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:
Charlotte, North Carolina-based Links Car Wash continues its expansion in Florida with the opening of a second Tampa location at 14504 Basswood Ave. To celebrate, Links Car Wash will host a “Free Wash Weekend” at the new location June 21-22, inviting the local community to enjoy a complimentary Ultimate Wash. Links Car Wash is focused on acquiring and revitalizing car wash locations with a modern approach. Amenities include complimentary vacuums, mat cleaners, towels, and window cleaners.
Fentanyl was seized from King’s Car Wash in Providence, Rhode Island, last week after the Drug Enforcement Administration served a federal search warrant. A report from ABC6 News said multiple people were detained at the scene when the warrant was served. A spokesperson for the DEA said the investigation is ongoing and the agency would have no additional comment. The car wash remains closed for now.
AquaShine Express Car Wash celebrated the grand opening of its newest location last Friday in Sarasota, Florida. Despite early-morning thunderstorms in the area, the site provided nearly 250 free car washes and matched donations made to the local non-profit All Star Children’s Foundation. The grand opening was also featured on a 4½ minute segment on ABC7’s “Suncoast View” show.
A new Club Car Wash location recently opened in Sussex, Wisconsin. Club features different options for car washes such as scented soap, tire shine or foaming bath options. It also has an unlimited membership option where people can pay a monthly price for unlimited car washes and no contract. Club Car Wash opened its first location in Columbia, Missouri, in 2006 and now has more than 150 locations across 13 different states.
A new Platinum Car Wash location at 1251 Farmington Ave. is nearing completion in Bristol, Connecticut, with an expected grand opening in late July. The site will feature 18 vacuum stalls and a 130-foot hybrid model wash tunnel, which employs both friction-based and touchless washing. The site also uses eco-friendly Simoniz products and a state-of-the-art water treatment system. The second Bristol location will be the company’s fifth, all of which are in Connecticut.
Gentle Wave Car Wash opened late last month in South Bend, Indiana, and recently celebrated its grand opening. The site, which was designed by Car Wash Pro Designers and built by New Path Construction, features 30 vacuum stations and broke ground in June 2024.
The Amarillo (Texas) Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for tips on two people seen on camera burglarizing the Quick Quack Car Wash at 2400 S. Georgia St. A man and woman were caught on camera earlier in the morning forcing their way into the car wash. Anyone with information about the suspects’ identities is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (806) 374-4400, submit a tip online at amapolice.org, or use the P3 Tips app. An anonymous tip leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
New Day Car Wash is holding grand openings on two new locations this month – in Fultonville, Alabama, and 5305 Highway 280 in Birmingham. New Day marks the launch of each new location with a grand opening celebration featuring their philanthropic initiative, Wash for a Cause, which provides customers the opportunity to support local organizations while enjoying a free wash. The Fultonville site’s grand opening runs through Sunday while the Birmingham site’s event is June 19-22.
Tommy’s Express Car Wash, the fastest-growing car wash brand in the nation, will celebrate the grand opening of its newest location in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Free washes are available at the site through June 15. Amenities at the site include complimentary floor mat washers and high-powered vacuum stations. 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.
According to the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal, the Splash Car Wash at 1005 S. Walton Blvd. in Bentonville, Arkansas, has a new owner. Springfield, Missouri-based Big Ranch LLC purchased the site – which includes a 5,825-square-foot tunnel car wash – for $5.55 million. The seller was Little Rock, Arkansas-based Splash Redbud LLC, managed by Drew Holbert. Built in 2023, the tunnel car wash is on 1.08 acres north of a 10,898-square-foot shopping center. Splash Redbud paid $1.22 million for the property in September 2022.
The Unlimited Wash Rite Express Car Wash has officially opened at 121 DiGregory Ave. in Steubenville, Ohio. To celebrate the opening, the car wash is offering a ‘Freedom Club’ special, where all memberships are priced at $10 a month for the first two months, regardless of the package selected. The car wash operates 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sundays.
A new Tsunami Express Car Wash will open on June 11 in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The site will celebrate its grand opening June 11-22 with free washes and will sell memberships for $5 for the first month. The $5 memberships will be donated back to Special Spaces of Wisconsin, a nonprofit that delivers bedroom makeovers for children with cancer. The new site is the second in the area, with a location in Wisconsin Rapids having opened May 14. A third location is scheduled to open in July in Plover.
Last week, a woman exiting the WashU Car Wash off Civic Center Drive in Niles, Illinois, accelerated while exiting, went over a curb, struck three parked vehicles, then hit a moving vehicle. Both then spun and struck a wall of a nearby Home Depot and the propane tanks stored in a cage. The Home Depot was evacuated by firefighters as a precaution for several hours. Both drivers were transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
The Waynesboro (Virginia) City Council recently voted unanimously to table a change in a city ordinance affecting the building of car washes. The current ordinance specifically requires car wash bay doors to face away from both entrance corridors and residential districts. The new code would allow for more flexibility, giving a city site review team the final call on the bay door’s orientation. No residents spoke for or against the proposal during a public hearing last month.
Plans have been submitted for the construction of a new Quick Quack Car Wash location in Folsom, California. The site is currently under review by city officials. The proposed site sits across from the Folsom Pavilions shopping center. The filing, originally submitted in March, marks the latest move by the Rocklin-based company to expand its footprint in the Sacramento region, where it already operates more than 30 express wash locations.
A new Flagship Carwash location is coming to Brooklawn, New Jersey at the intersection of Route 130 and Kings Highway. A team from Schorn Construction recently tore down a former gas station on the site ahead of the start of the car wash construction. The project was approved in 2022, originally to be developed as a Take 5 Car Wash. Signage for the construction company has been hanging on the protective barrier fence for several weeks. Flagship Carwash has more than 40 locations in the Washington D.C., Virginia and Maryland area.
A locally owned car wash, Freddie’s Auto Spa, is set to open in Bowling Green, Ohio, on June 14 on a site on North Main Street. 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.
Last week, a fire broke out at an iconic car wash in Mountain View, California, doing severe damage to a building on the site of Kaady Car Wash, formerly known as Lozano Brushless Car Wash. When firefighters arrived, they found a fire burning through the roof of a single-story office building located on the car wash premises. The building was unoccupied at the time, and no one was injured. The cause remains under investigation.
Let’Er Buck Carwash in Sheridan, Wyoming, is hosting a fundraiser for Noah’s Ark Christian Preschool on June 14. Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., the NACP will receive $1 for every car that is washed. There will also be a lemonade stand on site. Donations will also be accepted. Noah’s Ark Christian Preschool. Let’Er Buck features a tunnel conveyor car wash which completes a wash in four minutes or less tear-round. Over 7,000 square feet of concrete is heated at both the entrance and exit of the wash.
NAI Isaac, a full service commercial real estate brokerage, recently facilitated a lease to Tommy’s Express Car Wash at the Palomar Springs development on Harrodsburg Road in Lexington, Kentucky. This is the first location for Tommy’s Express in the market. Jim Kemper and Zach Smith, CCIM, with NAI Isaac, represented the Tenant. Gordy Hoagland, CCIM, with White Oak Commercial Real Estate, represented the landlord. Tommy’s Express is a rapidly expanding national car wash franchise known for its eco-friendly, and high-quality washes.
A protest broke out at the courthouse in Hartford, Connecticut, earlier this week after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid at a local car wash in Southington resulted in the arrests and detention of four employees. ICE immigration raids have also been reported at a pair of car washes in the area of West Los Angeles in California – the Culver City Car Wash and the Westchester Hand Wash.
The city of Birmingham, Alabama, recently extended its moratorium on automated car washes for another 90 days following a public hearing by the city council. Residents had the opportunity to voice their opinions on the issue, but there were no speakers opposing the extension. Council members acknowledged the need for stricter regulations on the placement of these businesses. The moratorium, initially enacted in March 2024, was a response to a surge in business applications for automated car washes.
Eleven Western Builders Inc. recently completed construction of a new BlueWave Express Car Wash location in Morgan Hill, California. Eleven Western is a family-owned retail general contractor based in Escondido, California. The 2,880 square-foot car wash site is now open. BlueWave Express, based in Texas and founded in 2007, has more than 60 sites across Texas and California.
The city council of Kewanee, Illinois, has put approval of a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) loan on hold for a new car wash to be built by KTown Real Estate on a site that formerly housed a Piggly Wiggly supermarket. The hold came after one of the partners in the car wash project objected because he said the deal had been changed from what the council had originally agreed to. Council members had agreed to a reduction in the TIF loan amount from what the developers had originally sought.
All Cobblestone Auto Spa locations are accepting donations as part of a special fundraising event to support the family of fallen Apache Junction (Arizona) Police Officer, Gabriel Facio. The donations will go to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Memorial Fund and directly to support Officer Facio’s family. Facio, 46, was shot after responding to reports of a driver brandishing a firearm on June 2. Founded in 1997, Cobblestone has 50 Arizona and 41 Colorado locations.
The newest Surf Thru Express Car Wash is now open in Pasco, Washington. The 6,000-square-foot facility is the California-based company’s third in the Tri-Cities area. Built for $7.5 million, the tunnel was built with state-of-the-art equipment and utilizes recycled and reverse osmosis-purified water. Amenities include 24 free vacuums, air blasters and complimentary towel service. DFE Architecture of Spokane designed the facility; Chervenell Construction was the general contractor.
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.
Clean Express Auto Wash is celebrating the grand opening this month of its newest location in Macedonia, Ohio. Through June 22, customers will receive a complimentary “Ceramic 4 Ultra” signature wash (normally $22). For each new membership purchased during the grand opening, Clean Express will donate $10 to Fostering Hope, a nonprofit that supports youth in Northeast Ohio’s foster care and residential treatment system. Clean Express is part of Express Wash Concepts, which operates in six states under five brands.
WashU Car Wash has opened its newest location at 311 E. Loop Dr. in Wheaton, Illinois. It marks the company’s 11th site in the Chicagoland area and 13th overall for the brand. The new location offers a combined approach to exterior and interior auto cleaning with state-of-the-art tunnel experience and numerous amenities free of charge. The facilities include vacuum stalls, mat cleaners, compressed air, towels and cleaning spray.
A grand opening was held last week for the newest Big Dan’s Car Wash, which is located at 950 Academy Dr. in Kissimmee, Florida. It’s the 25th site opened for Big Dan’s and third in the city. Big Dan’s, based in Georgia, was founded in 2020 and offers three different unlimited membership plans. Among the free amenities available are vacuums, microfiber towels, compressed air, window cleaner, interior cleaner, mat cleaner and air fresheners.
Wash N Go Car Wash recently celebrated the grand opening of its newest location at 1921 High House Rd. in Cary, North Carolina. The state-of-the art wash offers fast and eco-friendly car wash services, including both express and full service and detailing. The location also is home to a BP gas station and a convenience store/min-mart. The family-owned company has roots dating back to 1987 in South Florida.
Commercial mobile car washes or detailing services that send rinse water into the city’s stormwater sewer system would be breaking the law under an amended ordinance that cleared the Camden (New Jersey) City Council last week. The amended ordinance will get a public hearing at the July 8 city council meeting, where the council will decide whether to make it law. Advocates said it ordinance was needed to ensure compliance with the federal Clean Water Act.
Residents of Anchorage, Alaska, got their first look of the interior of a mysterious new city building last week with the opening of the Cyber Express Car Wash. The site, with its futuristic ‘Cyber’ logo, is considered the third largest in the United States (by size) and fifth largest in the world. Following the tunnel wash, drivers are directed to a conveyor belt lined with Cyber employees. Once the car is driven onto the conveyor belt and the driver has exited (you can relax in a nearby lounge), the employees then vacuum, buff and wipe the interior.
BlueWave Express Car Wash recently hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for its newest location at 3298 Boca Chica Blvd. in Brownsville, Texas. It’s the company’s third location in the south Texas city located near the Mexico border. Founded in 2007, BlueWave Express has more than 60 sites in California and Texas. The site has Unlimited car washes starting at $21.99/month. Amenities include a free towel exchange, windshield washer fluid and vacuums.
Construction is nearly completed at a new Glacier Car Wash location in Milton, Washington. Backed by Capital Partners LLC’s $6.2 million loan to Miller Investments & Jody Miller Construction, the 4,200 square-foot site will raise the bar in the express car wash industry with its sustainable water reclamation technology. The new site will be the company’s second in the Seattle suburb. Glacier also utilizes Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) in its equipment to significantly reduce electricity consumption.
Sud Stop car wash has officially opened its second location in North Carolina, at 100 Smithfield Crossing Dr. in Smithfield. The company also has a site in Kernersville. It has plans to open 33 locations over the next two years. Customers can sign up for text updates at www.sudstopcarwash.com to receive a free SignatureSud Wash ($29 value). Sud Stop Smithfield is offering Founders Club memberships through July 13 for just $9.98 per month for the first three months.
A groundbreaking ceremony was recently held for the construction of Tanner’s Express Car Wash in Duluth, Minnesota. The 3-acre site will be co-owned by 19-year-old Tanner Stokes and his partner Sandy Hoff. Stokes and Hoff began work on the $8 development about a year-and-a-half ago. The site will feature state-of-the-art technology and three pay lanes, which will give it the ability to wash more than 100 cars an hour. The sit is expected to open in January 2026.
Crew Carwash, a popular family-owned Midwest car wash chain, is opening a new location at 8380 Windfall Ln. in Camby, Indiana, marking an expansion into the Indianapolis metropolitan area. Founded in 1948 by Joe Dahm, Crew Carwash currently has more than 50 locations in Indiana and Minnesota and was recently recognized as one of the Best Places to Work 2025 in Glassdoor’s 17th-annual Employees’ Choice Awards. Crew is also ranked No. 2 on Glassdoor’s Top 100 Best Places to Work in the U.S. (large list).
Tsunami Express Car Wash will celebrate the grand opening of its newest location at 15301 W. Coffee Rd. in New Berlin, Wisconsin, with free car washes from June 25 through July 6. Any customer who signs up for a membership will receive their first month of unlimited washes for $5. All proceeds during the grand opening will go to the non-profit Special Spaces Wisconsin, which creates dream bedroom makeovers for children with cancer. Amenities of the site include free vacuums and complimentary detailing supplies.
