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:
Tommy’s Express Car Wash is celebrating the grand opening of a new location in Saratoga Springs, Utah, with free car washes through March 2. This location marks the first Tommy’s Express in Saratoga Springs and the second in the state of Utah. With over 230 franchise locations across North America, Tommy’s Express is ranked No. 1 in the car wash category on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list.
Two local residents have applied for a building permit to construct a new free-standing tunnel car wash called Triple T Express Car Wash in the city of Yorkville, Illinois. Construction on the site is expected to begin in the coming weeks. The goal is for it to open later this year. Yorkville currently has three other large car wash locations, all located on the north side of the city.
A second location for Bubble’s Foam Farm Car Wash is moving forward in Delafield, Wisconsin, after the town’s plan commission recently recommended approval of a conditional use permit to the common council. The company has had a location in the city of Oconomowoc for several years. Bubble’s Foam uses reclaimed water to minimize environmental impact and eco-friendly chemicals.
Construction is set to begin soon on a New Day Car Wash location in Birmingham, Alabama. The site was purchased for $2.9 million on Jan. 16 from JAD3. LIV Development announced in February 2024 that it launched New Day Car Wash while opening a location in Vestavia Hills. It also has a location in Trussville and locations “coming soon” in Fultondale and Tuscaloosa.
A new Big League Car Wash location is set to open in April in Schertz, Texas, which would be the company’s fourth site. It currently has three locations in nearby New Braunfels, Texas. The new site will feature a 150-foot tunnel, 28 vacuums and cleaners. Big League is owned by former Major League Baseball player Daniel McCutchen and his wife, Sarah, a dentist in New Braunfels. Daniel played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers organizations, among others.
Tommy’s Express Car Wash is celebrating the grand opening of its newest location in Cape Coral, Florida, with free car washes through March 2. The site, at 1612 Kismet Pkwy. East, is the company’s fourth in Cape Coral. With over 230 franchise locations across North America, Tommy’s Express is ranked No. 1 in the car wash category on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list, as well as being recognized on the list of Fastest-Growing Franchises.
A former Pizza Hut restaurant building in Magnolia, New Jersey, will be demolished soon to make way for a new ModWash Car Wash location. The temporary construction fencing went up last week surrounding the property. Plans for the new ModWash development were approved in September 2022 by the Magnolia Joint Land Use Board. The application required variance approval for lot coverage percentage, as well as a variety of signage items. Current ModWash locations in South Jersey include Cherry Hill, Clementon, Millville, Pleasantville, Sicklerville (two locations), Turnersville and Vineland.
Tommy’s Express Car Wash is celebrating the grand opening of a new location in Summerville, S.C., with free car washes through March 2. The site at 1319 N. Main St. is near the Walmart Supercenter. With over 230 franchise locations across North America, Tommy’s Express is ranked No. 1 in the car wash category on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list, as well as being recognized on the list of Fastest-Growing Franchises.
A new Clean Freak Car Wash is set to open in Celina, Texas, with a ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled for Feb. 28. The drive-thru car wash offers tire and wheel scrubs, polishing foam, paint protection and tire shine among other services. The Clean Freak brand has nearly 30 locations across Arizona and Texas. As part of the “School Showdown” fundraiser, every free wash customer casts a vote for their school, and the school with the most participation wins a $2,500 donation.
GR Development LLC wants to build a Washville Car Wash location at 223 E. Main St. in Marlborough, Massachusetts, the former site of a Bank of America branch. GRD has applied for a special permit. Should it be approved, GRD will replace the current structure with a 4,200-square-foot facility which will include exterior car vacuums. The city council sent the application to its Urban Affairs Committee, which plans a public hearing on March 10.
Tommy’s Express Car Wash has opened three new locations around Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Two of the locations are Edmund with the third in The Village. The three locations are all former Coulter Express Car Wash sites. Customers who purchase an unlimited wash membership for TommyClub through the Tommy’s Express app can wash their vehicles at any of the 230 locations across the country. These memberships utilize a specialized license plate reader system that allows vehicles to enter the wash automatically.
Pony Express Car Wash recently held a grand opening and ribbon cutting for its newest location in Rexburg, Idaho. It’s the sixth Pony Express to open in eastern Idaho. Kyle Benson and his brothers, Travis and Mark, opened the first Pony Express in 2019 in Chubbuck. They have since expanded to Idaho Falls, Ammon, Pocatello, Blackfoot and now Rexburg. The drive-thru car washes are “custom-built for speed and efficiency,” according to Benson.
The construction of a new Spark Car Wash recently returned before the Town of Newburgh (New York) Planning Board, which declared itself the lead agency for the State Environmental Quality Review Act process. A consultant work session is planned. The project was previously reviewed in December 2024 and once before that. A technical report by MHE Engineering identified 18 outstanding issues which must be addressed by the applicant before any further action is taken.
City officials in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, are considering a new proposal to redevelop the site of the former Rite Aid as a new Spotless Carwash location. A presentation was given at the recent borough planning commission meeting by Spotless, which hopes to build the site. The plan calls for 13 exterior vacuum spaces, an interior car wash, and various other “site improvements and stormwater management accommodations.”
