SUN PRAIRIE, Wis.

The village of Waunakee is home to one of two state-of-the-art carwashes in Wisconsin with the capability of washing 80 to 90 cars per hour, according to the Waunakee Tribune. Ultimate Express Car Wash opened on Oct. 1.

“What prompted this was last year, the lines for the carwash and the fact that there were 70 cars in front of you,” said Randy Meffert, president of Meffert Oil. “You knew it was going to be an hour wait. People were getting frustrated.”

The Meffert Oil team began to research and visit other carwashes, and construction on a tunnel conveyor with the capability of washing several cars at any given time soon followed.

The previous carwash at the location could only wash eight to 10 vehicles an hour. The new facility can wash 10 times that amount in the same time frame.

Only the second one in the state (the other location is in Green Bay), the hybrid carwash offers a touch-free and polish service with the ability to wash a vehicle in less than two minutes from start to finish.

Another car can be loaded onto the conveyor every 30 seconds, shared Meffert, adding that the innovative carwash’s theme is “Lose the Wait.”

The site’s convenience store was also expanded. Both the carwash and c-store are open seven days a week.

 

JACKSON, Tenn.

After a conversation with a friend, Kevin and Shannon Robertson decided to open Auto Clean Express in their hometown of Jackson, Tennessee, according to the Jackson Sun.

The owners presented four offers on four different locations in Decatur, Alabama, however the pair selected a site in Jackson while visiting family in the city.

Kevin reported that after a few phone calls and a fast analysis on the population, traffic count and surrounding retail, he and his wife settled on the location.

After a few weeks of additional market and environmental studies, civil engineering and securing finances, a closing date for the site was set. Once the Robertsons closed on the property, they turned their sights toward equipment and installed innovative technology within the 100-foot wash tunnel.

The new owners also wanted to perfect their site design. “We wanted an open concept with a lot of lighting,” explained Kevin in the article. “Some people are intimidated by driving one of their most expensive assets into a tunnel, [so] we wanted our customers to be able to see what’s going on inside the tunnel. We wanted them to see exactly what is happening to a vehicle as it is pulled through on the conveyor. [We added] this, along with ample lighting at the pay stations and the vacuum canopy during the winter months. I asked myself, ‘What kind of environment would make me feel comfortable for my wife to stop in to wash her car and vacuum at night?’”

Kevin noted the mat cleaning, all-purpose cleaners, vacuums, microfiber towels and air fresheners are free with a carwash.

 

LAKE ST. LOUIS, Mo.

A carwash business was launched in the parking lot of a Firestone Complete Auto Care by five-year-old AJ Keeven, according to KSDK. Keeven named his business the Cause Wash because “it’s for a good cause.”

“[AJ] said he wanted to open up a carwash where all of the money we use for washing the cars is donated for sick or needy children,” said Kristine Keeven, AJ’s mom.

With a dream, cleaning supplies and a gathering of neighbors and friends, AJ turned his dream of opening a carwash into a reality, the article stated, raising money for “Christmas in July.”

Christmas in July, the article reported, is a fund for the Christmas Shoppe at the New Hope Resource Center that provides families in need with a store-like shopping experience at a low cost.

“AJ has been an inspiration for all of us,” noted Jennifer Long, pastor of Morning Star Church. AJ has raised around $2,000 for Christmas in July.

 

ANNAPOLIS, Md.

Construction is underway for Annapolis Car Wash By Design, according to the Capital Gazette.

The full-service wash, which will operate on 1.5 acres, is forecast to open by early December.

Tom Morris, owner of the carwash, spent approximately three years searching for a location for the business and finally settled on a site at 111 Defense Highway, just west of Generals Highway and Westfield Annapolis Mall.

“It’s great for a carwash and for our layout,” explained Morris. “When building a carwash, almost like with any type of gas station, you’ve got to make sure you have the right site for getting in and getting out.”

Annapolis Car Wash By Design will feature three lanes for customers as well as an automatic pay station for VIP customers, and the facility will be situated at least 100 feet back on the property to permit more space for patrons coming in and out.

Morris said the business will employ up to 50 people and will use equipment that recycles 85 percent of water.

 

EAST PASSAGE, Nova Scotia

The Landry family, owner of The Passage Car Wash in Eastern Passage, wants to create a long-lasting, sustainable business with a “unique labor force,” according to the Chronical Herald.

Ian Landry is also hoping to create an opportunity for his sons, and other developmentally disabled people, by expanding.

“Nic has a severe learning disability, so he would have been stuck in labor jobs for his entire life,” said Landry. “This [carwash] is providing him with an opportunity.”

Landry’s son Nic operates The Passage Car Wash, and Landry hopes to have Nic in more of a managerial position once the wash’s staff size increases.

The owner’s other son, Christopher, is autistic. Landry plans to expand the carwash’s detailing services in order to hire Christopher and more intellectually disabled employees.

The current carwash is located on a rented property, and Landry has a goal of relocating and expanding his business to a permanent site.

“He has a conditional offer on a house on McKay Lane, where Nic would be able to live independently, and is hoping to purchase the empty lot next door to build the carwash,” stated the article. “The dream is to have Nic live close enough to keep an eye on the property once they start construction this fall, if all goes according to plan.”

To finance the project, Landry has remortgaged his home and expects the total costs for the properties and carwash construction to be about $350,000.

 

CAPE CORAL, Fla.

The Cape Coral City Council recently voted five to three to overturn the Cape Coral Board of Zoning Adjustment and Appeals’ rejection of BK Sunshine Properties’ application to build a carwash on Cape Coral Parkway East, according to news-press.com.

Jay Monpetit and his co-owners, including his son Troy, are now able to move forward with the construction of the wash, which is their third location in Cape Coral.

The new $4.5 million carwash will include a pet wash, and will create 30 to 50 jobs.

“We’re just excited that we’re going to be able to expand in the Cape, pump some money into the [community] and hire some folks,” said Troy.

The City Council originally considered a motion to deny the appeal after hearing presentations from city staff and Monpetit’s consultants (in addition to presentations from multiple supporters and employees of the Downtowner Car Wash).

Mayor Marni Sawicki, as well as two council members, opposed the appeal.

The passed motion of appeal requires the carwash to follow specific design, landscaping and access restrictions, and the site will also have to remove an alleyway which runs between the two parcels that make up the lot.

“Once that gets done, it should be about six months before we’re up and running,” stated Troy. “So, a couple [of] months from that and then six months for construction.”