Summer2023_web

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2 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 3

CONTENTS
Around the Wash:
Spray What? .........................6
Around the Wash:
Weiss Guys Express ...........9
Tricks
of the Trade .................... 12
Tips ................................... 16
Industry Dirt ................. 18
Looking Back to
…. Fall 1994
Presenting some of the best,
and most noteworthy covers
from the Self Serve Car
Wash News archives.
Association News
& Calendar .................... 22
Polls .................................. 26
Extra Extra ..................... 32
Fun & Games ............... 40
The Right to Wash
Part 3 .................................. 42
Cover Story
Out with the Old ............. 44
Darwin at the
Carwash........................... 52
VOL. 51, NO. 3, SUMMER 2023
Publisher Jackson Vahaly
Editor Debra Gorgos
Design Katy Barret-Alley
Editor Emeritus Jarret J. Jakubowski
Editor Posthumous Joseph J. Campbell
Editor Posthumous Julia E. Campbell
Self Serve Carwash News is published 4 times
per year and is independently owned by Jackson
Vahaly. Web address is www.sscwn.com.
All inquiries should be directed to:
Self Serve Car Wash News
110 Childs Ln., Franklin, TN 37067
jacksonv@sscwn.com
Copyright 2023. 2 Dollar Media/SSCWN. All Rights Reserved
4 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 5

Around The Wash: Property Tip
Spray what?
Get That Graffiti Off My Car Wash
The following article was graciously provided by the Cambridge, Massachusetts, Department of Public Works.
Some say it’s art. Some say it’s freedom of expression.
But, let’s face it: It’s vandalism. The socalled
art of tagging a wall can be liberating for
the vandal, but it’s another headache for a business
owner. Customers don’t want to frequent a business,
where cleanliness is the objective, that has a
messy property, so, what is there to do. Start by
having a tool kit on hand.
The following are some suggestions for a graffiti
fighter’s tool kit:
1. Aerosol solvent
2. Clean cotton painters’ rags
3. Trash bags
4. Inexpensive paint brushes, rollers and paint
containers
5. Paint matching various surfaces around
your neighborhood
6. Paint scraper
7. Respiratort mask
8. Safety glasses
9. Kitchen cleaner and water in spray bottle
SOLVENTS & CLEANERS
There are a number of graffiti removal products
on the market. It can help to become familiar
with each one. Learn about safe use and safe handling.
Some of the better known solvents available
at major hardware stores can be hazardous to your
health. Using a respirator is probably safer than using
a dust mask. Breathing this stuff is obnoxious
and NOT healthy.
You also need to be aware of wind conditions.
Make sure there is no wind at all. You need eye
and breathing protection when you use it. Rags
used with solvent should be discarded properly.
DO NOT KEEP FLAMMABLE RAGS in containers
in your vehicle or garage.
Know the product you are using and HOW TO
HANDLE AN ACCIDENTAL INJURY when using
the product.
Other products used for graffiti, including
markers, chalk and paint markers, are not permanent
and can be cleaned with soap, water and elbow
grease.
SAFETY GLASSES
Safety glasses keep paints, solvents, and dust
from entering the eyes. Always use caution. Never
compromise eye safety.
CLEANING SMOOTH
SURFACES
Test an inconspicuous area of the surface with
your cleaning material. Most modern signs clean
quickly. Start by cleaning with soap and water first
then proceed to solvents.
CLEANING FROM
ROUGH SURFACES
Many times paint on a rough surface causes
permanent damage. The character of the surface
will change because, in some cases, it is virtually
impossible to remove all of the paint from a porous
surface. A perfect example is a cinder block
wall. You may be forced to paint the wall---the entire
wall. Simply framing the damaged area leaves
6 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 7

you (and the vandal) with an ugly blotch.
We have found that pressure washers, using
sand, can actually etch a cinder block wall, further
hastening the wall’s demise. A wire brush is somewhat
limited in effectiveness as well. Our city, instead,
uses a power washer with a biodegradable
emulsifier approved by our sewer department. In
most cases, we have been able to completely remove
the vandalism. However, in some cases, because
of the porous surfaces involved, a slight hazy
remnant of the graffiti still remains.
ELBOW GREASE
AND THE WIRE BRUSH
An inexpensive wire brush is excellent for
removing paint from many surfaces. The surface
will look like someone has wire brushed it but
the vandal’s message will be history. Any surface
where you use a wire brush should be a surface
that will over time, weather back to the original
color or texture. Every graffiti fighter needs a wire
brush in his or her tool kit.
Use the wire brush on:
1. Telephone poles
2. Street curbs
3. Some rough metals
4. Smooth stone surfaces
5. Decorative rocks
6. Wood fences
7. Concrete
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TIPS ON REMOVAL
1. When you engage in graffiti removal, you
become very aware of how much more difficult
it is to remove it than it is to apply it.
This is especially true in the case of rough,
unpainted brick surfaces. Painted surfaces
are probably best repainted, though it would
be wise to have a supply of graffiti removal
solvent ready for rapid response. This is also
true because recent graffiti seems to be easier
to remove than old graffiti.
2. For surfaces like mailboxes, utility boxes,
steel roll-up doors, lampposts, etc., liquid
graffiti removal solvent (Savogram) is the
way to go. This graffiti should be removed as
soon as it appears. This requires only some
light duty steel wool, a small spray bottle of
solvent, and a cleaner like TSP to wash the
area down after removing the graffiti. Very
little solvent should be used if the graffiti is
recent. Just spray on some solvent, lightly
rub with steel wool (or even heavy duty paper
towels) and then wipe clean. You’ll want
to use rubber gloves and lightly wash the affected
area after removing the graffiti. Spray
solvent such as Jasco, is not recommended
for mailboxes or other painted surfaces
since it will cause so much paint to bubble
up that the “cleaned” area may look worse
than it did with the graffiti.
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3. For a brick surface, especially red brick, we
recommend a professional cleanup, using a
biodegradable emulsifier. This method minimizes
the toll on the surface. It is generally
too difficult to tackle a very rough surface
with wire brushes and solvents, and the finished
job will still bear a fair amount of the
evidence of the graffiti.
4. For routinely painted surfaces like fences
and some walls, it would be wise to have
plenty of matching paint available for immediate
cover-up within a day or two of the appearance
of graffiti. In a business district, we
recommend that some standard colors be
employed in locations that are graffiti-prone
and that an understanding be developed
among property owners and business managers
to allow for painting over graffiti quickly
without having to secure permission from all
affected parties. Rapid response is the key
and this is only possible if the job is made as
easy and automatic as possible.
Graffiti removal is not always a simple “spray it
on, wipe it off” affair, especially when it involves
brick or other rough surfaces or when paint has
been there for a long time. You should expect to
encounter examples where the best you can do is
reduce the graffiti to an unrecognizable fade, even
if it is not possible to completely remove it. Try
both solvents if one doesn’t seem to do the trick.
Don’t give up too soon. Sometimes, several applications
of solvent or allowing it to sit for a longer
time will take care of things.
NOW SERVING
Around The Wash: Getting to know
Weiss Guys Express Wash
Location:
Six Valley Locations in Arizona
Year opened:
The Weiss family started in
business in 1961 in AZ
Type of car wash:
Our First location was a Full-
Service Car Wash in Phoenix,
Arizona. At one time we had
19 locations throughout the
Valley both Full Service and Self
Service. In 1998 we sold the
full-service side of the business.
Today, we offer self-serve
bays, dog washes, express
exterior tunnels, and a rollover
at our locations.
What separates
Weiss Guys from the
competition?
We believe that our success
and longevity in this business
comes from two rules of
business and life that have been
around for a long time:
First and foremost is
RESPECT. Treat people as
you would want to be treated,
especially your customers and
your employees. We could not
be in business without either
one of them.
Secondly, is service, service,
service. Customers have a
choice. In this day of big
business, it is important to
give the customers personal
attention and make them want
to come back.
Also, at our express exterior
tunnels, we greet our customers,
prep their vehicle, and dry it at
the end of the tunnel along with
blowing out the mirrors with
compressed air.
We always try to stay current
with the industry at our
facilities.
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What methods of
advertising
does Weiss Guys use?
Our advertising has always been
word-of-mouth. We are trying to
keep up with social media, but it is
hard for us old timers!
8 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 9

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What forms of payment
does Weiss Guys accept:
Our forms of payment include credit cards,
cash and tokens.
Do you offer monthly
memberships:
We do offer monthly memberships through our
Express Exterior Tunnels.
What does the future
look like for Weiss Guys?
We have been in the Valley for 62 years and are
a family owned and operated business. During
the last two to three years we made the decision
to slim down our operations from 12 sites to 6
to make life a bit easier on all of us. It will always
be in our blood and it is hard to completely step
away. Last year we lost our beloved brother,
cousin, father and mentor Jerry.
Can you tell the readers
a little bit more about
Jerry and his legacy?
Yes, his is the write-up for his obituary:
A long-time Phoenix resident and businessman,
Jerry Weiss, passed away surrounded by his loving
family in November 2022.
Jerry was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1937. He
attended Shaker Heights High School and was a
graduate of Miami of Ohio University. He and
his wife Elaine arrived in Phoenix in 1960 as a
young married couple with an infant in tow. Jerry
along with his cousin Roland opened a muffler
shop. A year later they opened their first car wash
in Phoenix. Soon his brother Howard and cousin
Jay joined forces and thus Weiss Guys Car Wash
was born. At one point they had 19 locations
throughout the valley.
The business was successful in no small part
due to Jerry’s ability to “schmooze” and make
customers feel like friends. He was always outside
making sure his customers and employees were
happy. He worked with local organizations hiring
individuals with special needs.
He loved meeting new people offering them a
Werther’s Original candy as part of his greeting.
He was soon given the nickname of “The
Candyman.”
His greatest pleasure, however, was by far his
family. He took great pride in his wife, children,
grandchildren and great grandchildren.
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10 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 11

Presenting some
of the best self serve
discussions from
CarwashForum.com.
Please Note: Some posts feature minor edits for readability. Also note that opinions and statements made here are by each forum user and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of Self Serve Car Wash News.
Inch by inch, foam by foam
I am adding an additional LP system for bug remover on a 4-bay SS, pump room in the middle of the building. I want to
use foam generators, and was planning to include them in the pump room before it runs out to each bay instead of in
the trough. I guesstimate it might be a 30-foot-run from the foam generator to the top of the ceiling into the bay at the
furthest point. It would be a separate gun. Is that distance too far? Trough is getting full and I’m hoping to avoid having
a bulky foam generator up there if I can avoid it. VGUARD296
EARANCE
We have the foam generators for our FB in the
equipment room at 1 location, furthest point is
2 bays away from the ER, it takes forever for the
brush to start dispensing foam properly - like 30+
seconds in the 2nd bay. We are going to re-plumb
to have the foam generators over the bay with air
and chemical in separate lines… It works fine once
it gets to the brush, just takes too long to get to the
brush. We have 5/8" polybraid running from the ER
to the FB boom, which is also not helping us. KENO
There are two really good reasons to have the
generator in the bay. One is that two tubing lines
are cheaper than a hose. The other is that it takes
the foam longer to get to the bay through a hose.
A short run of 30' might not make much difference,
but it's still going to be less expensive to run
tubing. A third reason is that the hose doesn't last
nearly as long with exposure to the elements and
the flexing, so in the long run you'll have less cost
to replace a 3' piece of hose when it fails [compared
to a 30']. There's absolutely no upside to
running the whole thing with hose. MEP001
The foam generators don't have to be very big. I
originally had huge PVC FB generators in the ER
What a… jerk!
Had a customer on Sunday who almost ripped and bent our tire brush arm off the wall. He had
knocked our tire cleaner brush off the wall while washing his Dually. He didn’t seem to care
about picking it back up and put it back on the wall hooks. It got caught between his tires as he
drove off to vacuum his truck out. He bent the arm and almost ripped the bracket off of the wall.
We didn’t have a back up arm for it, but we were able to take it to a local fabrication shop and
have them fix the arm and straighten out the wall bracket. Had it back up the next day. - SOUND_BOI
You might want to put a breakaway fitting
at the boom. If that happens again, it’ll
break a $4 brass fitting that’s meant to be
easily replaced without an extractor. - MEP001
Plan for the future... The metal on your
brush boom is now weakened and will
easily fold if this happens again. MEP001’s
advice is spot-on. You can’t always rely on
3rd-party help. - KIMBERLY BERG
3/8 brass nipples are even less expensive
and 3/4" hose going out to the bays. Furthest bay is
3 over from the ER. It was a terrible design. I redid
it using push connect tubing and put foam generators
above each bay. Used 3/4" brass pipe like in
the picture and used SS scrubber pad material or
nylon scrubber material like you wash dishes with.
The multiple function manifold on the left also
has a foam generator in it.
It has SS coiled wire in a short 3" long 1/4" brass
pipe. Both work great! Disregard the CV's on the
generator on the left, it goes on a foam gun and the
CV's are not needed. The one on the right is for
than breakaway fittings. - MR. CLEAN
I actually use a 3/8” male to 3/8” female fitting
because they’re a little stronger than an
actual breakaway fitting, but weak enough
to keep the boom from getting torn up.
I get them for about 70¢ apiece and put
them on the high pressure booms. - MEP001
I had an intellectually-challenged individual
back his 18 wheeler into my bay and
bend the boom. - MATTWASH
the foam brush. If you can put the foam generators
above each bay, this is the best way you can plumb
it or any LP option. People do notice! 2BIZ
I just run 1/4 line for chemical and air right above
the foam brush boom using just a brass tee with
a 3/8 line coming out. I have great looking foam
coming out of the brushes. BOB-O
I put my foam generators and check valves as close
to the end as I can get them! DON B.
We were thinking of having the tee for air and liquid
in the pump room, and running a single 3/8 out to
each bay. Would the consensus be that it's better to
tee close to the boom instead? I had a dream of doing
maintenance year around from the warmth of the
heater, but results may prove otherwise. VGUARD296
I didn't think about the possibility of freezing
weather. Having a single line from the room would
let you purge the line with air, then nothing outside
the room would be at any risk of damage from
freezing. The downside is that it probably won't
work until it warms up because it's nearly impossible
to get every bit of liquid out. MEP001
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• -.
12 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 13

Yeeow! You’re doing fine,
Oklahoma car wash!
Howdy y’all! It has been a while since I’ve been on here, but I appreciate all the help you guys offered
in my carwash update about 1 and a half years ago. I ended up [going] with a Razor Edge and Hamilton
Commander paystation and it was definitely worth the change. It doesn’t clean cars better, but has fewer
issues to deal with. My self service gross revenue is up 4x from when I took over and automatic gross
revenue is up 2x and both will probably continue to improve. Thanks for the help! JOSWHAHA
Wait…
does OSHA read your Google reviews?!
How do new owners of a previous wash manage their old Google reviews? Have you gone back and responded to the
old reviews? Do you leave personal responses for both positive and negative? Only likes? I am in control of the account
currently and it is an established business with 4.2 stars. GP85
That’s great. Can you share what your prices are
for each wash? Welcome to the car wash industry.
JMMUSTANG
I’m in Southwest Oklahoma. I have 4 packages on
my Razor. Basic- $8 - Deluxe- $11 - Premium wash
Rain Repellant- $13 - Ultimate wash Ceramic- $15.
The $15 wash is 50% of sales and the others are
pretty equal for the other 50%. My self service is
$1/start for quarters for 2 minutes and 20 seconds.
$3 minimum for credit cards. 30-35% of my SS
sales are from cards. JOSWHAHA
Congrats, would you mind sharing what your IBA
prices were before the addition of the Razor and
Hamilton and after you installed the new equipment?
STRAVA
Sure thing: My prices were: $5, $6, $7, and $8. The
$8 Wash was 90% of sales. I intentionally priced the
lowest on the new 1 at $8 so the customers could
get a wash for the same $8 if they chose to. JOSWHAHA
Do you offer any "buy-ups" on your IBA packages?
Is $1 start on the self-serves really feasible anymore?
Seems awfully low. WAXMAN
I do have 2- buy ups. Ceramic and the RainX. Open
to other ideas too. The $1 start is because the other
car washes in my area are at $1 start and I decided
to keep it to stay competitive. JOSWHAHA
I would do even more buy-up options. I'm sure other
operators have better suggestions for this than
me, but you could add extra presoak passes, extra
rinse passes etc. If your machinery and cashier are
capable, maybe four buy-up options or even five
would work? Get creative with it and give the customers
more options to spend money with you.
Some people will just get the max because that's
the kind of consumer they are. Why leave any money
on the table? I think your pricing is pretty low
so this will give you an opportunity to make more
money. People like lots of choices like the people
that go to Dunkin' Donuts and get 25 or 30 pumps
of sweet syrup in their drink. May sound gross to
you and me, but there are definitely people that do
that. WAXMAN
Dollar start is fine - it prevents people from racing
the timer and have to shell out multiple dollars if
less time is needed. Time is the bigger issue if you
feel the dollar start is too low. Reduce the time/dollar,
but also consider eliminating quarters in favor
of gold dollar coins. With quarters and a dollar start,
customers are paying to drop coins rather than
wash. DCs are 4X faster, take up less space and are
the easier coin to handle. MR. CLEAN
I respond to most reviews, both good and bad. It
shows a level of accountability. It shows you care
about your business and the customer. A lot of the
negative reviews are annoying bs, BUT.... it gives
you the opportunity to provide useful info and explain
how your wash works. I think it’s a good way
to encourage new business. WAXMAN
We responded to all previous reviews basically
saying the wash is being run by a new owner as of
X date, please give us a try (if negative review) as
we run the place where we strive to make things
“right” by our customers. We respond to all new
reviews in a timely manner and our response has
at times gotten the reviewer to change the stars
in a positive way without asking. You will never
get the previous reviews to go away so better to
take them on and address them as they will always
come up with a Google search. Don’t waste time
or money on ANY service that says they can fix
your reviews for you, they are all scams. ROZ
I haven’t bothered with responding to any of my
reviews, good or bad. Sitting at 4.4 on Google, but
with only 96 reviews. The one stars are customers
that had a problem and didn’t bother to call the
number posted on either of the doors. Also, got a
couple of one stars (likely because of Cryptopay
pre-authorization charges). Also, some dings because
of price. I’ve considered responding to them,
but I think I might shoot myself in the foot with
my smartass replies. GREG PACK
The way someone explained it to me was that
you’re not replying to the negative reviews in order
to convert that particular customer back into a
happy customer. You’re doing it to inform and educate
your potential customers who may be reading
the reviews, both good and bad. I got dinged on
a review stating that it was too difficult to keep an
eye on the timer and wash the car without running
out of time. I was able to explain that my wash
has an audible beeping to let the customer know
when they are down to one minute of time left on
the timer. The jerk that left the review probably
wouldn’t care to educate himself, but a potential
customer might be positively affected by my comments.
WAXMAN
I always respond good or bad for future customers.
A funny thing happened last week. I received
a call from OSHA and they needed to conduct
a surprise onsite audit that day to complete the
inspections. The first words out of their mouths
were, “We checked your Google reviews and we
see you are a proactive owner who cares about the
business.” You never know who is looking and for
what reasons. DAVID ROLF
Get in the right foam zone
What do y’all have your foam brush set to? Mine is coming out very watery and runny.
The car wash’s down the road is very foamy. Any tips on what I can do? BIGVIC1993
Try increasing air first. If you can get the consistency
there, then you may be diluting your foam
brush chemical too much. Increase your tip size
a couple notches in that case. Last thing to look
into is that your water softener is working properly–
this is a good thing to test once a quarter
anyways with any kind of cheap kit you can buy.
UTAHYOUTUBEGUY
What kind of foam brush soap are you using?
What size tip are you using? I’d go up one tip size
and increase the air just a little bit. RANDY
Testing your Water Softener quarterly???? We
check ours daily as part of a daily checklist. Only
takes 2 minutes. A couple of days of running hard
water through your RO machine, and your checkbook
will tell you why quarterly isn’t enough.
Hard water plugs membranes. RUDY
Although quarterly may be the minimum I
would think daily is excessive on the other hand. I
don’t anticipate my water softener to completely
fail overnight. A water softener may become less
effective over time and the hardness of the water
should be monitored, but I use other indicators as
well to make sure my softener continues to function
properly such as:
• Putting a flashlight up to the resin tank and marking the
level of the resin in the tank.
• Monitoring salt levels to be sure it’s consistently being
depleted.
• Taking note of when regeneration cycles are taking
place and comparing that to salt levels as well.
These are a few of the things I look at, but it
seems you are much more attentive to your water
quality so what else should I be doing to keep up
with mine? UTAHYOUTUBEGUY
Look for gunk in your bubble tank and or in
line filter. CHAZ
I recommend “daily” when someone is really
concerned that their water stays soft. It helps to
catch it right away. When someone is having issues
with hard water at times, the first thing I tell them
is to start testing it daily and mark down which
tank it’s on at the time, this helps track down the
problem. MEP001
A couple of other maintenance items:
• Assure your salt level stays above the water level
in your brine tank (this is one of the most common
problems we see on softener maintenance calls).
• Disconnect and hose out the gunk in the bottom of
your brine tank once a year.
BUCKEYE HYDRO
So, what worked?
BIGVIC1993 found success with the following:
Try increasing air first. If you can get the
consistency there, then you may be diluting your
foam brush chemical too much. Increase your tip
size a couple notches in that case. Last thing to
look into is that your water softener is working
properly, this is a good thing to test once a
quarter anyways with any cheap kit you can buy.
14 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 15

TIPs
ACCOUNTING TERMS
Do you get an
A+ in financing?
Along with every other subject a self serve car wash
owner needs to know, from chemistry to math to
electrical engineering, there is a need for financial
smarts as well. Even if you have a professional
accountant, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce advises
small business owners to know these Top 17 financial
terms. Do you know them? See how many you can
get right by matching the definition to the term.
Accounts receivable
Accounts payable
Accruals
Burn rate
Cash flow
Credit
Fiscal year
Forecasting
Liabilities
Stone Soap ®
now available on
Assets
Depreciation
Profit and loss statement
Balance sheet
Dividends
Revenue
Break-even point
Expenses
1. _____________ are the costs a business owes
for acquiring something and the can be broken
down into: Fixed | Variable | Accrued | Operational
2. _____________are resources or property with
economic value owned by the business. They
are both tangible and intangible and can include
investments, cash, inventory and real estate.
3. Your business’s _____________ is the total sales
and cash flow of goods and services from its
primary productions.
4. A _____________ is a measured period of time
used for accounting purposes. Each company
chooses its preferred timeline of what works best
for them, and it doesn’t have to start in January.
5. _____________ are a type of accounting where
you record your income as soon as it’s earned
and expenses as soon as they’re billed. Therefore,
your real time accounts aren’t always matching
your recorded profit. They also give you a longterm
view of your business’s future income and
expenses.
6. _____________ refer to the amount owed to
stockholders or shareholders from a company’s
profits. They are a distribution of a company’s
earnings, requiring the business to have a hold on
its real-time losses and gains.
7. _____________ is the combined bills your
business owes, not including your payroll costs.
Because they aren’t immediately paid, they’re
considered liabilities and are usually expenses
on company credit cards or bills. _____________
allows you to consider your current liabilities
versus assets when buying something new for
your company.
8. _____________ is the amount of money that’s
coming into going out of your business—both your
gains and losses. Your business’s _____________ is
present in operating activities, investment activities
and financing activities.
9. A _____________ is when you’re bringing in just
enough money to cover what you owe in your
business. This means your business isn’t earning
or losing any profit.
10. _____________ happens when an asset loses
its value over time. In accounting, _____________
is used as a method to allocate the cost of the
asset’s life expectancy.
11. _____________ is also known as an income
statement or an earnings statement. It helps you
identify your profits and losses to evaluate your
company’s current financial standing, usually
quarterly.
12. Businesses use _____________ to predict future
business trends by looking at past financial data. It
can be used to predict things such as sales, gross
profit or how long it will take to pay off debts.
13. _____________ is the amount of time your
business will be able to continue operating with
the cash you have without turning a profit. It tells
you how long you can be self-sustaining without a
steady income.
14. A _____________ is used as a quick insight
into your business’s current financial position.
It includes what the company owes and owns,
as well as any capital. It allows you to compare
sections of your business to understand how
much your business is worth at any given time.
15. _____________ is the money that flows out of
your business’s accounts. Using _____________
either increases liability or revenue accounts, or
decreases an asset or an expense account.
16. _____________ is incoming money owed to
your business for services or products received.
This is considered an asset because it’s money
that your business is bringing in. You typically
track accounts receivable with invoices.
17. _____________ are legal or financial debts your
business owes, such as mortgages, credit card
debt, taxes and accounts payable.
9. Break-even point
10. Depreciation
11. Profit and loss
statement
12. Forecasting
13. Burn rate
14. Balance sheet
15. Credit
16. Accounts receivable
17. Liabilities
ANSWERS:
1. Expenses
2. Assets
3. Revenue
4. Fiscal year
5. Accruals
6. Dividends
7. Accounts payable
8. Cash flow
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16 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 17

HAPPENINGS IN & AROUND THE
SELF SERVE CARWASHING INDUSTRY
All of the news including new hires, acquisitions, merges and anything else concerning the self serve car wash industry.
OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions names new
In-Bay Product Manager
WashTec signs agreement with IMO Car Wash
In a July 11 announcement, WashTech, stated it
was pleased to announce that it entered into a supply
agreement with IMO Car Wash. WashTech, which is
headquartered in Augsburg, German, will supply all
IMO sites in Europe and Australia with high-performance
car wash chemicals and sustainable solutions
according to the announcement. “Based on our proven
and innovative Green Car Care wash chemical
brand, we offer environmentally friendly wash chemical
products that are easily degradable and protect
people and the environment. These products are
Green Bay, Wisconsin-based OPW Vehicle Wash
Solutions (VWS), announced on June 15 that it has
named Mark Porter as its new Product Manager – In-
Bay Automatics, according to a press release. Porter
is responsible for the complete portfolio management
of In-Bay Automatics for OPW VWS, including
product line vision, strategy, product roadmapping
and positioning.
Mark brings a deep understanding of product
management to OPW VWS, the press release stated.
“That experience in managing product life cycles will
help drive our product success and continue to help
OPW VWS focus on meeting our customer needs,”
said Dave Dougherty, General Manager, OPW VWS
In-Bay Automatics. “We are excited to have Mark on
our team and we look forward to him helping OPW
VWS continue to be an industry leader.”
Porter joins OPW VWS from Regal Rexnord,
where he served as the Global Product Manager for
the company’s Generator Division. Before that, Porter
spent nine years in senior product manager and
marketing roles for H.B. Fuller, Bestolife Corporation
and Deltrol Controls.
According to the press release, Porter also has
sales strategy experience, the majority of which
stems from spending 15 years with Henkel Loctite
Corporation as Strategic Account Sales Manager. He
also held management roles with Dymax Corporation
and Imperial Supplies.
Porter has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business
Administration with an emphasis on marketing
from the University of Montana. He is based in
Green Bay, and reports to Dougherty.
“The PDQ and Belanger brands have been market
leaders in the car wash industry for many years
and I am excited for the opportunity to help grow
these brands even further, while finding new and innovative
ways to continue OPW VWS’ market leadership,”
Porter stated in the press release.
PSD Codax Names Matt Smith as New
Manager of Business Development
PSD Codax, part of ICS
and OPW Vehicle Wash
Solutions, global leaders in
vehicle wash and payment
solutions technology, is
pleased to announce the appointment
of Matt Smith as
its new Manager of Business Development, according
to a June 6 press release.
In this role, Smith will be directly responsible for
PSD Codax sales and marketing efforts in the United
Kingdom, Ireland and Scandinavian markets, as
well as overseeing PSD Codax’s growth in the European
market.
Smith joined PSD Codax, which is based in Bristol,
England, in 2020, first as a customer-support technician
before moving into the Lead Customer Support
Technician role. Prior to joining PSD Codax, Smith
was a customer support manager for Curry’s PC World,
where he was the liaison between customers and staff,
handling external inquiries and repairs.
“Matt’s exceptional track record with setting up
our customers for success, as well as his logistics and
technical support background in vehicle wash, make
him a great fit for this role,” said Rob Deal, Vice President
of Corporate Sales for ICS, in the press release.
Smith stated in the press release, “Having worked
with our car wash customers over the last three
years, I feel well placed to understand the needs of
our clients and assist them in understanding where
our products can benefit them and grow their businesses
with the features we have to offer.”
manufactured in efficient, environmentally friendly
production processes that meet IMO Car Wash’s high
quality standards,” the announcement read.
Dr. Ralf Koeppe, CEO of WashTec AG, was
quoted in the announcement as stating, “We are extremely
proud to be IMO Car Wash’s new chemical
supplier. We look forward to setting new standards
in quality, sustainability and customer satisfaction
together with IMO Car Wash.”
IMO Car Wash is owned by Driven Brands headquartered
in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Three key members
appointed the the DRB ®
leadership team
DRB®, an Akron, Ohio-based provider
of point-of-sale and optimization technology
to the car care industry, recently appointed
three key members to its leadership team,
according to a June 15 press release.
DRB has welcomed Jennifer (Jen) Sinatra
as Chief Operating Officer; Patrick Mulcahy
as Vice President of Engineering; and Maha
Muzumdar as Vice President of Strategy.
As DRB’s COO, Jen Sinatra will be responsible
for implementing customer-centric
strategies and ensuring long-term customer
success. Jen joins DRB from SAP
where she was the Global Vice President of
Customer Support and Innovation. She is
accomplished in supporting cloud transformations
and software-as-a-service solutions
and will lead DRB’s customer support, supply
chain and production teams.
Patrick Mulcahy, most recently VP of
Cloud Platform Engineering at Hyland, has
more than 20 years of experience leading
cloud transformations and building global
engineering teams. Patrick will drive DRB’s
technology strategy, delivering the product
roadmap and innovation. Patrick will play
the important role of maintaining and enhancing
DRB’s position as the leader in the
car wash technology space.
Maha Muzumdar will be responsible
for identifying and pursuing strategic opportunities
in alignment with DRB’s goals
and objectives. Maha brings deep experience
in cloud transformation and strategic
innovation. He joins DRB from Oracle
where he spent over 19 years in various
strategy and marketing leadership roles
across enterprise and industry applications,
most recently as Vice President, Industry
Strategy Group.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jen, Patrick
and Maha to our leadership team,” DRB
President Ian Williams stated in the press
release. “Their impressive experience, proven
track records of success and transformational
innovation make them invaluable additions
to our organization. I look forward
to the next revolution within our industry
fueled by this team’s distinctive blend of
technological proficiency, creative prowess
and passion for innovation.“
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18 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 19

INDUSTRY DIRT
Acquire Video and omniX Labs join forces
On April 27, omniX Labs, EverWash’s advanced
vehicle analytics and AI platform, announced a new
partnership with Acquire Video, the Oklahoma
City-based developers of the TunnelMax-HD car
wash video surveillance solution.
Through this partnership, Acquire Video camera
systems for car washes will be omniX-ready
out of the box, according to a press release. This
solution ensures an easy setup experience for wash
operators who want to take advantage of omniX’s
patented real-time Sales Navigator alerting system
and WOWO Wheels on Wheels Off, which maps
the customer journey from the moment they enter
your lot to the time they leave. This includes loader
efficiency and fraud detection insights.
“The Acquire Video Team is passionate about
providing the best video & security solution to wash
operators,” said Mike Stern, omniX Labs Sales Director,
in the press release. “Our new partnership
with Acquire aligns with omniX’s passion for providing
the best AI solution to the industry at unbeatable
value. I believe any operator who is looking
to increase their revenue, make their process more
efficient, and create a better customer experience
should be excited about this partnership.”
By combining Acquire Video’s industry-leading
camera equipment with omniX’s patented AI
solution, car wash operators can use their security
camera video feeds to collect real-time & actionable
sales and operational insights.
Sales managers can take advantage of these insights
using omniX’s patented Sales Navigator,
which learns the behavior of customers and provides
real-time alerting to help staff deliver a more
personalized sales pitch. Providing a personal touch
throughout the customer journey with customer-centric
pitches leads to an improved experience
that increases membership sales and retention.
omniX-powered video feeds also monitor the efficiency
of your car wash operation, collecting data
that can provide insights for operational optimization,
and make tedious tasks such as claims processing
easy to deal with. This information is displayed
as actionable information, consumable on mobile
devices, smart digital displays, and wearables.
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EverWash acquires JetSpring’s Car Wash Division to launch customer support service
EverWash, announced on May 2, the acquisition
of JetSpring’s car wash customer service division,
a press release reported. JetSpring is a full-service
contact center that offers a broad range of digital
communication and customer support solutions for
the car wash and higher education sectors. The deal
is expected to close by early Q3, 2023.
EverWash’s acquisition of JetSpring’s car wash
support service means that their team of live call
center agents and their brand-specific chatbots are
being repackaged and offered to the car wash industry
as EverWash Assist: A new 24/7 service that
supports the needs of all car wash operators at affordable
prices.
“We’ve always valued the impact of strong customer
support at EverWash, with our Call Center
always being a core service we’ve offered,” said Scott
Caplan, CEO and Founder of EverWash, in the
press release. “With our acquisition of JetSpring’s
car wash support resources, we are able to expand
our industry-leading member support service to
more washes, regardless of whether you are a current
EverWash Membership wash partner or not.”
EverWash Assist will feature teams of live voice
The future smells sweet for the air freshener vending market
The air freshener dispenser market is forecasted
to grow by USD $4,914.9 million during 2022-
2027, accelerating at a CAGR (compound annual
growth rate) of 5.85% during the forecast period,
according to a ReportLinker report released last
May. The report on the air freshener dispenser market
was represented by 25 vendors, and stated that
the market is driven by increasing demand from
commercial end-users, increased spending by consumers
on homecare products, and innovative air
freshener dispensers.
“This study identifies the adoption of smart air
freshener dispensers as one of the prime reasons
driving the air freshener dispenser market growth
during the next few years. Also, increased penetration
through online distribution channels and high
growth in the hospitality sector will lead to sizable
agents who answer support calls for car washes.
Agents will engage callers and provide resolution-backed
customer support, and kick-start failed
payment recovery, turning support calls into a valuable
customer experience that translates into increased
loyalty and retention.
This level of high-quality support has been
shown to drop membership cancellation rates by
up to 46% within the first 90 days of enrollment
and by as much as 62% within the first 18 months
with JetSpring’s current customer base of car washes,
the press release stated. Live agents will also provide
white-glove customer service to any car wash
operator who has a question or need with their current
EverWash services.
JetSprings’s chatbots will also be available via
EverWash Assist for operators who want to take a
more modern approach to customer engagement.
AI-powered chatbots can expand retention and
support initiatives while managing resources, giving
consumers easy access to all the information they’ll
need along their journey. Each JetSpring chatbot is
custom-designed with a wash’s needs and goals in
mind.
demand in the market,” the report stated.
Back in November 2022, ReportLinker released
a report specifically related to car air fresheners.
The global Car Air Freshener market is one of the
high-prospect markets with a swift growth outlook
over the forecast period to 2030. Year-on-year market
size forecasts and growth rate forecast is provided
from 2021 to 2030.
Amidst strong growth prospects for the Car Air
Freshener market, leading companies are launching
products across different types. The report analyzed
the leading market types of Car Air Freshener and
forecasts each type between 2021 and 2030, the
story stated.
Furthermore, the report issued the following
findings: The presence of capital-intensive Car Air
Freshener companies in the region coupled with
The EverWash Assist team will be there every
step of the way to ensure that call center agents and
chatbots deliver results and work efficiently and effectively
in the context of any car wash organization,
the press release stated.
“We’re excited to join forces with a brand as respected
as EverWash,” said Eric Kades, CEO and
Founder of JetSpring, in the press release. “Through
EverWash Assist, we look forward to leveraging
our car wash support resources, call centers, and
cutting-edge chatbot technology to set a new standard
for customer support in the car wash industry.
We’re also excited to make it available to all car
wash operators immediately.”
strong investments in new product launches presents
strong potential for the North American Car
Air Freshener industry. An optimistic economic
outlook coupled with focused marketing efforts of
companies will support the market outlook. The
report provides the North American Car Air Freshener
market outlook by Product Type (Liquids and
Gels, Sprays and Aerosols, Paper, Others), Distribution
Channel (Supermarkets and Hypermarkets,
Convenience Stores, Independent Retailers, Online
Retailers, Others). Key countries analyzed in the region
include the US, Canada, and Mexico.
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20 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 21

FGM 227-air-vac-machines-NE-carwasher-final-outline
final outline
-
CALENDAR
OF EVENTS
*All events are subject
to changes due to
current circumstances.
2023
SEPTEMBER
21 & 22, 2023
Carwash Show Europe
EXPO Greater Amsterdam
The Netherlands
OCTOBER 2-4,
2023
Northeast Regional
Carwash Association
Atlantic City Convention Center
Atlantic City, New Jersey
2024
FEBRUARY 28 -
MARCH 1, 2024
Southwest Car Wash
Association
Fort Worth Convention Center
Fort Worth, Texas
MAY 13-15,
2024
Car Wash Show
Nashville, Tennessee
Association News
New York State Car Wash Association (NYSCWA)
The New York State Car Wash Association
(NYSCWA) held its Spring Membership Meeting
on June 1 in Kingston, New York, with a visit to
the Hudson River Valley to tour some exceptional
washes, strengthen communication skills and enjoy
authentic barbecue and Cajun-style cuisine at Ole
Savannah Southern Table & Bar in the city’s historic
Rondout Landing, according to a press release.
With a full bus, compliments of Micrologic
Associates, two outstanding washes were toured on
a picture-perfect, albeit steamy 90-degree day. At
the first stop the group enjoyed a tour of Scrub-A-
Dub Express, a new site operated by Doug Kleeschulte.
The wash, literally off the New York State
Thruway at Exit 19, was for sale for some time as it
came with numerous challenges, an odd-shaped lot
and COVID-19 construction, but Kleeschulte was
able to overcome the odds to create a stunning and
busy site. The wash features a 112-foot tunnel and
100-foot conveyor, 12 Vacutech vacuums, MacNeil,
Motor City, AVW, Petit, InnovateIT and G&G
Industrial Lighting equipment, as well as Ver-Tech
Labs chemicals.
The second site, a storied Hoffman Car Wash,
owned by the Hoffman family, is one of their 26
sites (with an additional seven to open by the
close of 2024), and was built in 1988 as a 150-foot
exterior with seven self-serve bays. Since then it
has undergone a number of renovations including
the removal of the self-serve bays and the installation
of an interior cleaning belt and six-bay Jiffy
Lube. The interior cleaning area has recently been
International award-winning leadership expert
and celebrated speaker, Mark Denton, will
serve as this year’s Northeast Regional Carwash
Convention’s (NRCC) Keynote Speaker. Denton,
who has competed in countless races and sailed
more than 80,000 miles across the world’s most
hostile oceans, is an expert on navigating turbulent
waters in life and business, according to an
NRCC press release. His Keynote will draw on
his 20+ years of consulting while helping some of
the world’s greatest organizations reshape their
cultures and improve their resilience, especially
in times of disruption and change. “Mark is an incredible
speaker and presenter, and his story will
resonate with our audience,” stated Bob Rossini,
NRCC 2023 Chairman, in the press release. “His
sheer courage and will to overcome incredible
odds, while working in a team environment, is
nothing short of inspiring. This will be another
“must see” Keynote at the NRCC.”
Denton will speak about his teams’ three values
while racing: safety, happiness and speed and
how they relate to everyday life and business. His
message that, “Ordinary people can do extraordinary
things” will resonate throughout his Keynote.
Along with Denton, the best-selling author of
“Breaking Conformity” and former Chick-fil-A
multi-store owner/operator Arthur Greeno will
converted to an interior self-serve vac area and the
lube business was leased to Shell Oil in 2021. The
site’s chemical supplier, Simoniz USA, was the
tour’s Dinner Sponsor.
Next up the group headed to Ole Savannah
Southern Table & Bar at Rondout Landing overlooking
Rondout Creek in the city’s historic riverfront
district.
After hors d’oeuvres sponsored by G&G
Industrial Lighting and the Northeast Carwasher
magazine, the group had a brief business meeting
where Vice President Steve Weekes asked Director
Chris Kubarek to read the Secretary’s and Treasurer’s
Reports. Featured Speaker Skip Weisman then
took center stage. Weisman, who spent 20 years in
baseball, 16 of which he served as CEO of five professional
baseball teams before becoming a small
business coach, consultant and professional speaker
and author, shared his vision on how to overcome
deadly communication sins. His interactive presentation
provided great insight for attendees who
were able to strengthen their skills after Weisman’s
45-minute presentation. “Skip certainly kept everyone’s
attention and provided a strong message,” said
Weekes. “He brought great value to the meeting.”
All attendees left with a book compliments of Skip.
The Association’s next event is slated for September
23 at the JMA Wireless Dome, originally
the Carrier Dome, in Syracuse when Army takes
on the Orange. Limited seats are available for this
event. For additional information on the NYSCWA
visit nyscwa.com
Northeast Regional Carwash Convention (NRCC)
share the company’s secret sauce on just how
they accomplish “Remarkable Customer Service”
day in and day out (and it’s not just about
training). His talk will take place on Wednesday,
October 4, at the Northeast Regional Carwash
Convention’s morning seminar and breakfast.
“If you want to provide customer service that
people remark about, come hear what Arthur has
to share and walk away with a new outlook you
can bring back to your wash,” said NRCC 2023
Chairman Bob Rossini in a press release. “Arthur
Greeno is an outstanding addition to our educational
lineup.”
The NRCC will take place October 2-4, 2023,
at the Atlantic City Convention Center.
22 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 23

Association News
Carwash Association of Pennsylvania (CAP)
The following is a letter from Association President Dave Edwards:
Greeting CAP Members, PA Operators and Car Washers near and far.
Entrenched in these summer months, and heading towards fall, the Pennsylvania market is
maintaining steady streams of car washing and positive revenues reported by our PA members and
operators.
The month of May saw another unbelievable pollen drop, which fostered amazing sales. Pollen is
better than snow after a soft winter, and we are happy about this!
Pennsylvania, up until June has been in mild drought conditions. I share this with each of you,
as a local TV News reporter contacted me as part of a story related to the drought. She thought that
car washes are high consumers of water. Unfortunately, I had to let her enthusiasm down. Sharing
that car wash businesses are the most conscientious group when it comes to water usage and
consumption, as all the modern built car wash businesses reclaim and recycle as much, in not all the
water. Yet, it may be a good plug of “who knew” to share with your viewing audience. So, fellow car
washers, keep up the good recycling!
The CAP has many exciting events coming up that are open to members and non-members alike.
Please save the date and plan to join us at one – or all – of these educational and networking events:
August 24, CAP Baseball Outing at the Harrisburg Senators
September 13, CAP Annual Dinner at the AACA Museum in Hershey
September 14, CAP Golf Outing at the Cumberland Golf Club in Carlisle
More details about events and membership can be found at www.pacarwash.org. And of course,
we encourage everyone to attend NRCC October 2-4, 2023!
Yours in service,
Dave Edwards
President of CAP
Owner/Operator of IBA/SS sites in NEPA
Western Carwash
Association (WCA)
Registration for Destination Grape Escape! A
Southern California Seminar & Carwash/Winery
Tour is opening soon. This two-day event, taking
place October 11 and 12, will be based out of the
gorgeous Loews Coronado Bay Resort near San
Diego. It will consist of a carwash tour through
the surrounding San Diego area and Temecula
Valley that will also include some winery stops
along the way.
The second day will be filled with educational
opportunities and will feature speakers on various
topics aimed at attracting both owners and managers.
Pre-registration will be open exclusively
for operators from July 14 through August 13,
2023. General registration will open on August
14, 2023.
The WCA also announced that it has already
started planning activities for the 2024 Car Wash
Show taking place in Nashville. The Association is
also hard at work planning the Destination Paradise!
Leadership Retreat & Forum event, a unique
leadership education/retreat event taking place
in Maui, Hawaii, in October of 2024. Pre-registration
will be available in the near future for this
anticipated sold-out event.
The Best for Your Success !
The Best for Your Success !
International Carwash
Association (ICA)
The numbers are in for the 2023 Car
Wash Show, held back in May in Las
Vegas, and a whopping 9,000 people attended.
A total of 920 exhibitors were on
display and the three-day event covered
190,000 square feet in the new West Hall
at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Did anyone use the Loop during their
stay?
Elon Musk’s innovative underground
transportation system, the Vegas Loop at
Las Vegas Convention Center, an underground
transportation system from the
mind of Elon Musk, is the first of its kind.
Connecting the existing North/Central/
South Halls of the Convention Center
to the West Hall, the Loop travels across
and under the LVCC in under 2 minutes.
According to a Vegas Means Business
article, “The system and fleet of
all-electric Tesla vehicles are designed to
shuttle more than 4,400 riders per hour
across the site through the two-mile-long
tunnels. The Vegas Loop at the Las Vegas
Convention Center has officially opened
the Resorts World passenger station,
providing direct access to and from the
Las Vegas Convention Center. Riders can
now access the Resorts World station
from any of the four Convention Center
stations.”
24 • SUMMER 2023
D&S Car Wash Supply
SUMMER 2023 • 25

Crazy or lazy days of Summer?
So far, my summer has been ______________
_____________ in regards to my self serve.
…far too slow due to frequent rains… - WAXMAN
Same [as Waxman] - NEW WASHDOG
…has gone from an all time record May during
the drought to the worst July ever if the thunderstorms
keep rolling in… - SHINEPRO
…It’s been so good here that we have taken 2
vacations and are talking about taking a third one.
- RANDY
WE ASK.
YOU ANSWER.
…steady income wise, wet spring with storms
weeks apart. Then the bug hatch is great, lots
of hoppers all over the front of tourists’ cars…
Going-to–the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park
opened so we have more tourists again. - MUDMONEY
…busy! Not business, but work trying to overhaul
my wash before temps pull back and bug season
comes. And Hot! I’ve put enough sweat in to
wash a car with - KFPANDA
The following poll was posted
to carwashforum.com.If you
would like to add your vote,
or a comment, visit:
carwashforum.com
or follow the QR code:
…We were doing well in May and June. But this
month has been crappy. - JMMUSTANG
…storming for over a month straight. Never seen
anything like it. Several storms per week. - SLASH007
…very busy since mid May. January through mid
May was very cold, stormy and slow. - SOAPY
…hot and busy here in California! - KIMBERLY BERG
Same as Kimberly. Hot and busy here! - KENTADEL
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• Quiet Design. Electrical motor to pump connection is direct coupled.
• Smoother start and stopping of electrical motor to decrease all
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26 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 27

Who you gonna call?
Do you answer your phone -
the one connected to your self serve(s) - every time it rings?
I’m estimating 9 out of 10 calls are not customers
calling about issues. Most of those are sales calls
and many are repeat callers. They waste so much
of my time and very rarely are we interested in
what they are selling. If a customer has an issue
they can leave a voicemail but we call back immediately.
- OURTOWN
I will answer if it is during normal business hours 8
to 5. Voicemail for other times. - SOAPY
The only phone number I put up is for accepting
text messages should the change machine be broken.
I’m happy to talk in person, by email/text…
too many years spent in a call center.... I avoid all
phone calls. - KFPANDA
What about the option of.....I don’t have
a phone number posted at all.......bc I
don’t and don’t see me adding one any
time soon. - RFREEMAN
I answer as much as possible and
call them back. 13 years ago I sold
my 5 bay on the other side of
town, and the new owner never
changed the phone number. I
get his problem calls from customers
and invite them to my
wash for a free wash. Works
every time. His wash is my best
advertisement. - MUDMONEY
After hours I usually let it go to
voicemail. Unfortunately, I sometimes
let irate customers get to me
so I usually just text back. Here’s an
example: Just yesterday evening I got
a call from an irate customer that my
car wash, “is all f’d up and somebody needs
to get down there to check it out.” When I
texted to inquire what the problem was he sent
me this picture. I refunded his credit card and explained
the brushes likely sensed resistance on his
wiper and backed off. You can tell how nasty his
vehicle was. I got no response back. Now patiently
waiting for the one star Google review he’s going
to leave. - GREG PACK
Very few call, most text and I just text back. -
HEYVERN
I almost never answered mine. Now that I’m retired,
it almost never rings... - I.B. WASHINCARS
No phone number posted, email only and I always
reply promptly. - JIM64
Customer service is far too important to me to make
someone wait on the return call. I can usually nip
Almost 100% of the time:
62.5%
I let it go to voicemail almost
100% of the time:
20.8%
If I am in the right frame
of mind, I will:
8.3%
If I am in the wrong frame
of mind, I will not:
8.3%
the problem in less than a minute. Usually less than
1 call a week. I would rather nobody leave my site
aggravated! I am amazed at how many people thank
me for answering the phone! - SHINEPRO
I never answer, 99% of the time it’s spam. When I
worked for a distributor, we sold bay menu signs
and meter box door decals with the company’s
800 number on them. For about a year we kept
getting calls from a car wash’s customers complaining
about the wash, like one a week. It was in
a coastal retirement/vacation area, so most of the
callers were older and either confused or unreasonable.
- MEP001
I try to answer, but lately at least 90% are fake
calls about my Google listing or sales calls. Google
Voice gives me a preview, so I just hang up if it’s
not a real customer. I have the phone routed to
3 places, so there is a high chance of answering a
customer phone call. - SLASH007
100% of the time when the Caller ID does not
flash Potential Spam. I would say that in the last
three years we’ve had that feature on our phone,
only two of the thousands of calls we have gotten
were that. Relatively speaking, self-serve calls are
rare. Our in-bay automatics and membership programs
get far more calls. The typical self-service
call is the credit card customer who is seeing the
pending hold. - WASH4LIFE
If I don’t recognize the number with caller
ID, I send them this text message. It filters
out 90% of incoming calls… My
cell # is out there associated with
the wash, and I get a lot of spam
calls…. - SJB
One thing I have always done is
have a landline that I forward
to my number or my son’s
when I am not working. That
way one number will reach
whoever is working. I hate
equipment being down for any
period of time. - SOAPY
I post my cell phone number but
hardly get any calls on it ever. I
do get messages at the detail shop
sometimes. The last one was a customer
complaining that his credit card
never works in my bays. My detail shop
manager had already explained to him the
reasons that some of the cards don’t work, so I
didn’t see any need to call back. - WAXMAN
I have a landline posted at my wash. I do not answer
the phone. They have to leave a message.
When the phone answers I have a message that
says it 2 times: “DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL
SECURITY…CODE NUMBER”. If it’s a (BS) call
they always hang up. Hardly ever a customer calls
and leaves a message. - JMMUSTANG
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28 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 29

Carwash
Zierco’s Original Swivel and
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MODEL 203
• Feather light rotating action
• Twin compression springs are
tension-adjustable for a variety
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• Swivel rotates 360˚ - 12 ft.
diameter
MODEL 203 FEATURES
• Proven performance with over 50 years
service in the field (Since 1962)
• Temperatures to 280˚ max.,
pressure to 2000 psi
• Longer hose life as spring
prevents kinks
• Ruggedly built, satisfaction
guaranteed
Carwash
Boom
Assemblies
Zierco’s Easy Service Swivel and
Boom Systems with
MODEL 204 and 206 FEATURES
• Twin compression springs are tension-adjustable
for a variety of hose and gun weights
• Swivel rotates 360˚ - 12 ft. diameter
• Temperatures to 280˚ max., pressure to 2000 psi
• Longer hose life as spring prevents kinks
• Ruggedly built, satisfaction guaranteed
• Optional stainless steel components
• Proven performance with over 50 years service in
the field (Since 1962)
Boom Systems with Full 360 Degree roTATIoN
Booms are Available with 3 Different Mountings
MODEL 204
ENHANCE YOUR SELF SERVING
CONVENIENCE
STYLE B
Flat Plate
Mounts directly
to the ceiling or
beam.
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STYLE C
Swivel Base
Mounts directly to
the ceiling.
MODEL 206
OFFSET Overhead Carwash Boom
Allows for TWO Center Boom Installation
STYLE D
Wall Bracket
Mounts to wall and
is adjustable so
boom swings
to wall when
not in use.
Ideal for foaming brushes.
FOR COMPLETE
INFORMATION
CALL
414-764-6630
FAX: (414) 764-9763
www.ziercowaterboy.com
7355 S. 1st. Street
Oak Creek, WI 53154
sales@zierden.com
VISA and Master Card accepted
DISTRIBUTOR INQUIRIES INVITED
107C Cartridge Features:
• Field Repairable
• 100% 304 Stainless Steel Internal
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CONVERSION KIT
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Remove boom body
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QUALITY PRODUCTS SINCE 1937
EASY 3 STEP PROCEDURE
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Rotate hinge plate
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DISTRIBUTOR
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30 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 31

EXTRA!EXTRA!
A ‘wash war’ is taking place Down Under
The owners of Emerald Car Wash were once
competing with the owners of the nearby Capricorn
Car Wash, but now, they’re joining forces to take on
the city council in Emerald, Queensland, Australia.
According to a July 2, CQ Today article, the
former rivals are taking one the Central Highlands
Regional Council over its plans to open a car wash
at Emerald Airport.
Car wash owners Derek Mayne and Amanda
Noone and Capricorn Car Spa owner Rick McLaren
can’t fathom why the council would want to
indulge in anti-competitive practices by taking on
existing local businesses, the article stated.
“The part that gets my goat is why is council
going into car washes?,” Mayne stated to the press.
“Why are they going to start to compete against
small businesses in town? If I had known this before
I bought the car wash 18 months ago, bottom
line I wouldn’t have bought it.”
The application for the airport wash states it
will have five wash bays, with four designated for
use by the airport’s resident hire car companies,
and one dedicated to public use, as well as five vacuum
stations open to the public.
Emerald Car Wash has two automatic bays and
two self-serve bays, and Capricorn Car Spa has
one automatic and three self-serve bays.
McLaren said he would team up with Mayne
to submit an objection to the application.
“I think this is highly unusual for a council to
use ratepayers’ money to build this facility,” Mc-
Laren said in the story. “I don’t believe that is the
role of council to use ratepayers’ money and compete
head-on with private business.
McLaren also told the press he has spent a considerable
amount of money on upgrades to refurbish
his car wash. “Obviously I’m very concerned as
a business owner because if this does go ahead, it is
going to have a significant impact and probably one
of us is not going to survive,” he said in the story.
McLaren, who owns five car washes throughout
Queensland, said there are already enough car
washes in the area. “On this basis Emerald is already
oversupplied,” he said.
Brick by
brick… new car
wash going up
in Michigan
Construction is underway on
a five-bay self serve going up
in Lapeer, Michigan, according
to an April 29, County
Press report. It will be operated
by Arnold’s Auto Wash.
Completion is expected to
be finished this summer.
Photo by Jeff Hogan
You gotta love
Texas!
In Snyder, Texas, a man
named Simon caught a horse
getting a nice cleaning at a
self serve. “Only in Texas,” Simon
says in the video, which
was shared by FM X 94.5 on
July 10.
Simon, who uploaded the
video to his Facebook page,
added the comment, “...The
other stall had one that was
laid out letting him scrub his
belly !!! Great stuff.”
Read all about the self
serve news happening
all over the world.
Build the car wash, but
please save the trees
The popular and ever-growing Hoffman Car
Wash chain, with locations throughout Upstate
New York, will soon have a home in Bennington,
Vermont, according to a June 21 Bennington
Banner story.
Hoffman Car Wash received tentative approval
from the Development Review Board to
construct the car wash on the site of Bennington
Lanes and the adjacent dairy bar.
The car wash will feature a full-serve tunnel,
three self-serve car wash bays and 12 self-serve
auto vacuum stations. The only condition, presented
by the Planning Director Dan Monks,
is to preserve two mature trees which are featured
outside the old dairy bar.
Lucinda Thomson, the current owner of the
bowling lanes and the dairy bar — located on
adjacent parcels — attended the DRB meeting
and made a request that the trees be spared, the
story said. The trees have sentimental value to
her and her family, and she was even emotional
stating this in front of town officials.
Thankfully, Owen Speulstra, an engineer
representing Hoffman Development Corp.,
said keeping the trees in place should not be a
problem.
Hoffman plans to raze both buildings, and
the entire site will cover 3.18 acres.
The Thomson family tried to find a buyer
for the bowling alley and dairy bar, but were
not able to procure a deal.
The sale of the property should be completed
in September. The purchase price was not
made public.
If all goes according to plan, the Bennington
Hoffman’s Car Wash will be the first established
in Vermont.
Self serve wash part of
$850K sale in Duluth
Three self serve car washes in Duluth, Minnesota,
are now owned by real estate investor and commercial
real estate agent Keith McKenzie, a June 14
News-Tribune story reported.
The $850,000 sale also included two single-family,
market-rate rental homes, the story said.
“I thought it was a value-add opportunity,” McKenzie
told the newspaper, adding he saw self serves
as ‘good cash-flowing businesses.’
Two of the car washes have three self serve bays,
and the other has six bays.
Mckenzie said the car washes will receive updates
to the buildings, parking lots, signage, security
cameras and equipment at each site.
self serve
& support equipment
Used for 2-6
self serve Bays
• High and low pressure gauge
• Pre-wired and pre-plumbed
• Low voltage electric panels
• Single V-belt & pulley
• Stainless steel belt guards
• Easy access to chemicals
• System lettering and
graphic decaling
• ETL/UL/CE APPROVED
SUPER SAVER
Available for 7-12 bays
Features
• Low pressure tire cleaner, medium
pressure pre-soak, high pressure soap,
foaming brush, rinse, foaming
conditioner, clear coat protectant,
high pressure wax
• All stainless steel construction
• Totally self-contained
• Removable pump assembly
• Model CAT 5CP2120
Pump, 4.0 GPM/1000 PSI
• Brass regulators
• Automatic chemical mixing tank
• Fused terminal blocks
• 3 HP 3 PH motor
The Power Pack
self-service car
wash system
is designed for the space
conscious. The modular
stainless steel framework
is about 25% shorter but
still includes most of the
same features as the
Super Saver 2500.
Optional
Features
• Bug remover
• Triple foam
brush
• Triple shine
• Spot-free
rinse (low or
medium
pressure)
• Marine
engine flush
SINGLE VACUUM
• Stainless Steel arches that are
designed for the single SS vacuums
• Fixed SS Boom to provide the hose
near the drivers door of the vehicle
• Vacuum boom can be ordered
to allow the hose to swing
over the vehicle
• Post is 3” x 6” x 8’ tall for the
fixed vac arch
UNDER $11,000.00
*STARTING AT UNDER $11,000.00
CARWASH IN A BOX
• Marinas
• RV Parks
• Beaches
• C-Stores
• Apartments
• Car Rental
• Auto Dealerships
• Car washes
• Laundromats
and More!
International models available.
94000 Series Vacuum
The 94000 Series Vacuums are constructed of high
quality, stainless steel and provide high performance.
SCAN
Here
32 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 33

EXTRA!
EXTRA!
WE WANT
YOUR
STORIES!
Do you have a funny
story from the bay?
Group effort brings self serve/laundromat
to South Carolina
CV-A
Features
■ Fragramatics 1600 hr Turbo Motor
■ Poly or aluminum dome
■ Computer controlled timer
■ UV protected graphics
■ Filters – Four-bag system uses high performance,
synthetic filtration media with 15 sq. ft. filtration
area. Two easy-access service doors on rear
■ 2” dia. vac hose – high-flex, vinyl, crushable, 15 ft.
long. Includes cuff and polyethylene hand tool
■ ¼” x 25’ Wire braid or coil hose with inline gauge
Maybe an inspiring
tale from the wash?
Try something
new that worked well?
“You won’t believe what this
Darwin did at my wash…”
“The best decision I ever made
for my business was…”
“On rainy days, I like to…”
Photo by: Grant Langston
Tryon Car Wash and Laundromat, a self
serve/laundromat business, will soon open in
Tryon, South Carolina, and it’s all thanks to
a group effort, according to the Tryon Daily
Bulletin.
“We have been driving by the rundown car
wash and laundromat in Tryon for years and
really want to bring the space back to life,” said
Landon Schlabach, the CEO of BNB Breeze, a
Vacation Rental Management Company and one
of the local businessmen taking on the project.
“We think it could be a great asset to the community,”
Schlabach told the newspaper.
Other local business owners, including Foothills
Compost Removal owner Reece Schlabach,
Holbert Grading and Excavation owner John
Holbert, and Jon Byler, a real estate investor and
pilot for Private Flights, joined forces with Schlabach
to restore and reopen the business. The
car wash will have four self-serve bays with all
new equipment, and fresh coat of paint, and will
feature an Autec Soft Touch Automatic Bay that
can fit trucks up to seven feet tall. After the car
wash opens, work will begin on the Laundromat,
which will also get brand new equipment.
“We are incredibly excited to be bringing this
property back to life and cannot wait to serve
the community with squeaky clean cars and
clothes in the future,” Landon said in the story.
‘A-ha’ moment in parking lot leads to car wash ownership
Specifications
■ 1.25 HP ‘Big Dog’ high output compressor
■ Brushed Stainless Steel Tank and Main Cabinet
■ Coin acceptor – mechanical
■ Electrical - 120 V ac, 25 amps
■ Mounting - One internal and two external lugs
with security collars. Uses 3/8” bolts for secure
installation.
■ Tank Dimensions - 18.5”dia. x 42”h
■ Unit Weight - Net 145 lbs. Ship weight 185 lbs.
■ Ships in carton/pallet: 67”h x 32”w x 31”d
Options
■ Multi-coin acceptor
■ Lighted dome
■ Debris catcher
■ Dome colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue,
white
■ Hose colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue,
white, gray, black
Reach out to Editor Debra Gorgos
debgorgos@gmail.com to share
your story with our readers.
Hospital administrator Renee Costa of West
Lebanon, New Hampshire, was walking out to her
car after her shift and saw a sea of dirty cars, and
realized a good car wash was needed in the area.
“When I came out, I was like, ‘You got to be
kidding me. These cars are filthy,’” Costa said in a
July 16 Valley News article.
Costa, who moved to Duluth 13 years ago said
in the story, “When I got here, I went to wash my
car and, for crying out loud, found there is no good
car wash.”
A self-proclaimed ‘car lover’, Costa said she
always dreamt of owning a car wash.
Now, it looks like her dream is coming true. If
all goes according to plan, Costa will soon open
Lady Rich Express Wash at the sight of the former
Four Seasons Auto Wash.
Costa, who is a young 59, purchased the was
last May for $1.1 million, according to Lebanon
city records. She plans to spend at least $1 million
on improvements, including adding a new automated
car wash and building new self serve bays,
10 vacuum islands and adding a pet wash.
“There won’t be anything else like it in the
Upper Valley,” she said in the story.
Costa said she’s been following the car washing
industry for years, learning as she goes, but always
unable to do anything about it because I was always
going to school,” she said in the story.
As for the name, Costa said “Lady Rich” is the
nickname given to her by her nieces and nephews
thanks to the Corvette Stingray she drives.
Costa said owning a car wash has been nothing
short of a religious calling.
“The problem with people who build car
washes is that they just want to do it to generate
income. I’m not doing that,” she said in the story.
“I’m building it because this is my passion. … I’m
going to give you the prestige services you don’t
get at other car washes, so when you leave here,
your car will be clean, you’ll be happy, and you’ll
be coming back.”
fragramatics.com
3021 Midland Drive • Pine Bluff AR 71603
800-643-1574 • sales@fragramatics.com
34 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 35

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36 • SUMMER 2023
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SUMMER 2023 • 37

EXTRA!
38 • SUMMER 2023
EXTRA!
Car washes are popping up
all over Roanoke
Car wash proposals are coming in hot in Roanoke
County, Christianburg, Daleville and Vinton,
Virginia, and municipal planning departments are
inundated with new-build requests, according to a
June 11 Roanoke Times story.
Back in May, the Roanoke County Board of
Supervisors heard two proposals during one meeting,
for a second wash center in a shopping center.
However, the shopping center already has a car
wash. And back in May, the board approved the
construction of An Ultimate Shine, which will be
open in August.
Phil North of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors
said he worries about approving too many
new wash centers, the story said. “In my opinion, the
market’s going to get saturated,” he said in the story.
“I’m not a fan of car washes,” Supervisor Paul
Mahoney said at the May 23 meeting which discussed
the proposal for a Take 5 car wash in Clearbrook,
Virginia. It was ultimately approved.
“I think the Cave Spring District already has
four and this will make five I think. Obviously, we
will have the cleanest cars in Roanoke County,”
Mahoney said.
Supervisors then rejected a proposal for a Tidal
Wave Auto Spa in a vacant lot at Challenger Avenue
and Valley Gateway Boulevard where a grocery
store proposal earlier fell through.
The story stated that consumers spent $14.4
billion at car washes during 2020, the first year
of the pandemic, about $3 billion more than the
year before, according to the Federal Reserve
Bank of St. Louis. But the torrid expansion pace is
prompting debate and warnings about inundation,
according to the story.
Road Runner, a small chain based in Forest, Virginia,
has two new car washes in the works.
“I think the Cave Spring District already has
four and this will make five… I think. Obviously,
we will have the cleanest cars in Roanoke County,”
Mahoney said in the story.
Supervisors did reject the proposal for a Tidal
Wave Auto Spa. Supervisor Jason Peters said in the
story that he thinks the lot is better suited for a
retail shop or restaurant. Plus, there is already a car
wash adjacent across the street.
Martie Murphy, an official with the Tidal Wave
company, said they might sue. “The city council
[board of supervisors] decided to not let a new
business come to town,” he said in the story. “In
all honesty, we may be taking legal action. …Why
would Home Depot build across from Lowes?
What’s the difference in a car wash building across
from other car washes?”
That’s one big brush!
The Shelby Car Wash in Shelby, Ohio, has
gotten an upgrade, according to a July
21 Richland Source story. Some of the
improvements include new lighting, a new
free air station, new credit card readers
and one big ol’ bug brush.
Owners Nate and Katie Crnjak, bought
the car wash back in May. A grand opening
celebration was held on July 9 in which
free washes were given away. “We were
so amazed at the support people showed
for our event,” Katie said in the story. “We
started the first wash at 12:45 p.m. and did a
total of 87 automatic washes and 15 selfserve
washes,” she added.
Any cash donations given during the
grand opening were given to the Shelby
High School athletic department and
Nate, who went to school for mechanical
engineering, started out as the owner of North
Coast Roofing of Ohio. He is hoping the money
from the Shelby Car Wash will help with his
retirement. “For 20 years, I never really stuck
any money into my retirement,” he said. “Every
nickel I made went into the roofing company.”
“I have a lot of catching up to do if I want to
retire at a decent age,” Nate said in the story.
The Crnjaks also own another self-serve and
semi-truck wash.
“You’ve got to stay on top of maintenance. If
you let one thing break and you put a bandaid
on it, the next time you go to fix it everything
compounds,” Nate said of owning a car wash.
According to the story, because the wash is
open for business 24 hours a day, Crnjak wanted
to install new lighting to help customers feel
more comfortable and safe.
“My wife can control the lights with her
phone,” he said. “For Valentine’s Day, it’s red, for
the month of July it’s red, white and blue.”
One heck of a journey for Quick Suds owners
Twenty-seven years ago Mike and Alison
Mayer bought a dilapidated car wash in Chicago.
With young kids in tow, they cleaned it up and it
became a shining part of the street. Now grandparents,
the duo look back on the car washing
journey and smile. The couple told their story to
The Beverly Tribune and smiled when discussing
the past 27 years.
The Mayers have paid special attention to
the landscaping surrounding the 5-self-serve
bay/3-in-bay-automatic car wash.
Over the years, the city of Chicago has presented
Quick Suds with five awards for its variety of
annuals and perennials, arborvitae and landscaping
work, the story said.
Open 24/7, the Mayers always have a staff
member or members on hand to help customers
and maintain the property. They also give free
vacuum usage for each wash.
On top of that, another thing the family takes
very seriously is the wash’s water quality. Chicago
water has a hardness factor of 7, and Quick Suds
has an on-site water purification which brings the
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SUMMER 2023 • 39

FUN&
GAMES
WHAT’S DIFFERENT?
Think these two pictures taken at a self serve car wash are the same?
Think again! There are six differences. Can you spot them all?
6. Open sign is on
5. Chimney is missing
4. Gutter is missing
3. TRex is coming for a wash
2. Black post is missing
1. Drain pipe is different color
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40 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 41

PART 3:
Going to Court
The Right
to Wash PART 3
The story of self serve car wash
owner Dale Davenport
and his battle with the city of Dallas
By Debra Gorgos, editor
In part 1 of this story, which appeared in the 2023 Winter issue of Self Serve
Car Wash, we learned about the owner of a closed self serve car wash in Dallas,
Texas. Dale Davenport was fighting to re-open his car wash after it had been
shut down by local authorities. Part 1 talked about how Davenport got into the
car washing industry and worked tirelessly to make his business a respectable
operation. The car wash was located in a prime sought after area known as a
Federal Opportunity Zone, meaning it allowed people to invest in “distressed
areas” to help boost the economy and create jobs. Davenport took this designation
very seriously. He was proud to help boost up the area and contribute to the
neighborhood. Part 2, which appeared in the Spring issue of Self Serve Car Wash
News, told the story of how Davenport tried to work with police to compat any
crime or suspicious activity happening on or around his car wash. He called 9-1-
1 mulitple times, but, despite his efforts, no one seemed to want to help him
or accept his help. Then, things took a turn when Davenport witnessed a police
officer macing a man in his parking lot. Davenport testified against the officer in
2002. Shortly thereafter, a bullet was shot through a window at his home and his
car wash was surrounded by 17 DPD vehicles and 26 officers blocking the car
wash’s driveway, preventing customers from entering. This brings us to Part 3.
business owners, attended public hearings during a
regular legislative session. According to a July 21,
2005, Dallas Morning News story, “House leaders
slammed Dallas officials during public hearings and
from the House floor during the regular legislative
session when Dallas carwash owner Dale Davenport
and other businesses owners told lawmakers
they were being singled out and harassed by police
and city officials. …As a result, lawmakers changed
the public-nuisance law with overwhelming support
from the House and Senate.”
Austin GOP State Representative Terry Keel,
chairman of the jurisprudence committee conducting
the hearings along with Committee chairman
Kevin Bailey, D-Houston, carried the legislation.
"For some reason, the usual checks and balances
... [have not] worked in Dallas," Keel said in
the story. He characterized the alleged incidents
as "appalling." "It is an old-fashioned shakedown.
Corruption run amok."
It was determined that Dallas politicians, as
well as the police, were misusing the "nuisance
abatement" law, extorting businesses, and punishing
whistleblowers who told the truth which
threatened dirty policitions and unlawful cops.
According to a July 21, 2005, Dallas Morning
News report, Mayor Laura Miller and officials with
the city attorney's office denied wrongdoing and
defended their use of public-nuisance laws, saying
the practice helps them crack down on business
owners and homeowners who allow crime to happen
on their properties.
Keel's office confirmed that the House Committee
and the General Investigating and Ethics
Committee have asked the State Bar of Texas to
investigate actions taken by assistant Dallas City
Attorney Jennifer Richie.
According to Jim Schutze, who faithfully
covered Davenport’s saga for years in the Dallas
Observer, wrote, “Keel and other legislators were
alarmed by testimony that Richie may have tried
to jam up a Dallas cop's career because he dared
to say a certain business wasn't crooked, when
Richie was in court trying to make it out to be a
den of iniquity.”
A report from the Texas Legislature on corruption
and malfeasance at Dallas City Hall was
released after the year-long investigation with the
main author being Keel.
Keel admitted to Schutze that the report had
less to do with the nuisance abatement program
itself than with an underlying culture of corruption
at Dallas City Hall. He said his committee,
working with the House General Investigating and
Ethics Committee, found what he called, "ward
politics run amok,” wrote Schutze. "There seemed
to be cronyism, and if you didn't play the game,
you got retaliated against."
"They kind of let the city answer questions but
not the direct questions we had posed in the report,"
Keel told Schutze. "First of all, [Dallas city
attorney] Tom Perkins responded with what they
have always said, that in all the thousands of cases
only 60 resulted in lawsuits against businesses.”
What must have been music to Davenport’s
ears, Keel admitted to Schutze, "What is left unsaid
is the point that they were selectively targeting
businesses while ignoring surrounding
crime.”Keel's office also confirmed that the entire
matter of how Dallas' City Hall treats businesses
and conducts its own business has been referred
to the U.S. Justice Department for a civil rights
investigation.
The story doesn’t end there. In fact, it’s still in
the early stages of Davenport’s battle to keep his
car wash open. In the next edition, we will jump
ahead to what became of those committee findings,
and where Davenport, along with Jim’s Car
Wash, stands today.
This is the third in a four-part series that has
been appearing in Self Serve Car Wash News. The
conclusion will be printed in the Fall issue.
PART 3:
Going to Court
After a bullet went through Davenport’s window,
and after police swarmed his car wash causing
a scene and thwarting customers, he decided
to try and get help from the Dallas Police Department’s
Internal Affairs Department. And, as
you might have guessed, the IAD refused to help.
They wouldn’t even take his report. At this point,
Davenport was becoming a sort of lone soldier like
Marvin Kale in High Noon, but instead of fighting
the bad guys, he was fighting the law. The authorities
wouldn’t help. He would see criminal activity,
call for help, and nothing would happen. Then,
rumors swirled that his car wash was a hotbed for
crime and a nuisance to the city.
Davenport admitted to Jim Schutze, a reporter
for the Dallas Observer who covered Davenport’s
saga for years, that he had reservations about calling
9-1-1 so often, because he sympathized with
the officers. “Most of the police, in their defense,
when they would get there, they would be four
pages back, four computer sheets behind on their
calls, and they would say, ‘You called us out here
for this when we’ve got stabbings and shootings?’”
Davenport stated.
“And I would kind of feel guilty. But it was my
responsibility to do it to protect myself, my customers
and my business.”
This is where Dallas’s Public Nuisiance Law
comes into play. The year was 2003. And, due to
the high volumn of 9-1-1 calls, the city filed for a
restraining order against Davenport. “I thought I
was being a model citizen,” he told TV Host John
Stossel. “And here they were telling me I was a
public nuisance.” A judge ruled that the Davenports
had to spend money improving the security
of the car wash. A guard service was necessary,
they said. Davenport hired two armed guards, and
it didn’t end there. The city said he had to put up
6’ fencing, so he put up 8’ fencing. They said he
had to place more signage. He already had a lot of
signs, but he added even more. They said to put up
lights. He already had great lighting, but he added
more. But, the city had a problem with the two
armed guards – they wanted him to hire a guard
service to patrol the car wash 24 hours a day, seven
days a week. They also wanted him to hire a guard
company owned by one of the city councilmembers.
This would cost Davenport about $50,000
per month. “This is extortion,” he told Stossel.
He didn’t hire the company, but it should be noted
that that particular city councilman was later
jailed for theft and fraud.
Turns out it wasn’t just Jim’s Car Wash that was
being targeted. Davenport, along with other local
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Self serve car wash customers… it’s hard to generalize
such a diverse, sometimes difficult, sometimes
confused and sometimes entitled group of
people. Some read the signage. Some don’t… or
they read it and just ignore it. Others complain
about a pending charge on a credit card bill. Others
just let it go. It’s impossible to sum up the customer
base or to even describe the average customer,
because there is nothing average about them. They
are a select group of people who chose to drive
into a self serve bay and wash their vehicle on their
own clock with their own elbow grease. They could
go for a more expensive automatic wash, or do it
themselves in their driveway, but they visited a self
serve instead. Some customers say it’s because they
don’t trust the tunnels and automatics, or they cannot
afford them. And others say they have always
liked, “doing it themselves.” Those adages go way
back to over 50 years ago when the self serve car
wash gained notoriety. And, even though the customers
still used the wands, and sprayed down their
cars, the spending habits, expectations, and attitudes
of a majority of self serve car wash customers
have changed over the years.
According to Kent Adelson, a self serve car
wash owner based in Nebraska, he still has some
of the same customers since he started out in 1989
and he said he has noticed the following changes
over the years.
“More customers are using credit cards and cell
phones for payments so that is a positive for both
my bank and me [as it means] handling less quarters
and bills. A negative would be the processing
fees,” he said.
Adelson also found that the average time and
money a customer spends in his bays has increased
over the years by quite a bit. “I have many customers
that will insert $10 in cash or on a credit
card to start and many of those will add time to
that. I have very few customers [these days] rushing
around their vehicle to wash on the initial start
Changing
price.” The reason? Adelson said it has to do with
the recent pandemic. “It seems that after Covid
customers are not as concerned about start prices
or ‘time’ as they were before.”
Are customers messier in general? From garbage
to mudders, Adelson has noticed a change in how
customers respect his properties. Customers, or loiterers,
are less respectful nowadays when it comes
to littering, he said. “I made the difficult decision to
remove all trash cans from the washes. Nearly all of
the fast food restaurants around me have removed
their trash cans so the car washes had become a
dumping spot for the public. I do keep a dumpster
and encourage my customers to use it. While it does
[still] get abused I feel it is still necessary.
And, he’s also noticed an uptick in customers
leaving mud behind in the bays now more than
when he first started out. “A negative I see is in the
past there were very few times that my self service
bays would be left a muddy mess from customers.
My bays have pits that are 16’ long by 6’ wide so
most vehicles are over the grates enough so that it is
very easy to keep the floors clean. Many customers
would, and some still do, wash their mud into the
pits… but, that courteous act is slowly disappearing.”
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HOW CUSTOMERS CHANGED
And, even with the shift in how customers treat
his car washes, Adelson said he wouldn’t trade it for
the world. “But I still enjoy the wash business,” he
Low class or no class?
We’ve been in the self-serve car
wash business for over 40 years and
we’ve noticed a decline in the ‘class’
of the self serve car wash customers.
They have little or no respect for
the car wash equipment; they seem
to think that it’s OK to bring all of
their garbage to the car wash; they
seem to think it’s a transfer site for
the dump; they seem to think it’s
OK to steal a foam brush handle
and gun assembly. “The car wash
owner is rich and he can afford to
buy more!” Or, “It’s OK to come
to the car wash, park in a bay and
spend hours trying up a bay doing
drugs or selling drugs.” I could go
on and on. Those who come to a
self serve are a completely different
type of person who goes to a tunnel.
- Randy
said. “Having the business in my area of Nebraska is
a huge part of the reason and my customers for the
most part are still great people with good values.”
Everybody must get … a clue
Here is what others have had to say about how
their clientele has changed over the years…
I’ve been in the car wash business for about 18 years now. It does seem like the trash dumping
is getting worse and people making messes in the bays is getting worse, but that could also be due
to an increase in business and the popularity of my wash; I don’t really know.
Because we operate a detail shop on the same property and we are regularly at the car wash,
maybe my customers are a little bit better behaved than the normal car wash customers? In some
ways I am strict with the customers and in some ways, I am probably too lenient. I try to strike a
balance so I’m not overbearing but also not being taken advantage of.
I do know that whenever I enforce rules about bucket washing, trash dumping etc., I am met with the
same line of, “I always come here and spend money.” There is an attitude of entitlement or something.
People don’t really look at other people anymore. They’re too busy wrapped up in their own little
world on Facebook and texting etc. The customers seem to have a hard time doing even the simplest
things for themselves. They slide their credit card once and it doesn’t work so they run and get
someone to help them. I had a woman yesterday saying that her tokens didn’t work in the vacuum,
but she was inserting them into the coin return slot. I wonder how these people pay their mortgage,
keep the dog fed, make sure the kids brush their teeth etc? I think a lot of it has to do with the fact
that marijuana is legal in my state now. There are a lot of older people using it and maybe they are
remembering back in the 60s and 70s when you could smoke a whole joint, catch a good buzz, and
still function? Today a lot of the cannabis is a lot stronger and I think some older folks can’t handle
it and they turn into zombies after they toke. If they wanna smoke reefer it’s fine with me but maybe
they should just stay at home, microwave up a big bag of popcorn and zone out in front of the TV
instead of trying to be out in the world doing normal things, like going to a car wash. - Waxman
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Customers and the
cash they carry
As of 2023, about four out of every 10 Americans
(41%) do not make purchases using cash in a
typical week, which is up from 29% in 2018 and
24% in 2015, according to a new Pew Research
Center survey.
And even though less Americans are paying
with cash, still 58% say they try to carry some
amount of cash with them “just in case,” the PRC
survey reported. Breaking that down even further,
only 45% of Americans between the ages of 18 to
49 always try to carry cash, but 71% of adults ages
50 and over try to always have cash on hand. How
much cash? The Federal Reserve reported that
the average consumer carried $67 in cash in their
pocket, purse or wallet in 2021 and had an average
of $347 of cash stored somewhere else.
Generation Z versus …
everyone else
We’re currently dealing with four main generations
of consumers. Although living people can
come from the Greatest Generation, born between
1901-1924, (and if you have any customers
from this generation, give them their washes
for free, for cryin’ out loud) we will just focus on
the larger demographics, including Baby Boomers,
HOW CUSTOMERS CHANGED
Or my mom
Stop! will review you!
It’s no secret that online reviews are the beauty
and the beast for any business owner. Five
stars are some of the best forms of advertising.
But, it’s so easy for a customer to say what they
want behind the anonymous keyboard and negative
reviews can abound, deserved or not. Type
away! Say what you want, even if you’re exaggerating!
Doesn’t matter to a lot of people, or so it
seems. Those online reviews can be a gut-punch.
Who hasn’t had a customer go on and on about a
“pending” charge on their credit card statement?
Has the advent of online reviews changed the
way customers interact, view and appreciate a
business? The answer seems to be … yes.
“Like it or not, customers feel greatly empowered
by the ability to leave reviews for the businesses
Generation Xers, Generation Yers, and the newly
minted Generation Zers. There are some different
styles to the way each generation looks for and appreciates
a business. From technology to customer
appreciation, studies show there are certain ways
to attract people born during different eras.
they interact with on Google or Yelp,” according to
a February 2022 Forbes story.
Online reviews are powerful. If a customer
feels wronged, they can put a business on blast
and not have to show their real name, or speak
with someone directly. Well over 230 million reviews
have been posted to the online review
platform Yelp! since 2020. As of 2022, according
to a BrightLocal survey, 74 percent of those surveyed
said they left an online review for a local
business within the past year. This is the mindset
of today’s customer. Fifty years ago, it was a
person-to-person smear campaign, or a call to
the manager. Today, a customer has the power at
their fingertips to make or break a business… or
at least give it a try.
Baby Boomers
Born 1946–1964
As its name implies, 76.4
million Baby Boomers were
born during this era. According
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HOW CUSTOMERS CHANGED
to in-depth research from MNI Targeted Media,
Boomers are still viewed as one of the largest and
most affluent generations … which holds about
$2.6 trillion in buying power. They are a leader in
keeping brick and mortar stores in business ..and
many Boomers are still in the workforce, even
those who have surpassed retirement age.”
“Many of those who have returned to the workforce
use their income to cover bills and also enjoy
the resurgence of expendable income to make
their lives comfortable,” the report stated. “When
it comes to shopping, Baby Boomers expect to be
treated like the valuable customer they are. This
mindset drives them to physical store locations as
they prefer a human experience when shopping
for goods, and will abandon shopping at a store,
even one of their favorites, if they have a bad experience
with customer service.”
Even with a self serve car wash, do you offer
free washes on a birthday or some sort of loyalty
program? According to the study, Baby Boomers
looooove rewards or some sort of membership
program. They look at it as being “valued.”
And, let’s not forget that even though Boomers
were a bit older when the Internet came about,
they are just as tech savvy. In fact, according to
MNI, 96% of Boomers use search engines, making
them a prime target for SEO (search engine optimization)
efforts. So, if you have a website, use it
to sell your car wash to this generation.
Generation X
Born 1965–1980
This generation is a mix between
lovingly remembering
their 1980s-based childhoods,
to being in college when the Internet first landed
in their computer labs. They became adults while
going from the flip phone, to the RAZR, to the
BlackBerry to the iPhone. A mixture of both worlds
could pay off here when it comes to marketing to
the Generation X crowd. Gen X loves nostalgia,
stated the MNI Targeted Media report. “Incorporate
old songs or childhood memories into your content
marketing efforts for this generation.” They also appreciate
traditional advertisements (via radio, billboard,
television, print, sport team sponsorships).
At the same time, however, Generation X loves
social media, according to BigCommerce.com, In
fact 95% of them use Facebook and 72% of Gen
Xers use the Internet to research businesses, according
to a study.
Generation X-ers were just starting out in the
world, or had young kids at home when 9/11 took
place. They were forced to endure hard-hitting
news from television, to radio, to the Internet, and
this group of people are drawn to community- and
environmentally friendly companies. According to
a Generations.com study, “Xers have earned themselves
the ‘participation award’ for rolling up their
sleeves and getting involved. If organizations want
to continue to engage this generation, they should
take a transparent and honest approach to their
philanthropic practices.”
Lastly, make sure you aren’t ignoring this demographic,
as 54% of those surveyed said they
are frustrated that brands constantly ignore them.
Remember: These are your current parents, young
grandparents, and those looking into retirement,
so try and put customers in your advertisements
who look and talk like them.
Millennial
Generation or
Generation Y
Born 1981–1996
Many of these young folk
were just starting out in the real world when the
2008 economy collapsed, and the Great Recession
began. Therefore, they are aware of the all-mighty
dollar.
According to research by Investopedia, Millennials
are underemployed and heavily indebted,
but although guarded with their money, the
group will spend it when they think the purchase
is worth the money, especially on services, heavily
researched quality goods, and purchases that their
peers have made.
Goldman Sachs also did some research on this
demographic: Millennials’ affinity for technology
is reshaping the retail space. With product information,
reviews and price comparisons at their fingertips,
Millennials are turning to brands that can
offer maximum convenience at the lowest cost.
And, in an era wrought with catastrophes, from
learning of 9/11 at a young age, to Hurricane Katrina,
to the major recession, this generation has
proven to actually be incredibly community-oriented
and environmentally conscious, reported
Parents.com
According to the Association of National Advertisers,
it seems as if social media is where it’s
at for Millennials. A United States Postal Service
survey found that 62% of Millennials said they
visited a store in the past month because of a promotion
they received through direct mail. And an
Adobe survey found that 60 percent of millennials
contact customer service using social media and
42 percent admitted to giving positive reviews for
a product on social media, more than any other
generation group.
Generation Z
or iGen
Born 1997–2010
This generation is a bit
tricky. Do they appreciate hard
work when so much is a push-button away? This
generation has grown up with the Internet, iPads,
smartphones, and even in-car apps and navigation
tools at the ready. They also are used to using the
Internet to find locations, read online reviews, and
even pay for services via their devices.
According to the MNI Targeted Media study,
this generation doesn’t like to wait around. Instant
gratification, quick responses, fast service and no
waiting lines are what make this generation tick. “A
traditional store environment won’t hold the attention
of Gen Z shoppers…” Gen Z is also used to being
entertained, so they seek out stores that have digital
enhancements and ways to incorporate their instore
experience into their online lives. “Locations
that create a digitally friendly space in their physical
location are more likely to gain Gen Z shoppers,”
the study reported.
This generation of customers gravitate to brands
that align with their values and interact with user
generated content (UGC), the MNI study states.
“They appreciate brands that comment on or share
pictures and reviews created by real shoppers such
as themselves, and as a result will share their own
review on items they purchase to encourage others
in their generation to buy as well.”
And, finally, the study states it is crucial for
brands across industries—from auto and tech to
fashion and beauty—to connect with these consumers
now, and build relationships that will stay
with young adults.
Remember that this Generation of consumers,
who, at their oldest are 26, are so technologically
savvy they probably don’t even know what a rotary
phone looks like. Who knows what the future
holds for this generation and how they will act as
customers. Trends such as YouTube influencers,
voice-activation technology and digital wallets are
huge right now and could very well influence the
way a car wash interacts with its customers in the
future. Time will tell…
Globally, what do customers
of today really want?
Salesforce, a company dedicated to building
customerbases, surveyed 15,600 consumers and
business buyers globally, and posted their findings
back in June. Here is what they discovered:
1. 74% of customers expect to use multiple
platforms to start and complete a payment
transaction.
2. 52% of customers want offers to always be
personalized
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50 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 51

DARWIN at
the
CARWASH
The investment in security cameras pays off for carwash operators
(and the readers of SSCWN) with these mostly frustrating, sometimes funny -- and always cautionary
-- stories of Darwins Caught on Camera. Images of these criminals and/or their vehicles were given
to police and the press. Many have been caught thanks to the prowess of security cameras.
There are a few funny things happening
in this story out of Adelaide,
Australia.
First there’s the fact that the thief took a stolen
car to a car wash to clean it. The second being that
he took his jolly ol’ time there at the car wash– 40
minutes to be exact. the act. But, truly, the best
part of this story, reported on by those funny Aussies
at 7 News, is this woman, who was interviewed
for the story, even though she has nothing to do
with the car wash, the thief, the police, the neighborhood
or anything at all for that matter:
She is simply a random woman, who was
52 • SUMMER 2023
interviewed, and proceeded to laugh at the fact
that the criminal was caught washing a stolen
car at the car wash.
The story, by the way, is from May 29, when an
alleged car thief was caught washing a stolen Suburu
at a car wash for at least 40 minutes. Car wash
security cameras caught the man on tape washing
down the car. But, he was actually caught because
the vehicle was being tracked by the owner.
The Subaru was fitted with a tracking device,
and police said that despite the owner being
away from home, he was notified that his car
was on the move, the story said. And the (alleged)
victim was able to provide live updates to
patrols as he tracked his car …
Video shows the suspect seeming to be somewhat
surprised when police surrounded him at
the car wash. Officers proceeded to search the
stolen vehicle and found a traffickable amount
of methamphetamine as well as $2000 inside.
Not much else to report on the story. Maybe
that’s why the reporter interviewed this random
woman, who thinks the whole story is “fantastic.”
Oh, those wacky, Australians!
Hey, Oakland Athletics, I have a baseball batter for you!
In Saraland, Alabama, a man was captured
on camera giving the old college try
after causing damage with a baseball bat at
the Moose Car Wash, according to a June 27
WALA story.
The assailant was first caught on camera
trying to break into an ice machine. And
because committing a robbery can apparently
make you thirsty, he then gives up and
sits down to take a drink. That is when he
looks up and apparently notices the camera.
So, according to the footage, he then grabs a
baseball bat and starts swinging.
He broke a total of two cameras.
I forgot to mention the man was shirtless
during the incident. Perhaps he was channeling
Noah Syndergaard?
Nothing says “great getaway vehicle”
better than a logging truck! I mean, if
you’re going to try and be inconspicuous, it is
probably best to not drive a flatbed meant for
hauling huge tree trunks. In Kirksville, Montana,
a truck was caught on camera causing damage
at the Splash and Dash Car Wash on June 19.
According to a KTVO report. The truck was
caught on surveillance camera around 9:45 a.m.
driving into the entrance, causing damage above
the bay opening.
KTVO wrote a story about the incident and
posted about it on its website and Facebook
page. The insurance agent for the driver of the
logging truck recognized the vehicle and called
his client, the story said. He instructed the driver
to turn himself in.
The car wash owner stated he did not want
to press charges as long as the damage is covered
under the driver’s insurance.
What’s interesting is that a similar incident
happened a week earlier in which a box truck
drove into, and damaged another bay at the
same car wash. That driver was also later caught.
Let’s play another round of:
Who does this criminal remind me of?!
In this edition, we have a guy who caused
multiple damages to the Squeaky’s Car Wash in
Topeka, Kansas, back in May and April, according
to WIBW. Surveillance footage shows the man
who allegedly caused damage on April 27 and May
4. Police said the man allegedly smashed the pay
screen at the automatic car wash and came back to
damage the new screen about a week later. He also
attempted to set fire to a trash can inside the wash.
Now, here is a
picture of the culprit:
And, here is my
list of lookalikes…
Brandon Call, actor from the show Step by
Step. Or, how about crooner Michael Buble,
from when he first started out at the age of 21?
No, wait. I’ve got it! Chantilly Lace singer The
Big Bopper!
Hard to tell with this next one. Was it on purpose? Was it an accident?
It’s so hard to tell as there are so many nutty
people out there… In Lehigh Acres, Florida, a
driver may have purposely caused damages to a
self serve car wash back on July 31, WINK reported.
The driver was caught on camera backing
up and hitting the side of the car wash, causing
parts of the wall to fall down.
Before the damage was done, car wash footage
shows the man parking his truck, towing a trailer,
inside a car wash bay at about 5:30 p.m. He then
wentinto the c-store mart, where the owner said
he tried buying something requiring identification.
However, he didn’t have the proper ID, so the
sale was denied. He then walked out, “a little bit
angrier,” according to the owner.
He then walks back into his truck, pulls out
of the car wash and seems to get stuck. “Then
the driver repeatedly maneuvered back and forth
before ramming into the side of the wall in the
process. Eventually, he manages to drive out of
the bay and the video shows him driving off in his
truck without stopping to check the damage. The
gas station owner said he is now left to pick up the
pieces,” the story said, literally and figuratively.
The video also reveals that he almost hit another
car while driving off the property.
Oh, dear… the poor wittle son of the mayor didn’t like what was
happening in the sandbox, so he got mad!
In a story I can only describe as a “spoiled brat
gets revenge!” it brings me to remember these
three well known spoiled brats:
Dudley Dursley of Harry Potter.
Joffrey Baratheon of Game of Thrones
And
Francis Buxton of Pee Wee’s Big Adventure.
Let’s see if you see some similarities. In Elton,
Louisiana, an altercation took place at a car wash
between Roderick Williams and Marcus Lemoine
Jr., who is the son of the city’s mayor. According
to a June 22 KPLC story, on June 10, Williams
said he was approached and assaulted by Lemoine
Jr., while he was washing his car.
It might have had to do with the fact that back
in May, 7News interviewed Williams regarding
potential voter fraud in the town. His claims were
investigated and it turns out he was right and
discrepancies were found. A call for the mayor to
resign was initiated.
Williams told police that the attack by Lemoine
was “retaliation.”
The owner of the car wash confirmed that
surveillance cameras captured the incident.
And it turns out the Mayor was also at the car
wash. Therefore, the case was turned over to the
District Attorney’s office.
To put it mildly, this man racked up
quite the rap sheet!
A stabbing? Check. Prostitution? Check.
Theft? Check. A man in Bryan, Texas, has admitted
to promoting prostitution, cutting another
person with a knife, and breaking into a Bryan car
wash, an April 26 WTAW story said.
As part of a plea agreement, Henry Franklin
was sentenced to nine-and-a-half years for committing
the crimes back in 2021.The car wash
burglary took place in September 2021. Police
obtained car wash security footage that showed
Franklin, as well as his vehicle, at the car wash
around the same time equipment went missing.
Franklin sold the stolen car wash equipment and
the buyer positively identified him as the seller.
Then, in November of 2021, Franklin apparently
stabbed his roommate during a verbal argument.
He was arrested for the stabbing. While in
jail, he allegedly wrote letters to a young woman
he had been dating and encouraged her to be a
prostitute. Lovely!
According to the story, and as a shock to no one
at all, this will be Franklin’s second trip to prison.
Mommy or jail?! What’s scarier?
When you’re 17, jail might seem like a cakewalk
compared to an angry mom. This story is
out of Gillette, Wyoming, and involves a stolen
wash sign, according to a July 3 County 17 story.
A 17-year-old boy has been cited for hit-andrun
and careless driving following an incident at
Tommy’s Car Wash on June 29.
According to the car wash’s surveillance footage,
the teenager was driving a blue 2008 Chevy
truck at about 10:50 p.m. at a high rate of speed
when he turned into the parking lot of Tommy’s
Car Wash. He hit the sign with his truck and
then drove off. “The total damage to the sign was
$950, and the 17-year-old’s mother was notified,”
the story said. Dun dun dunnnnnn.
It turns out the 17 year old was having a pretty
rough couple of days, as also on June 29, in an
attempt to make a Tik Tok video, he lost control
of his truck and crashed it at a park. According to
the story, the boy was distracted due to a potential
confrontation with several individuals after
one of his passengers threw a milkshake at another
vehicle while attempting to record a TikTok
video. Police were called to the scene, but the 17
year old fled… and ended up at Tommy’s.
A little while later, a 16-year-old was seen on
camera at the wash in a separate vehicle. “The
16-year-old, who earlier had been a passenger in
the 17-year-old’s vehicle, had been observed, via
video, exiting the second vehicle and taking the
sign,” the story said.
SUMMER 2023 • 53

So there was this one time I was
backing out of my driveway and I
went to turn onto the road and my tire went
completely flat and I couldn’t drive another foot.
I had to call roadside assistance and my life was
on hold for hours as I sat there. Turns out it was
due to a single nail jammed into the tire. So, why
am I sharing this? Because I drove over a single
nail and was left with an inoperable van. And the
vehicle in this next story went through a lot more
turmoil and it just kept on truckin’. What gives?
The incident took place in Lakeland, Alberta,
Canada, on June 13, at the Lac La Biche Car
Wash. The driver of a blue Dodge pickup truck
used the vehicle as a sort of battering ram during
the afternoon to evade police inside, according to
a Lakeland Today story.
The truck — reportedly driven by a woman
with a male passenger — collided with another
vehicle and injured a man inside the car wash
as the driver attempted to get away as police
responded to a complaint of an alleged fraud, the
story said.
Police attempted to block exits to the building
with emergency vehicles, yet the driver was
able to escape from the car wash, making its way
through a school zone and into a residential area
and then turning onto Highway 36, where a short
police pursuit took place. The pursuit was called
off a short time later as the pickup truck was reportedly
being driven in an erratic and dangerous
manner, according to the story.
The car wash’s security cameras were able to
help identify the driver and the passenger.
So, let me get this straight: The truck broke
out of a car wash, drove through a school zone
and onto the highway and engaged in a race with
police and I drove over one nail and had to sit
around for four hours waiting for AAA? In the
famous words of Cousin Eddie: I don’t know?
And, here are some
dumb criminals
from Facebook:
Zoom in on that ID badge!
A mannequin?
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This next criminal seemed somewhat
smart… and then he didn’t and he
fell right into the dummy pool.
In Memphis, Missouri, we have Dillion Leon
Dotson, 25, who is facing four felony charges
following an investigation into multiple break-ins,
according to a 7 abc story. Dotson is accused of
stealing about $400 in cash as well as a fire-proof
safe from a Farm and Home store. Police stated
he disarmed that business’ security system and
stole it, but was also caught on security cameras.
The part where he disarmed the system is where
he sounds smart. Read on to find out why he
also sounds plain ol’ stupid. Police also found out
Dotson had unsuccessfully tried to break into B’s
Car Wash on April 28, 2023.
A police officer told KTVO he used surveillance
footage from three neighboring businesses
to solve the crime in 12 hours.
The officer drove around Memphis and located
the black SUV that Dotson was driving. When
he got close to the vehicle, “he said he could see
a crowbar, a hammer and a fire-proof safe, all
in plain sight inside the vehicle,” the story said.
Bingo! There it is..
Police approached the residence and Dotson
was inside. Dotson confessed to the crimes and
admitted using the crowbar to pry open the business’
doors to get inside.
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54 • SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 • 55

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56 • SUMMER 2023