Ground Breaking - March 2015 - Professional Carwashing & Detailing

Ground Breaking – March 2015

A collection of carwash, c-store and detail shop openings around the country.

ALEXANDER CITY, Ala.

Goo Goo Express Car Wash has opened a new location, according to AlexCityOutlook.com.

A spokesperson for the wash shares in the article the company had been interested in the property for several years.

“We have locations in Birmingham, Auburn, Montgomery and Columbus and felt Alexander City would fit in well with that grouping,” says Goo Goo spokesperson Phil Wise, in the article. “We have a good following and with the attraction of the lake there, we think it will be a good location.”

The site offers its 3-Minute Express Wash and free vacuums to customers. The company developed its express wash in 2002.

The company began in Alabama in 1945 and got its name in 1972. Goo Goo has locations across Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Texas, Tennessee and Ohio.

DICKINSON, N.D.

The Hub truck stop and convenience store hopes to serve oilfield workers, truck drivers and working moms on the go, according to prairiebizmag.com.

General manager of The Hub Convenience Stores Jared Scheeler says in the article that he and his business partner wanted to create “an upscale convenience store.”

“[This group] for generations has avoided C-stores because of all the negative stereotypes that are associated with the industry,” shares Scheeler, in the article.

The Hub features a well-lit parking lot and 45 security cameras. It also includes a travel center, 100-foot conveyor belt carwash, 10 gasoline pumps and 11 diesel stations.

The store has been in development for one year. The facility has more than 2,000 square feet of space dedicated to its food service area, which includes coffee and brands like Schlotzsky’s and Cinnabon Express.

Scheeler states in the article that more stores are possible in the future, but for now the company is concentrating on making the first store a success.

NOBLESVILLE, Ind.

Prime Car Wash washed 967 cars for free during the grand opening weekend of its second location, according to currentzionsville.com.

Prime offers customers a full-service wash plus express and detailing services. The wash features its Prime Café, including coffee, free Wi-Fi and iPad use.

The company was founded in 2012 by a medical sales representative and two chiropractors who owned their own practice.

Exterior-only washes start at $12. Hand wax, hard surface cleaning, wheel bling, shampoo, clay bar and other services are also available.

Members can take advantage of discounts with members-only lanes and special promotional days.

KINGWOOD, Texas

Visitors to the new Corner Store received coffee, coupons and breakfast items during its recent grand opening ceremony, according to yourhoustonnews.com.

The company also donated $5,000 to Kingwood Park High School.

The more than 4,600-square-foot facility includes a taco bar, deli, bakery, carwash, Redbox and 14 gas pumps.

“We are very fortunate to be able to have this site and get this site,” says Pete Lindon, Corner Store vice president of retail operations, in the article. “It’s about a two-acre site. It’s a great challenge these days to have access and this one worked out really well.

“You’ve got tremendous traffic off the highway and [a] major intersection and a good residential community to support,” continues Lindon in the article. “To be able to get in and out makes this a unique site; it affords access in all directions, which is unique.”

Lindon adds in the article the location makes its own baked goods in the store.

NEW YORK MILLS, N.Y.

A Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppe will soon be torn down to make way for a new facility, according to the Observer-Dispatch.

The location will feature a Dunkin’ Donuts, fuel pumps and a two-lane carwash.

Clifford Fuel, which owns the business, purchased two adjoining properties to make the revamp possible. Those facilities have begun to be demolished, and construction will soon begin on the new site.

Clifford Fuel President Jim Clifford says in the article the new facility should be ready this summer.

Flooding is a concern in the area, and that has been incorporated into the design. The site facility will be raised and will include a water retention area.

LOVELAND, Colo.

Wash Worx gave out free carwashes recently to celebrate its new location, according to the Reporter-Herald.

The $4 million dollar facility operates a computer-controlled tunnel. The wash gave away its $15 washes through January.

Sensors detect vehicles’ styles to deliver the correct washes. Customers can also use free vacuums located outside on heated concrete.

The carwash will operate from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day of the week. Hours will be extended in the spring as the days get longer.

KANKAKEE, Ill. 

Kankakee Gas N Wash will be open soon, according to the Daily Journal.

The multimillion dollar development is spread over three acres and includes a $3 carwash, gasoline and diesel pumps, as well as The Market c-store. A drive-thru Dunkin’ Donuts and beer cave are also part of the facility.

Three local businessmen own the wash. They also run the local $3 Car Wash.

The Gas N Wash will be open 24/7. It will also employ about 30 full- and part-time workers.

Six vehicles can visit the carwash at one time, shares co-owner Leon Baine, in the article. There is still equipment left to be installed in the wash.

After a few other jobs including installing infrastructure for the gas pumps, the shelves will be stocked.

SAN ANTONIO

A new gas station will include 4,683 square feet of space for dining, a carwash, an ATM and fuel pumps, according to the San Antonio Business Journal.

The newest Corner Store facility will serve residents of a master-planned community in the area.

The location gave out free sausage kolaches, cookies, fountain drinks and coffee. It also donated $5,000 to a local high school.

Corner Store operates 150 stores in San Antonio.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.

Integrity Buick GMC Cadillac is spending $2 million on an upgrade to its facilities, according to the Times Free Press.

Brent Morgan, Integrity Automotive Group president, says in the article 2014 sales were up 19 percent, necessitating an increase in space.

The three car brands will each have their own showrooms and customer areas as part of the update.

The remodel also includes adding Wi-Fi, a new reception area for the service center, a carwash and improvements to the service area.

“We've continued to see steady growth year after year,” Morgan notes in the article. “It was time to invest in our facility to take better care of customers.”

The company's nearby Chevrolet dealership is the top Chevy dealer in East Tennessee.

CERES, Calif. 

Prime Shine Car Wash has opened its 16th location with its second in the area, according to a press release.

It opened along with a new Cruisers gas station and convenience store in a busy area of town.

“We partnered with our good friends at Cruisers for the ultimate in convenience,” shares Evan Porges, Prime Shine president, in the release. 

Prime Shine has another location in Ceres, which is opened in 1994. It is still one of the company’s busiest sites.

The carwash saves water and energy with environmentally friendly processes. Around 95 percent of the water used on each vehicle is reclaimed and reused.

Prime Shine began in 1991. It is the only member of the International Carwash Association’s WaterSavers program in the Northern San Joaquin Valley.

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