s Chief Marketing Officer, Justin Gregory, was presented with a plaque officially welcoming the business as a member of the local Chamber of Commerce. Starting with a single location in North Tampa, the family-owned and operated car wash now has six locations. Three more locations are underway in South Tampa, Clearwater, and Moon Lake.
Marcus & Millichap has listed for sale the Rocket Shine Car Wash portfolio in Fort Myers, Florida. The portfolio includes two express car wash locations and a development site and also encompasses the businesses and underlying real estate. Marcus & Millichap provides real estate brokerage, mortgage brokerage, research, and advisory services in the United States and Canada.
Kwik Trip, Inc. has purchased a 3.53-acre commercial site from Hy-Vee, Inc. for $3.5 million, in Eagan, Minnesota, with plans to construct a new 24-hour convenience store, fuel station, and car wash at the corner. The sale was submitted on July 15 and finalized on July 18, according to a real estate transaction filed with the Minnesota Department of Revenue. The site includes three parcels located at 4160, 4168, and 4198 Pilot Knob Road, previously owned by Hy-Vee and part of the Hilltop Plaza development.
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.
Whistle Express Car Wash recently celebrated the grand opening of its newest location in Cape Coral, Florida. The new location reflects Whistle’s continued investment in expanding access to a clean, fast, and affordable car wash experience, backed by great people and a relentless focus on quality, according to a post on the company’s social media sites. Whistle, based in North Carolina, is the largest car wash operator with around 530 sites across the country.
Quick Quack Car Wash has opened a new location in Irving, Texas, which was completed in partnership with Fusion AE. Fusion AE provided architecture, MEP, project management, construction administration, and development and permitting services. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on July 22. The location reimagined an existing building with a new Quick Quack tower entry, upgraded MEP systems, and a redesigned site layout featuring updated drive-up lane canopies.
BlueWave Express Car Wash recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening for a new location in McAllen, Texas. … Brite Brothers Express Car Wash has postponed its grand opening for its site in Houston, Texas, until Aug. 16.
El Car Wash is hosting a block-style grand opening party on Aug. 16 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for its newest location at 1860 E. Semoran Blvd. in Apopka, Florida. The event will include live music, complimentary treats from local businesses, giveaways (including a chance at a year of unlimited washes), free washes for new customers and special membership promotions.
Weiler Convenience Stores’ “Car Washes for Kids” fundraiser is back for month of August at locally owned locations in Marshfield, Wisconsin. Every Wednesday, known as “Car Wash for Kids Day,” $1 from each car wash will be donated to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals at Marshfield Children’s Hospital. Car washes must be purchased in-store to be eligible for the fundraiser, ensuring that each contribution directly benefits the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
Cheetah Clean Auto Wash is holding a grand opening celebration on Aug. 21 of its newest location in Gallatin, Tennessee. Complimentary refreshments and free car washes will be available for guests.
Express Car Wash opened just over a year ago at 3206 East Washington Ave. in Madison, Wisconsin, but closed its doors in July. Management from Indiana-based Crew Carwash has told city officials that it is buying the business and plans to reopen the facility in 2026. Crew Carwash was founded in 1948 by Joe Dahm and remains owned by the family. The company has more than 50 locations in the Midwest, primarily in Indiana and Minnesota. This will be the company’s first location in Wisconsin.
Club Car Wash is celebrating the grand opening of its newest Texas location at 1051 N A.W. Grimes Blvd. in Round Rock. To mark the occasion, Club Car Wash is offering its premium $25 ‘MVP Wash’ for $1 for a limited time. All proceeds from the $1 washes will be donated to the Round Rock Serving Center, a local nonprofit organization that provides food, clothing, financial assistance, and community programs for families in crisis. Amenities at the site include powerful vacuums and free microfiber towels.
Two new Quick Quack Car Wash locations are coming to the State of Texas. The first is located at 14094 O’Connor Rd. in San Antonio. Its opening date remains to the determined. Another site is already open at 1421 NASA Road 1 in Houston, Texas.
Washville Car Wash, a New England regional chain, went before the planning board recently in Warwick, Rhode Island, to discuss the pre-application of a proposed car wash. When a pre-application comes before the board, there is no vote, but the applicants get a sense of what the board would like to see in the proponent’s formal application. The proposed car wash would have three queue lanes, utilizing the space that was the former Walgreens drive-through, and both interior and exterior free vacuums.
Tommy’s Express, the fastest-growing car wash brand in the nation, is excited to welcome the community on Friday to celebrate the opening of its newest location in Odessa, Texas, at 4530 E. University Blvd. To mark the occasion, guests are invited to enjoy a free car wash Friday through Sunday. Tommy’s Express locations are thoughtfully designed from the ground up with sustainability and customer experience in mind. The new state-of-the-art facility in Odessa includes premium amenities, such as complimentary floor mat washers and high-powered vacuum stations.
In celebration of the start of the new school year, Mr Wash Car Wash is offering free car washes for all school employees on Thursday at all of its Northern Virginia locations, including at 3407 Mt. Vernon Ave. and 420 S Van Dorn St. in Alexandria. To take advantage of this offer, teachers and school staff can visit any Mr Wash location on Thursday and show their school ID for a free car wash.
Matthews Real Estate Investment Services facilitated the recent closing of a sale in Plano, Texas, at Coit Marketplace which will be the home of a new Super Star Car Wash. Super Star, founded in Arizona in 1993, has more than 110 sites across four states – Arizona, California, Colorado and Texas.
The site of a car wash in Gloucester County, New Jersey, has changed hands as part of a new transaction arranged by Vantage Commercial. In a news release, the firm said it represented two undisclosed parties in the deal at 641 Bridgeton Pike in Mantua. It described the business, Route 45 Car Wash, as a well-established operator in the region. Vantage Commercial Vice President Ken Richardson and Sales Associate Jared Richardson spearheaded the deal.
A property that once belonged to a longtime automotive repair shop in Miamisburg, Ohio, is being replaced by a car wash. The city of Miamisburg announced recently that Flying Ace Car Wash is constructing a location at 1237 Central Avenue. Property records indicate “Flying Ace MIDCO, LLC.” purchased the property on July 25 for $1,550,000. Flying Ace already operates one location in the city, at 201 N. Springboro Pike.
ZIPS Car Wash recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of five upgraded sites in the Knoxville, Tennessee, area. The sites are 106 Moss Grove Blvd., 7365 Kingston Pike, and 4416 Western Ave., all in Knoxville; 102 S. Illinois Ave. Oak Ridge, Tenn.; and 1688 N. Main Street in Crossville, Tenn. Through its ongoing national partnership with Folds of Honor, at the event ZIPS recognized three local students of military families, each with a $500 academic scholarship.
Tsunami Express Car Wash will celebrate the grand opening of its location in Plover, Wisconsin, on Aug. 27, with free washes and a fundraiser for children battling cancer. The site, located at 210 Crossroads Drive, will offer free washes to all visitors from Aug. 27 through Sept. 7. During the same period, new customers can purchase an unlimited monthly membership for $5, with all proceeds donated to Special Spaces Wisconsin, a nonprofit that creates dream bedroom makeovers for children with cancer. The Plover site features free vacuums, tire air, mat cleaners, interior cleaning spray and microfiber towels.
Speeders Car Wash has recently two new locations – one at 672 Hartford Rd. in Manchester, Connecticut, and the other at 193 US-46 in Budd Lake, New Jersey. The Manchester location marks the rebranding of a Fred’s Carwash that was acquired by Summit Wash Holdings earlier this year. The Budd Lake site is Speeders’ second in New Jersey with 17 more planned. Speeders is born from the Russell Speeder’s brand that has been serving customers in Connecticut, New York, Nebraska, and Missouri for over 50 years.
Club Car Wash is officially open at 6730 Medina Base Rd. in San Antonio. The Medina Base Road location features fast, high-quality wash options, Unlimited Memberships, powerful vacuums, and free microfiber towels. To celebrate the grand opening, customers can experience the premium $25 MVP Wash for just $1-with 100 percent of proceeds donated to TEXSAR (Texas Search and Rescue), a nonprofit dedicated to providing life-saving search, rescue, and disaster response services across Texas.
Shine On Auto Wash Canada is celebrating the grand opening of its newest location on Saturday at 1170 Stockton St., Regina, SK, Canada. There will be free towels while supplies last, free automatic car washes for every 10th car, free hot dog with every wash, the first 104 seconds in the wash bay is “on us”; and for every $100 wash card purchased, customers will receive an additional $15 in minutes. Jack 94.5 + CJME Morning Show will be on site from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. A portion of all proceeds will be donated to charity.
Developers proposing a car wash in North Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania, will have to dig up some records for the project to progress. The township planning commission reviewed a proposal for Kornfeind Car Wash, slated for 2228 Old Post Road. Backers already received a special exception letting the project move into land development, but planners want evidence of a supposed deal with an adjoining property prior to a zoning hearing board meeting. The commercially zoned property currently houses the Kornfeind Market and has seen approval for other projects in the past.
Big League Car Wash opened its fourth location at 17969 I-35 N. in Schertz, Texas, on June 17. The locally-owned car wash has three additional locations around New Braunfels, while a fifth is being planned in Cibolo. Big League Car Wash offers a membership service for unlimited and custom cleanings. Options range from a standard wash to a ‘Grand Slam Experience’ that includes full body protectant, seal wax, wheel washing and more. Amenities include free vacuums and interior cleaning.
GoodDay Express Car Wash will be expanding out to Owatonna, Minnesota, and investing in redoing the former Salvation Army to put up its business. This car wash business is a small chain with Minnesota locations currently in Otsego, Monticello and Hutchinson. The owners of GoodDay Express Car Wash recently went through the planning commission and got a zoning approval through the city council. They needed to obtain a Conditional Use Permit (CUP), and it was approved during the city council meeting on July 15.
Customers can now “wash local, stay zesty” in Buechel, Kentucky, at a new touchless car wash. Clementine’s Car Wash recently opened its second location at 4139 Bardstown Rd., but residents are most likely to recognize it as the “old Buechel location” of the Thomas Car Wash company. Clementine’s, which is owned by Alex Thomas, grandson of the founder of Thomas Car Wash, opened its first touchless car wash at 2010 KY-53 in La Grange in 2024. The company offers various wash packages, ranging from $10 to $18 per wash, with monthly subscriptions available.
Relay For Life Fannin County has partnered with Fine ‘N Shine Car Wash, 1302 Hwy 121, in Bonham, Texas. On Sept. 5 and 6 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., swing by, get your car sparkling clean, and support a great cause – 20 percent of all sales will benefit Relay For Life in the fight against cancer.
Tommy’s Express Car Wash, a leading national car wash franchise, has broken ground on its newest location in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Located at 1970 Breton Road SE, just south of Breton Village, this location is expected to open to the public in 2026. This location will feature the signature Tommy’s Express building design and exclusive wash technology built for speed and convenience. Guests can watch through oversized bay windows as vehicles move along a dual-belt conveyor, receiving a full service in an average of just three minutes. Complimentary self-serve vacuums and mat washers are also available on-site.
Quick Quack Car Wash has filed plans for work at a new site in Humble, Texas, according to a July filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Construction is set to begin in May 2026 and wrap up in October, per the filing. The project has an estimated cost of $1.4 million. With more than 290 locations across seven states, Quick Quack offers car washes with technology, such as a three-step paint sealant process and ceramic duck coating.
The Redlands (California) Planning Commission recently unanimously approved plans for a 90-room hotel, a drive-through coffee shop and a car wash on a long-vacant site along California Street, about 500 feet south of Interstate 10. The site plan includes a 3,588-square-foot car wash with indoor mechanical equipment and capacity for 13 vehicles in line at a time. There will also be a total of 21 parking spaces. Construction will be divided into two phases, beginning with a new traffic signal, access improvements and initial site work.
Summit Wash Holdings, an industry-leading, membership-focused car wash group with operations in Connecticut, New York, Nebraska, Missouri, New Jersey, and Florida and first established in 2022, is proud to recognize a new location under the Waters Car Wash brand in Palm City, Florida. The Martin Highway location marks the first in Palm City – and represents another step forward in the company’s strategic expansion initiatives. “Our team is excited to expand our footprint and eager to bring the quality and care Waters Car Wash is known for to this wonderful community,” said Kevin Matthews, COO of Summit Wash Holdings.
Club Car Wash, one of the fastest-growing express car wash companies in the United States, is excited to announce the grand opening of its newest location at 18318 Evans St, Omaha, NE 68022. The new Omaha site offers Unlimited Wash Memberships, powerful vacuums and complimentary microfiber towels. To celebrate the opening, Club Car Wash is offering its top-tier wash-the $25 MVP-for just $1. All proceeds will support Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), a nonprofit dedicated to providing a home-away-from-home for families with children receiving medical care.
Residents have expressed concern about a proposed Auto Spa Express Car Wash near the planned Costco location in Bel Air, Maryland, that would wash up to 200 cars an hour. Community members spoke out at a meeting held earlier this month. The 5,223-square-foot car wash would be located on the same 33-acre parcel as the proposed Costco. The current proposal shows a 130-foot, automated, belt-operated car wash tunnel with 26 parking spaces for vehicle drying. Project planners explained to meeting attendees that access to the car wash would be only from within the shopping center’s property.
Autobell Car Wash is proud to award educational scholarships to 158 team members across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware for the 2025–26 academic year, with this year’s gifts totaling $150,000. Created to recognize the notable achievements of team members while encouraging continued education, the Autobell Car Wash Scholarship Program has provided more than $2.4 million in funds to over 2,200 recipients since its launch in 2000. The scholarship selection process reviews students’ academic diligence, extracurricular activity, civic engagement, and leadership potential.
Crystal Car Wash at 901 S. Harlem Ave. in Forest Park, Illinois, was looking to expand for the second time in three years. It seems that’s not going to happen, for now. Crystal Car Wash’s addition of vacuum stalls to the lot just north of it was the only agenda item for the May and June Planning and Zoning Commission meetings. But the PZC meetings were cancelled after the car wash’s owner, Neil Rembos, withdrew his request for the meetings. Rembos made a similar request for expansion in 2021.
After Club Car Wash opened its first Grand Junction, Colorado, location in late May, it didn’t take long to bring its second location online. Club Car Wash opened at 2122 North Ave.in mid-August. The North Avenue site features high-quality wash packages, unlimited-wash memberships, powerful vacuums and free microfiber towels. To celebrate the opening, Club Car Wash is offering for a limited time its top-tier wash, the $25 MVP, for $1, with 100 percent of proceeds benefiting CASA of Mesa County, a local nonprofit that advocates on behalf of children who have experienced abuse or neglect.
Tommy’s Express, the fastest-growing car wash brand in the nation, is celebrating the opening of its newest location in Allendale, Michigan, at 5380 Lake Michigan Dr. To mark the occasion, guests are invited to enjoy a free car wash through Friday (Sept. 5).
The newest business in Kewanee, Illinois – the D’Luxe Auto Wash – recently openedbehind the Community State Bank building on Tenney Street. The car wash is a project of K-Town Real Estate, and the owners are Chris Roginski, John Cernovich and Ben and Marshall Nelson. As the name implies, D’Luxe is totally automated. Customers drive into the wash lane and signs light up to give instructions on how to proceed through the washing process. Customers purchase memberships that are good for a month. During that month, they may run their vehicle through the wash once a day for as many days as they like.
A new WOW Carwash opening at Desert Inn Road and Durango Drive in Las Vegas, Nevada, is offering free premium car washes through Sept. 7. It’s limited to one car wash per vehicle, available from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The recent grand opening featured Chance, the Vegas Golden Knights mascot, and the Vegas Vivas, the official dance team of the Vegas Golden Knights, to cut the ribbon. “It was great to see so many people come out to celebrate the opening of our 18th location,” said Hilary Woodring, Chief Brand Officer of WOW Carwash. “We are proud to be a Vegas-born brand.”
Tommy’s Express Car Wash in Grand Blanc, Michigan (5661 S Saginaw St.), will be donating $1 from each car wash on Saturday (Sept. 6) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to the Voices for Children Advocacy Center. Voices for Children provides trauma-informed care, forensic interviews, therapy, and prevention services to children impacted by abuse in Genesee County. In addition, Tommy’s Express is donating hotdogs and condiments, which will be sold onsite for just $1–$2, with 100% of the proceeds also supporting Voices’ mission.
Cache Car Wash in Logan, Utah, recently raised $9,740 to support the families of two local law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty. On Aug. 23, the company donated all proceeds from washes at its four Cache Valley locations – in Hyde Park, Logan and Nibley – to benefit the families of Sgt. Lee Sorenson and Officer Eric Estrada. The fundraiser drew strong support from the community, with steady business throughout the day. Cache Car Wash, locally owned and operated, said this effort was a way to honor the sacrifice of officers Sorenson and Estrada while helping their families.
Dash Car Wash recently celebrated the grand opening of its 12th location in the Phoenix Valley, and is now welcoming guests at 16205 W. Bell Rd. in Surprise, Arizona. “Each new location signifies a significant step in our mission, ‘Welcoming Brighter Futures.’ We are dedicated to providing fast, high-quality, guest-first car washes across the Valley,” said Dash COO Ron Kindall in a social media post. “This latest site enhances our ability to deliver convenience, consistency, and exceptional care to the communities we serve.”
A new Mister Car Wash is being proposed for a 1.26-acre site on Paradise Drive in West Bend, Wisconsin. The car wash would feature a 130-foot tunnel wash and 12 vacuum stations. The existing site, 962 W. Paradise Dr., is currently home to office space and Mid-Moraine Municipal Court. The location was also previously Educator’s Credit Union.
Summit Wash Holdings, an industry-leading, membership-focused car wash group with operations in Connecticut, New York, Nebraska, Missouri, New Jersey, and Florida, announced the opening of another Waters Car Wash in Orlando (7520 East Colonial Dr.), further strengthening the brand’s footprint in Central Florida with more than 20 locations now serving the region. “Our goal is to provide more communities with convenient, high-quality car wash experiences, and Orlando has been an essential part of that growth,” said Ray Underwood, Chief Development Officer at Summit Wash Holdings.
A new Quick Quack Car Wash site in the Sienna Ridge retail center in El Dorado Hills, California, is now open at 3379 Bass Lake Rd. This is the chain’s first El Dorado Hills location. Locally based Quick Quack is one of the largest and fastest-growing express car wash operators in the country. The chain has many Sacramento-area locations, with several more in the works. Tenants are also lined up for a new retail building in the same El Dorado Hills center where Quick Quack is located. That building is expected to include Chipotle Mexican Grill and The Posh Bagel.
Leaven Kids has awarded Seven Flags Car Wash in Fairfield, California, the Mayor Harry T. Price Achievement Award for its support of youth education development in Solano County. “Seven Flags’ impact has been nothing short of amazing,” Leaven Kids Chief Executive Officer Mark Lillis said in a statement. The award, sponsored by Copart, will be presented at the Leaven Kids Gala on Oct. 5. It honors the legacy of the late Harry Price, longtime mayor of Fairfield who was a founding member and vocal advocate of the Leaven Kids mission.
After three previous tries, a plan for the former Ahler’s family homestead in Grafton, Wisconsin, has been approved. The 3.11-acre parcel at 1743 Wisconsin Ave. is located between Blain’s Farm & Fleet and Goodwill. Applicant Jeff Liegel of LSRE will relocate a Culver’s restaurant – currently a half mile south – to the new site and will add a Tommy’s Express Car Wash. The site will include a 5,521-square-foot tunnel car wash with double payment lanes, 18 self-serve vacuums and seven parking spaces for employees.
The Whitefish (Montana) Community Development Board recommended approval for a car wash, a building and a lakeshore variance. Rocky Mountain Car Wash requested a permit to construct and operate a car wash at 6335 U.S. 93 South, the former site of the Big Mountain Thrift Store. It is a family-owned and operated company, based in Belgrade, and operates about a dozen car wash locations. The proposed car wash will feature four self-service bays, three automatic wash bays and several self-serve vacuum stations. The board voted unanimously to recommend approval of the car wash after adding a condition that the developer use a silenced dryer system and integrate water recycling technology.
Construction for a new Quick Quack Car Wash at 14094 O’Connor Rd. in San Antonio is scheduled to begin in September. Quick Quack offers touch-free car washes along with free vacuums and dash wipes. … Big League Car Wash is in the early stages of planning its fifth site in the Northeast San Antonio area. It would be located at 990 FM 1103 in Cibolo, Texas. Big League offers touchless car washes, vacuums, and car wash memberships.
Tommy’s Express Car Wash, the fastest-growing car wash brand in the nation, is celebrating all TommyClub members during “Member Appreciation Week,” which runs through Sept. 12. As a thank you, members will receive a different perk or offer each day of the week at all locations. Guests can sign up for unlimited or pay-per-wash memberships through the Tommys Express TommyClub offering convenience, value, and quick service. Using advanced license plate recognition technology, members enjoy smooth automatic entry and access to four customizable wash packages designed to meet various needs and budgets.
Club Car Wash is opening another location in Colorado Springs – this time at 301 E. Fillmore St. As the company continues to grow across Colorado, this new site brings even more access to fast, high-quality car wash services the community can count on. To celebrate the grand opening, Club Car Wash is offering its premium $25 MVP Wash for just $1 with 100 percent of the proceeds to benefit Children’s Miracle Network (CMN), supporting critical care for children in need.
J.E. Adams Industries Ltd., an employee-owned company in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, recently announced it has acquired Proto-Vest car wash dryer systems. This acquisition expands the J.E. Adams portfolio by adding a top-tier dryer system to its existing vacuum systems. Proto-Vest began in 1969 and built a reputation for innovation and customer satisfaction. Its systems deliver superior vehicle drying. They also reduce energy consumption and operate with lower noise levels, setting industry benchmarks.
A new Dream Clean Car Wash has been proposed for the former Produce Center site at 5820 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Gladstone Park, Illinois. The project requires a zoning change from B3-1 Community Shopping District to C1-1 Neighborhood Commercial District. The Produce Center closed about five years ago. Dream Clean has several locations in the Chicago suburbs, including Wheeling, Palatine, Oak Lawn, Mundelein, Lombard, Hoffman Estates and Algonquin. The existing building would be demolished to make way for a 5,500-square foot automated car wash.
The development of a proposed El Car Wash car wash in Ferndale, Michigan, has hit a snag. At its Aug. 20 meeting, the Planning Commission reviewed the special land use application and site plan for the development. The proposed project would include the construction of a 3,623-square-foot car wash, 1,373-square-foot second-floor office area and 8,603-square-foot enclosed vacuuming area. After a lengthy meeting where the majority of the residents who spoke during the public hearing voiced their disapproval of the project, the commission voted 6-1 to recommend that City Council deny the special land use application.
If the application for Drake’s Car Wash looked familiar to the Murrysville (Pennsylvania) council, that’s because they’ve seen nearly all of it before. Council approved a plan a few years ago for Tommy’s Car Wash on the same spot, the former Choice Auto property on Route 22 near School Road. “The previous applicant walked away from that project,” Murrysville Chief Administrator Michael Nestico said. “(Drake’s) has essentially mirrored that plan with a few minor adjustments.” The only major difference in the plan was the addition of a third lane for cars to queue in, with all lanes 100 feet in length. The number of vacuum spaces was also reduced.
There’s another car wash coming to Livingston County, Michigan, but developers need a little more time to get it up and running. The Howell Township Planning Commission approved a one-year extension for The Soapy Bucket Car Wash, which has approved site plans at 100 Springborn Dr. The brand already has two locations in Livingston County at 1026 E. Grand River Ave. and 1415 Lawson Dr. Construction is expected to begin construction this fall or winter, but several circumstances have delayed groundbreaking – including gaining approval for a stormwater basin location, rebidding several major components, and obtaining the necessary financing.
The Chippewa Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) awarded OhmCo Carwash Marketing the Grand Prize at the BEAR ’25 Pitch Competition. The “Shark Tank” for growth-stage businesses drew together investors, mentors and entrepreneurs from across the state. Founded in Neenah, Wisconsin, OhmCo quickly became a recognized name in the national carwash industry. The company provides marketing, web development and technology platforms to carwash operators across the U.S. The company’s win at BEAR ’25 underscores the increasing recognition of the carwash industry’s economic contribution to Wisconsin and beyond.
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 familiar face is putting down roots and suds in the Lincoln County business scene, as a Nebraska native takes over ownership and management of a long-standing car wash in North Platte. Jake Childers joined the North Platte healthcare community nearly a decade ago as a pharmacist. He is now trading prescriptions for pressure washers becoming the helm of Super Suds Car Wash. Childers’ purchase not only includes the Super Suds Express Tunnel but also the adjoining self-serve wash bays and the Super Dog Wash.
