Site Criteria – Lowering the Bar?
According to the CEO of Mammoth Holdings, “the universe of car washes in the United States could be double or four times what it is today.” Arguably, that’s a fairly…
Mini or In-Bay – The Risk/Reward Tradeoff
One of the first tasks during the planning phase of a car wash is to decide on the type of economic development. For example, if the company’s mission is to…
IDA Certification – Study Guide: Equipment, Part II
In the February column, I began discussing equipment used by professional detailers. The column covered equipment used during the prep wash, specifically the option of pressure washing versus standard garden…
Help Wanted – More Customer Self-Service Foreseen
I recently made a trip to what was previously one of the busiest McDonald’s in my area. When I pulled into the totally lit up drive-thru, there was a sign…
Beyond Bright Lights – Engage All Senses to Attract Customers
When it comes to identifying and deploying exciting and innovative new ways to attract drivers to their sites, it appears that vehicle wash operators have seen the “light.” Namely, they…
SCWA 2022 – Convention and Car Wash Expo
The Southwest Car Wash Association’s Annual Convention and Car Wash Expo for 2022 took place at the Fort Worth Convention Center in Fort Worth, TX Sunday February 27 through Tuesday,…
Custom Towels – This is the Year to be Different
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” This is a quote attributed to Albert Einstein. The year 2022 is a great time to consider…
Keep Ahead of the Curve – Never Stop Learning as Car Washing Evolves
Somewhere on my journey of raising three kids, someone must have introduced me to the belief that “Because I Said So!” was a bad parenting strategy. Not sure who it…
The Car Wash Show 2022
The International Carwash Association’s annual event — The Car Wash Show™ — takes place May 9 through 11 at Music City Center in Nashville, TN. The show will be staged…
C-Store, No Car Wash – Opportunity Beckons
According to IBISWorld, between 2009 and 2021, the annual growth rate for industry wash revenues in the United States was 5.0 percent whereas store count was –0.25 percent. Between 2016…