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the silence of the<br />
cams
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2 • SPRING 2024<br />
SPRING 2024 • 3
CONTENTS<br />
Self Serve Snapshot .......2<br />
Fun & Games ..................6<br />
Polls .....................................8<br />
Association News ....... 10<br />
Industry Dirt ................. 16<br />
KOY “ROOSTER” MILLEDGE OF<br />
ROOSTER’S CAR WASH<br />
Extra Extra .................... 18<br />
OF MESQUITE TEXAS!<br />
Innovations ................... 26<br />
Tips ................................... 28<br />
Tricks of the Trade ..... 32<br />
Silence of the Cams ... 40<br />
Darwin ............................. 46<br />
Year Opened:<br />
I’m not sure what year it opened,<br />
but I do think it’s the oldest in Mesquite.<br />
Owner(s):<br />
Koy “Rooster” Milledge. We are family operated.<br />
How many locations do you have?<br />
We are closing in on a deal for our second one this [month].<br />
VOL. 52, NO. 2, SPRING 2024<br />
Publisher Jackson Vahaly<br />
Editor Debra Gorgos<br />
Design Katy Barret-Alley<br />
Editor Emeritus Jarret J. Jakubowski<br />
Editor Posthumous Joseph J. Campbell<br />
Editor Posthumous Julia E. Campbell<br />
Self Serve Carwash News is published 4 times<br />
per year and is independently owned by Jackson<br />
Vahaly. Web address is www.sscwn.com.<br />
All inquiries should be directed to:<br />
Self Serve Car Wash News<br />
110 Childs Ln., Franklin, TN 37067<br />
jacksonv@sscwn.com<br />
Copyright 2024. 2 Dollar Media/<strong>SSCWN</strong>. All Rights Reserved<br />
4 • SPRING 2024<br />
How and why did you choose this line of work?<br />
My dad and I both worked at a car wash in our younger days. I represent many<br />
young black men who want to get into this billion dollar industry but lack funding and<br />
instruction on how to get funding. I poured my entire retirement into the place.<br />
How many bays does your car wash have?<br />
Our first wash has 4 bays. The second one has 5 bays with 2 super bays for 18 wheelers<br />
and vehicles of the sort. All are self serve. We are looking to hire a detailer as we speak.<br />
Do you have any competition?<br />
There are 4 self serve washes near me all under 2 miles. Talk about competition. We<br />
just focus on being the best. We have the highest google rating at 3.8.<br />
What is the hardest thing about owning a self serve car wash?<br />
The hardest thing is cash flow and repairs. Sometimes funds get low as we have no<br />
loans or grants so we have to wait until the wash generates the cash to make upgrades.<br />
Also, to help save on repairs, I do 90% of the work myself. Had to learn very fast. Always<br />
been good with my hands. Customers sometimes are careless and break things as well.<br />
SPRING 2024 • 5
FUN&<br />
GAMES<br />
WHAT’S DIFFERENT?<br />
Think these two pictures taken at a self<br />
serve car wash are the same? Think again!<br />
There are six differences. Can you spot them all?<br />
1. Neighborhood has changed<br />
2. Grate in bay<br />
3. Extra hose on right<br />
4. Taillights are missing<br />
5. Hose mounts are missing<br />
6. License plate is different<br />
EVERYTHING IS<br />
AWESOME AT THIS<br />
LEGO ® CAR WASH!<br />
This car wash made of Legos comes to us from Matt Kustra, a certified<br />
professional Lego builder (yes, there is such a thing. His <strong>web</strong>site, IDEO<br />
Bricks, showcases master Lego builds and now his portfolio includes a car<br />
wash – complete with white car wash bubbles made of white Legos. He<br />
was hired by Euro Ekol Car Wash, a company out of Poland.<br />
Here is Matt’s write up about his creation:<br />
I am proud to announce that we have built a unique car wash made of LEGO®<br />
bricks for Euro Ekol company. This one-of-a-kind construction will serve as<br />
an attraction at trade shows, capturing the attention of visitors. When creating<br />
the car wash, we focused on the smallest details to reflect the authentic<br />
atmosphere and functions of a real car wash. I was particularly delighted by the<br />
foam, which is one of the standout elements at one of the stations. Additionally,<br />
the owner’s collection of cars served as a perfect addition to the entire<br />
composition, adding even more character and authenticity. I am confident that<br />
this original car wash will generate significant interest and be remembered by<br />
trade show attendees as an extraordinary and creative attraction.<br />
6 • SPRING 2024<br />
SPRING 2024 • 7
WE ASK.<br />
YOU ANSWER.<br />
The following poll was posted<br />
to carwashforum.com.<br />
If you would like to add your vote,<br />
or a comment, follow the QR code.<br />
What’s your runner up?<br />
Fill in the Blank: If the Black Ice air freshener is your top vending item,<br />
your second most popular item is _____________________________________________?<br />
Protect your<br />
team & comPly<br />
with oSha!<br />
removable Plug locks<br />
removable Plug lock & Puck lock Kits<br />
Puck locks & Disk locks<br />
lockout/tagout locks & clamps<br />
t-handles & t-handle locks<br />
retro Fit Security Kits<br />
New Car - KIMBERLY BERG<br />
Lavender - MUDMONEY<br />
Our top selling vending item is a<br />
blue towel and there is not a close<br />
second. Second is the Armor All<br />
sponge pack. Best air freshener is<br />
Black Ice. (fourth place vending<br />
item overall). Second best air freshener<br />
is Pina Colada. - OURTOWN<br />
It’s a close race for second place...<br />
Air Freshener Rose Thorn or Blackberry<br />
Clove… - 2BIZ<br />
It’s a tossup between Stars and<br />
Stripe “America’’ or Cherry Blossom<br />
Honey trees. Armor All sponge pack<br />
and Terry towels from Costco. -<br />
RANDY<br />
Black ice<br />
White towel<br />
Armor All sponge<br />
Microfiber towels<br />
Vanillaroma<br />
Blue towel<br />
New Car - SOONERMAJIC<br />
Black Magic Tire Shine - YHANNAT<br />
Vanilla air freshener - WASHNVAC<br />
Microfibre towel - GREG_T<br />
Blue Microfiber towels. I sell the<br />
wrapped version from Kleen-Rite. -<br />
SLASH007<br />
My second most popular vending<br />
item is the Armor All cleaner<br />
sponge. - WAXMAN<br />
Lemon wipes<br />
Armor All cleaning wipes<br />
Sunset Beach tree<br />
Towels<br />
Blue Magic glass cleaner - SHINEPRO<br />
New Car - SUDSMASTER<br />
All the Security You’ll Ever Need!<br />
Ask About our full rAnge of locks And lAtches for<br />
Amusement & vending equipment, gAs dispensers & self storAge.<br />
800-422-2866<br />
9168 Stellar Court<br />
Corona, Ca 92883<br />
www.laigrouP.Com<br />
S aleS @laigrouP. C om<br />
Ph: 951-277-5180<br />
Fax: 951-277-5170<br />
When you wish the answer was “none”<br />
POLL:<br />
Has your car wash experienced any of the following?<br />
Criminal-based<br />
Property Damage<br />
Criminal-based<br />
Property Damage<br />
Theft<br />
unarmed<br />
None of<br />
the above<br />
(due to attempted theft, spray paint, etc.)<br />
(due to attempted theft, spray paint, etc.)<br />
Graffiti comes and goes. Theft, not as of late<br />
but it’s coming. School will be out in a few<br />
months and there will be some bored hood<br />
rats that will think breaking into the local car<br />
wash is a good idea for extra cash. - STXCW<br />
Since we made the conversion to only dispensing<br />
tokens, and accepting CCs, the theft<br />
issue has seemed to dissipate, However, all the<br />
other fun games and challenges of car wash<br />
ownership have been amplified ...Who needs<br />
some used tires ... ? - SJB<br />
Where do I put [going to the bathroom]in the<br />
corner? - SHINEPRO<br />
I don’t know where to start. In the last 6<br />
months we’ve had so many break-ins it’s hard<br />
to keep them all straight. In one night we had<br />
6 bill changers ripped from the walls. In one<br />
night within 45 minutes we had 2 car washes<br />
broken into. On a busy Sunday morning 4 people<br />
cut open the equipment room, walked and<br />
helped themselves, and one of the customers<br />
got great pictures of their stolen van with no<br />
license plates. It’s pretty hard to protect your<br />
property when they use a gas powered concrete<br />
saw or a 20-volt Dewalt grinder. We have<br />
great video and have filed police reports but<br />
they aren’t too interested in solving property<br />
crime. The self-serve car wash business is such<br />
a [bs] business. - RANDY<br />
This whole thread reinforces the reasoning<br />
behind going cashless. Of those that selected<br />
“none”, how many are cashless? At some<br />
point it’s not worth the headache. The cost of<br />
the break-ins exceeds the cash revenue (be it<br />
wasted time, equipment restoration cost, or<br />
lost money). Every state needs to reduce the<br />
threshold for felony theft to $0.01. - ANALYTICWASH<br />
8 • SPRING 2024<br />
SPRING 2024 • 9
CALENDAR<br />
OF EVENTS<br />
*All events are subject to changes<br />
due to current circumstances.<br />
Association News<br />
• Canadian Carwash Association<br />
2024<br />
MAY 13-15<br />
Car Wash Show<br />
Nashville, Tennessee<br />
JUNE 16-18<br />
10th Women in<br />
Carwash Conference<br />
Hilton Salt Lake City Centre, Utah<br />
AUGUST 13-15<br />
Car Wash Show<br />
Australia<br />
International Convention Centre,<br />
Sydney, Australia<br />
SEPTEMBER 17-18<br />
Heartland Product<br />
and Equipment Show<br />
Mid-America Center<br />
Council Bluffs, Iowa<br />
OCTOBER 7-9<br />
Northeast Regional<br />
Carwash Convention<br />
Atlantic City Convention Center,<br />
New Jersey<br />
The CCA is thanking all of the car washes across<br />
Canada who participated in the 2nd Annual Car<br />
Wash for a Cure on April 5 and 6, 2024. The event<br />
was organized by the Canadian Carwash Association,<br />
in partnership with the Canadian Spinal Research<br />
Organization.<br />
According to the CCA <strong>web</strong>site, on April 5 and<br />
April 6, 2024, car washes from coast to coast took<br />
part in this initiative through a variety of activities<br />
that promote community building, philanthropy<br />
and contributing to a great cause. Activities included:<br />
1. Car wash owner/operators asking their<br />
customers to donate spare change;<br />
2. Donating a portion of their sales over the two<br />
days;<br />
3. Inviting their community leaders to participate<br />
and promote to their constituents;<br />
4. Creating a fun/interactive activity that engages<br />
their customers in the fundraiser;<br />
5. Promoting their involvement via social media;<br />
6. Raising awareness of the Canadian Spinal<br />
Research Organization.<br />
The Canadian Spinal Research Organization<br />
(CSRO) is dedicated to the funding of targeted research<br />
to maximize functional recovery and cure<br />
paralysis caused by spinal cord injury. “We envision a<br />
world without paralysis caused by spinal cord injury.<br />
Through our many fundraising initiatives, and strategic<br />
partnerships the CSRO/ASRO has raised nearly<br />
30 million dollars for spinal cure research since<br />
1984. Our corporate and community partners help<br />
us to fulfill our mandate of improving of the physical<br />
quality of life for persons with a spinal cord injury<br />
and those with related neurological deficits, through<br />
targeted medical and scientific research and the reduction<br />
of spinal cord injuries through our prevention<br />
and awareness programs,” the CSRO stated.<br />
Insure with the<br />
INDUSTRY<br />
LEADER<br />
in Car Wash<br />
Insurance<br />
Since 1986<br />
NOVEMBER 13<br />
Kleen-Rite Training<br />
Day & Expo<br />
Kleen-Rite Corp., Columbia, Pennsylvania<br />
• Car Wash Operators of<br />
New Jersey<br />
CWONJ is teaming up with Children’s Specialized<br />
Hospital to raise money on the weekend of<br />
May 3-5. “Our association has been raising money<br />
for Children’s Specialized Hospital for 18 years<br />
and contributed nearly $100,000 to that effort,”<br />
said CWONJ Event Chairman Doug Karvelas.<br />
“This weekend fundraiser is a perfect opportunity<br />
for us to continue our support of Children’s. Our<br />
members are very generous, and this will no doubt<br />
be evident in May. We are asking for everyone to<br />
join the effort!”<br />
The weekend event will see participating operators<br />
contribute a percentage of their proceeds to<br />
the effort. All participants will receive You will<br />
receive special marketing materials.<br />
10 • SPRING 2024<br />
SPRING 2024 • 11
Association News<br />
• International Carwash<br />
Association<br />
The “Game-Changing Ideas” 2024 Car Wash<br />
Show is just days away and it looks like there<br />
will be educational sessions geared towards self<br />
serve car wash owners once again.<br />
The Show, which will take place May 13-15 at<br />
the Music City Convention Center in Nashville,<br />
Tennessee.<br />
Here are some of the educational sessions<br />
that self serve owners and operators might want<br />
to attend:<br />
• Memberships = Tunnel Profits:<br />
How Do Memberships Fit with<br />
Automatics and Self Service Washes?<br />
Brought to you by: McClean Solutions LLC and<br />
the Western Carwash Association<br />
Memberships are a proven win in the express<br />
tunnel market. The industry knows the do’s and<br />
don’ts of membership in this segment. But what<br />
about the automatic and self service market?<br />
How can you use memberships to win in these<br />
segments and how is it different in the automatic/ss<br />
market? Pricing in the express market is<br />
known to be 2x the wash price for a single wash.<br />
Is this the pricing you should offer on an automatic?<br />
How does the processing speed of automatics<br />
change the way you approach monthly<br />
unlimited washing? What technology can you<br />
employ in the automatic market to prevent<br />
overuse of a monthly wash account? This session<br />
addresses these questions.<br />
Date & Time: Monday, May 13th, 2024, 8:45 a.m. CDT<br />
• Southwest Car Wash Association<br />
The 2024 edition of the Southwest Car Wash<br />
Association Convention & EXPO recently<br />
concluded bringing together about 2,700 car<br />
washers from 45 different states plus Mexico;<br />
Canada; Finland and Germany at the Fort Worth<br />
Convention Center, according to a press release.<br />
According to SCWA President Frank Nuchereno,<br />
“I am always amazed to see the excitement and<br />
enthusiasm of all the attendees and exhibitors. As<br />
the first big car wash event of the year, the SCWA<br />
Convention & EXPO is a wonderful opportunity<br />
bringing the greater car wash community together<br />
to start the year with great anticipation.”<br />
The Convention was highlighted by two nationally<br />
recognized speakers.<br />
First, Stu Crum, CEO of True Blue Car Wash<br />
kicked off the popular CEO Forum on Wednesday<br />
giving his insights on the car wash industry now<br />
and heading into the next several years.<br />
Then on Thursday, attendees enjoyed the inspirational<br />
message from Convention Keynote Emmitt<br />
Smith. Smith offered motivational stories on<br />
his career along with insights encouraging attendees<br />
to fill their lives with passion and pride.<br />
The 2024 SCWA event included a record EXPO<br />
area with more than 435 booths and over<br />
100,000 square feet of eye-popping exhibits;<br />
the popular EXPO Quick Talks Stage; plus premier<br />
education sessions including the Car Wash<br />
Academy.<br />
Bill Martin, Metro Express, was honored during<br />
the Thursday General Session with the 2024<br />
Lifetime Achievement Award.<br />
The next EXPO, EXPERIENCE SCWA 2025,<br />
will take place February 26 – 28, 2025 at the Fort<br />
Worth Convention Center.<br />
• Creating Superfans:<br />
How to Turn Your Customers<br />
Into Lifelong Advocates<br />
Brought to you by: Qual Chem<br />
We’re living in an Experience Economy. Customer<br />
experience, or CX, is the new battlefield<br />
for winning — and keeping — customers. According<br />
to a recent study by Gartner, CX drives<br />
over two-thirds of customer loyalty. That’s more<br />
than brand and price combined.<br />
Customer apathy is one of the biggest threats<br />
to business today. Whether they realize it or not,<br />
every member of your organization is a member<br />
of the Experience Department. Everyone has<br />
the power to create superfans: loyal, enthusiastic<br />
customer advocates. In this program, author and<br />
keynote speaker Brittany Hodak teaches them<br />
how.<br />
She shares her memorable, five-part framework<br />
that aligns audience members around the<br />
actionable steps businesses must take to turn<br />
customers into superfans. Go from commodity<br />
provider to category of one in the minds of your<br />
prospects in customers.<br />
Continued on page 14<br />
12 • SPRING 2024<br />
SPRING 2024 • 13
Association News<br />
Creating Superfans: How to Turn Your Customers Into Lifelong Advocates, continued...<br />
After hearing Brittany’s entertaining and compelling<br />
speech, your audience will:<br />
1. Look for opportunities to Create Superfans in<br />
every customer and colleague interaction<br />
2. Internalize the importance of the Experience<br />
Economy and what it means for the future of<br />
business<br />
3. Adopt a results-oriented attitude to exceeding<br />
customer expectations<br />
4. Actively seek out new opportunities to<br />
vanquish customer apathy<br />
5. Understand why the best marketing doesn’t<br />
cost anything<br />
6. Prioritize long term customer relationships<br />
over short-term metrics and goals<br />
This presentation includes industry-relevant<br />
case studies, live audience interaction, compelling<br />
research, engaging graphics, and humorous real-life<br />
anecdotes. Every audience member receives<br />
a 35-page digital playbook to help immediately<br />
implement Brittany’s proven frameworks in real-world<br />
situations.<br />
Date & Time: Monday, May 13th, 2024, 8:45 a.m. CDT<br />
• Pointing the Way: Using Loyalty<br />
Programs for Retail Success<br />
Brought to you by: AMP Car Wash Memberships<br />
Membership plans have revolutionized the car<br />
wash industry, but in doing so, we’ve sometimes<br />
overlooked our retail customers. Today’s car wash<br />
challenge is reigniting repeat retail business and<br />
elevating the non-member customer experience.<br />
Join us in this session to dive into the world of<br />
points-based loyalty programs. Discover effective<br />
implementation strategies, how to leverage loyalty<br />
for retail customer retention, and increase average<br />
transaction values. Most importantly, learn how a<br />
loyalty program can deepen the customer-brand<br />
connection, creating a loyal retail following for<br />
your car wash.<br />
Date & Time: Monday, May 13th, 2024, 8:45 a.m. CDT<br />
• From Run Down Wash to Local Hotspot<br />
Brought to you by: the Western Carwash Association<br />
Jeremy Enns is the relatively new owner-operator<br />
of a single site in Ontario, Canada with three<br />
self-serve wash bays, a truck bay and an in-bay<br />
touchless automatic. The struggling cash-only<br />
wash was a dump when Jeremy bought it. In the<br />
two years since acquisition, he has transformed<br />
the site into a bustling local hotspot. Revenue has<br />
already doubled, but Jeremy is aiming even higher.<br />
In this energetic session, Jeremy will share the<br />
valuable lessons he learned during the course of<br />
his project and discuss the equipment, chemicals,<br />
and technology partners essential to his site’s<br />
growing success.<br />
Date & Time: Monday, May 13th, 2024, 10:15 a.m. CDT<br />
• How to Buy, Build or Upgrade Your<br />
Wash with SBA Loans<br />
Brought to you by: Celtic Bank<br />
SBA 7(a) and 504 loans are some of the most<br />
affordable financing options to buy, build, or upgrade<br />
your wash. Get the inside scoop from a top<br />
10 SBA lender on how these SBA loan programs<br />
work, how to qualify, and why you should consider<br />
them over other types of financing.<br />
After this session, you’ll:<br />
7. Understand the basics of your 2 big SBA loan<br />
options: 7(a) and 504<br />
8. Know what you can and can’t finance with SBA<br />
7(a) & 504 loans<br />
9. Have an overview SBA 7(a) & 504 loan terms<br />
Date & Time: Monday, May 13th, 2024, 1:30 p.m. CDT<br />
• Optimizing Clean: Mastering Car<br />
Wash Chemistry for Superior Results<br />
and Customer Satisfaction<br />
QualChem’s upcoming education session is designed<br />
for self-serve and in-bay automatic (IBA)<br />
car wash operators, focusing on the science of mixing<br />
car wash chemistry to achieve optimal results.<br />
While a customer may think, “If it isn’t sudsy, is<br />
it even clean?” QualChem’s long-standing and<br />
respected position in the industry delve into the<br />
nuances of car wash chemistry, emphasizing the<br />
critical balance between the use of soaps and enhancing<br />
the customer experience. Attendees will<br />
leave with practical knowledge on how to effectively<br />
mix their car wash solutions to not only<br />
meet but exceed customer expectations for cleanliness<br />
while maintaining efficiency and cost-effectiveness<br />
in their operations.<br />
Date & Time: Tuesday, May 14th, 2024, 10:15 a.m. CDT<br />
• Industry Leaders Discuss Keys for<br />
Success Today & Tomorrow<br />
During this panel discussion, Carl Howard, President<br />
and Chief Operating Officer of Autobell Car<br />
Wash, John Lai, President and CEO of Mister Car<br />
Wash and David Hoffmann, Chairman and CEO<br />
of Mammoth Holdings will share their insights on<br />
the car wash business. As leaders with many years<br />
of experience who are at the helm of important<br />
companies in the car wash industry, the panelists<br />
will offer a unique and valuable perspective. They<br />
will take stock of where our industry is today and<br />
offer a view on where it might be headed. How do<br />
today’s best car wash companies differentiate and<br />
succeed? Over the next several years, as competition<br />
intensifies and consumers evolve, what will<br />
companies need to do to succeed and grow? How<br />
might operating models need to change? How<br />
might car wash organizations need to change?<br />
What skills and capabilities will successful car<br />
wash companies need to have? The panel will be<br />
moderated by Bob Dubinsky, President and CEO<br />
of Waterway Carwash.<br />
Date & Time: Monday, May 13th, 2024, 10:15 a.m. CDT<br />
• Making Your Self Serve and IBA More<br />
Competitive<br />
Brought to you by: WashCard Systems.<br />
Change is hard, but being competitive in your<br />
market doesn’t have to be. The way consumers are<br />
spending and interacting with businesses is also<br />
changing. The car wash market is growing more<br />
and more competitive by the day. Get the facts<br />
on trending payment technologies, consumer preferences,<br />
mobile apps, and point-of-sale initiatives.<br />
See examples where independent owners have<br />
experienced great success with easy-to-implement<br />
programs and are willing to share their results to<br />
help you build your business. Creating an excellent<br />
customer experience is the new arena for<br />
winning. Join us as we share the facts about how<br />
to engage your customers, create more sales, and<br />
stand out against your competition.<br />
Date & Time: Tuesday, May 14th, 2024, 3:00 p.m. CDT<br />
CUTTING-EDGE KIOSKS<br />
PERFECT FOR YOUR SELF-SERVE OPERATION<br />
COMMANDER<br />
HTK<br />
CTK<br />
• Northeast Regional<br />
Carwash Convention<br />
The NRCC recently announced that the 2024<br />
Keynote Speaker will be Will Guidara<br />
According to the NRCC, Will Guidara is the<br />
author of the national bestseller “UNREASON-<br />
ABLE HOSPITALITY,” which chronicles the lessons<br />
in service and leadership he has learned over<br />
the course of his career in restaurants.<br />
He is the co-owner of Make It Nice, a hospitality<br />
group that currently includes Eleven Madison<br />
Park, the NoMad restaurants and Made Nice<br />
in New York City. He has been immersed in the<br />
restaurant industry since the age of 13 and hails<br />
from Sleepy Hollow, NY.<br />
While running Eleven Madison Park, Guidara<br />
discovered the remarkable power of giving people<br />
more than they expect, and used this idea of<br />
Unreasonable Hospitality to turn a struggling twostar<br />
brasserie into the #1 restaurant in the world.<br />
This radical reinvention was a true partnership<br />
between the kitchen and the dining room, creating<br />
memorable, over-the-top, bespoke hospitality.<br />
Exactly what you want to give your carwash customers!<br />
The 2024 Northeast Regional Carwash Convention<br />
will be taking place October 7-9 at the Atlantic<br />
City Convention Center.<br />
(419) 867-4858 | www.hamiltonmfg.com | sales@hamiltonmfg.com<br />
14 • SPRING 2024<br />
SPRING 2024 • 15
HAPPENINGS IN & AROUND THE<br />
SELF SERVE CARWASHING INDUSTRY<br />
All of the news including new hires, acquisitions, merges and anything else concerning the self serve car wash industry.<br />
NCS unveils state-of-the-art facility in Barrie, Ontario<br />
Senior Leadership of NCS including Jesse Wurth, CEO, Jim Belanger, SVP Equipment & Marketing, and Billy Benson, SVP Operations along with Ward 2 Councillor for<br />
Barrie, Craig Nixon, and Paul Markle, Executive Director for the Barrie Chamber of Commerce.<br />
Sonny’s Enterprises<br />
announces the<br />
acquisition of<br />
Washtech and<br />
Wash Pros<br />
amarac, Florida-based Sonny’s, the world’s leading<br />
manufacturer of conveyorized car wash equipment,<br />
parts, and supplies, announced on February<br />
13, 2024, the acquisition of Washtech, which is<br />
based in Calgary, Canada, and Wash Pros, which is<br />
based in Edmonton, California.<br />
Washtech and Wash Pros are full-line car wash<br />
equipment and supply distributors serving the<br />
Calgary and Edmonton markets. Each offers a<br />
comprehensive line of equipment and services for<br />
self-service, in-bay automatic, and tunnel carwash<br />
operators.<br />
“I am happy to announce the acquisition of<br />
Washtech and Wash Pros and continue the partnership<br />
we’ve had for the past few years. They<br />
share the same passion and commitment we do to<br />
serve our Canadian customers best and help grow<br />
their businesses,” said Sonny’s Chairman, Paul<br />
Fazio, in a company press release.<br />
“We are thrilled to continue to best serve our<br />
customers by leveraging the wide range of products<br />
and services that Sonny’s provides,” said Todd<br />
Teolis, President of Wash Pros and Washtech, in<br />
the company press release. “By merging our regional<br />
expertise with Sonny’s leadership position<br />
in carwash innovation and manufacturing, we are<br />
well-positioned to continue delivering top-quality<br />
products and services to support our customers.”<br />
Washtech and Wash Pros will continue to be led<br />
by the same management team for the many clients<br />
it serves.<br />
Stone Soap<br />
owner passes away<br />
The car wash industry is suffering from the loss<br />
of Kenneth Andrew Stone, 75, the president of car<br />
wash company Stone Soap According to his obituary,<br />
he died unexpectedly at his home in Florida<br />
on February 2, 2024.<br />
Stone was born on May 2, 1948, in Detroit,<br />
Michigan, to Rosalyn (Bronstein) and his father<br />
Ralph Stone, the founder of Stone Soap.<br />
“Kenneth devoted his entire 53-year working<br />
career to the chemical manufacturing industry<br />
with Stone Soap Company Inc. of Sylvan Lake,<br />
Michigan, a 92-year-old family business founded<br />
in 1932 by his father, Ralph Stone. For the last<br />
40 years he served as the company’s president and<br />
CEO and was instrumental in building the business<br />
to be a recognized leader in the car wash and<br />
specialty chemical industry in the United States<br />
and worldwide,” the obituary stated.<br />
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Helen,<br />
and his children, Richard (fiancée Laura Pontarelli)<br />
Stone and Allison (Jason Weingust) Stone;<br />
grandchildren, Sydney Stone and Morgan Weingust.<br />
According to the Stone Soap Facebook page, the<br />
company introduced the first ever high-pressure<br />
detergent for the self serve industry.<br />
There has been no announcement naming the<br />
new president.<br />
New car wash opens<br />
in Ocala, Florida<br />
Bay Blast Car Wash is now open for business<br />
in Ocala, Florida, according to an April 11, 2024,<br />
Ocala-News story. The car wash replaces the former<br />
Rivals Car Wash, which had operated for a<br />
few years prior to the new ownership.<br />
Updates to the new car wash included new<br />
paint, signage and an all-around clean-up.<br />
Bay Blast Car Wash is one of about 24 self serve<br />
car washes in Ocala. And, even more competition<br />
is on the horizon as, according to the story, a new<br />
Mod Wash is planned. And in March Tidal Wave<br />
Auto Spa opened its second location in Ocala, and<br />
RaceWash is currently building another location<br />
in the same city. Ocala has a population of about<br />
64,000 people.<br />
D&S Car Wash<br />
Supply Acquires<br />
Wash Card Systems<br />
D&S Car Wash Supply (“D&S”), of High Ridge,<br />
Montana, has acquired WashCard Systems, Inc.<br />
(“WashCard”), according to an April 1, 2024, press<br />
release.<br />
Headquartered in Centerville, MN, WashCard is<br />
an industry leader in payment hardware and software<br />
technology for the car wash sector. WashCard<br />
loyalty software has created opportunities for owner-operators<br />
to build traffic, average transaction, and<br />
National Carwash Solutions (NCS) proudly<br />
announces the grand opening of its cutting-edge<br />
facility in Barrie, Ontario, according to a March<br />
19, 2024 press release. The inauguration ceremony<br />
brings together key leaders from NCS, distinguished<br />
representatives from the Barrie Mayor’s<br />
Office, and esteemed members of the Barrie<br />
Chamber of Commerce.<br />
NCS’s new facility exemplifies the company’s<br />
unwavering commitment to revolutionizing carwashing<br />
technology and fostering collaborative<br />
partnerships within the community, the press release<br />
stated. Designed with a focus on efficiency,<br />
operational excellence, and customer satisfaction,<br />
the facility is poised to set new standards for the<br />
carwash industry.<br />
Jesse Wurth, CEO of National Carwash Solutions,<br />
expressed his excitement for the milestone,<br />
stating in the press release, “The opening of our<br />
state-of-the-art facility in Barrie marks a significant<br />
achievement for NCS and the carwashing<br />
industry as a whole. We are thrilled to utilize this<br />
cutting-edge space to drive innovation, empower<br />
our teams, and deliver unparalleled solutions to<br />
our customers.”<br />
Ward 2 Councilor Craig Nixon, representing the<br />
Barrie Mayor’s Office, commended NCS’s investment<br />
in the community and its potential to drive<br />
economic growth. “We are excited to be part of<br />
the opening of this amazing facility in Barrie and<br />
applaud NCS’s commitment to advancing technology<br />
and creating opportunities in our city. This<br />
facility represents a testament to Barrie’s position<br />
as a hub for innovation and business development,”<br />
the press release stated.<br />
Paul Markle, Executive Director for the Barrie<br />
Chamber of Commerce echoed his support for<br />
NCS’s expansion and its positive impact on the<br />
local economy. “National Carwash Solutions’ investment<br />
in Barrie underscores the city’s attractiveness<br />
as a destination for industry leaders seeking<br />
growth and collaboration. We look forward<br />
to the contributions this facility will make to our<br />
thriving business community,” Markle stated in the<br />
press release.<br />
The grand opening ceremony is a celebration of<br />
progress and collaboration, marking the beginning<br />
of an exciting chapter for NCS and the carwashing<br />
industry in Barrie.<br />
profitability – all while offering transparency into<br />
their businesses and customer base. The company<br />
has continued to grow and evolve through changing<br />
economic conditions and the shifting technologies,<br />
including adoption of tap-based payment methods,<br />
QR codes, as well as a mobile app and pay station<br />
hardware, both of which can integrate with the customers’<br />
experience.<br />
Yarusso, founder and owner of WashCard stated<br />
in the press release, “We’re looking forward to<br />
working with Tim Huntington and the D&S team<br />
and put WashCard payment system technologies,<br />
experience, capability to work for many more car<br />
wash owners across the United States and Canada…<br />
The newest payment technologies, like tapto-pay<br />
and mobile apps, are dramatically enhancing<br />
both the consumer wash experience, and car<br />
wash operator sales and profitability. This partnership<br />
will allow us to bring better technology to<br />
more operators in more markets. That’s exciting.”<br />
Tim Huntington, CEO of D&S, also stated in the<br />
press release, “We’re thrilled to welcome aboard<br />
WashCard Systems pioneering technology to complement<br />
our D&S cutting-edge solutions within the<br />
car wash industry. By integrating the expertise of<br />
this leading innovator, we’re poised to drive innovation<br />
to new heights in the car wash industry.”<br />
10th BI-ANNUAL<br />
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This conference is our place to thrive<br />
together, positioning ourselves to succeed<br />
and lead confidently. It’s a designated space<br />
for professional women in the car wash<br />
industry, becoming a movement to educate,<br />
inspire, and support each other in various roles.<br />
email: bjj@womenincarwash.com<br />
204.489.4215 | www.womenincarwash.com<br />
16 • SPRING 2024<br />
SPRING 2024 • 17
EXTRA!<br />
EXTRA!<br />
Presenting the news stories<br />
featuring self serve car washes<br />
No more car<br />
washes allowed<br />
in this Texas city<br />
In Brownsville, Texas, there 34 operating car washes,<br />
but now city officials are saying no more can be built,<br />
due to water supply issues.<br />
According to an April 11 krgv.com story, as of March<br />
30, the combined Amistad and Falcon Reservoir levels<br />
were at 22.55 percent. The city hopes this new ordinance<br />
will help in keeping the reservoirs from going dry.<br />
“This is not just about getting through 2024, it’s<br />
about what’s happening in the next five years, 10 years,<br />
15 years down the line,” City Commissioner Roy De<br />
Los Santos said in the story.<br />
De Los Santos explained, under the ordinance, no<br />
new car washes can be built within five miles of an<br />
existing one, the story said. And, if a new car wash is<br />
built outside that five-mile radius, they have to install<br />
a water recycling system. Currently, only six of the 34<br />
car washes have a recycling system. “We’re doing our<br />
part of what will be the needs of water for our citizens.<br />
Most especially for basic needs, that’s our top priority,”<br />
De Los Santos said in the story.<br />
Officials are stating that the new ordinance is permanent.<br />
But, if water conditions improve they will reconsider.<br />
SBA Launches Digital<br />
Hub to connect small<br />
businesses with major<br />
funding<br />
Having a bad day? Be grateful you’re not<br />
this Lamborghini owner<br />
The luxury vehicle is one of 10 in the entire continent of Australia.<br />
A “rare” luxury Lamborghini is now scrap<br />
metal after the driver crashed into a car wash<br />
in Bundall, Australia, a February 25 Yahoo!<br />
News Australia story reported.<br />
The driver said he mistakenly stepped on<br />
the accelerator instead of the brake, causing<br />
him to crash into the car wash’s power pole.<br />
The incident occurred at 6.30 p.m. on a Sunday.<br />
Video footage also shows the car speeding<br />
17 million small business<br />
applications received<br />
over a garden bed.<br />
“The 40-year-old driver was treated for minor<br />
injuries by first responders, while the Lamborghini<br />
itself, which reportedly retails for an<br />
estimated $800,000, was likely damaged beyond<br />
repair,” the story said.<br />
The car wash ended up losing power during<br />
the ordeal and was forced to close but it has<br />
since been restored.<br />
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On April 11, Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman,<br />
head of the U.S. Small Business Administration<br />
(SBA) and the voice in President Biden’s Cabinet for<br />
America’s more than 33 million small businesses,<br />
announced the launch of the SBA’s new Investing<br />
in America Small Business Hub, the first and only<br />
digital portal of its kind providing industry-specific<br />
resources to help small businesses tap into opportunities<br />
under President Biden’s signature Investing in<br />
America (IIA) Agenda.<br />
“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is<br />
delivering generational investments to grow America’s<br />
economy, restore competitiveness, tackle climate<br />
change, and reshore manufacturing – all while<br />
including America’s small businesses, which are<br />
the backbone of our economy,” said Administrator<br />
Guzman in the April 11 press release. “The SBA’s<br />
new Investing in America Small Business Hub will<br />
help more small businesses connect to the resources,<br />
funding opportunities, and support they need<br />
to capitalize on these opportunities and strengthen<br />
their businesses. From the contractor working with<br />
continued ....<br />
New small business applications have increased<br />
to an unprecedented total of more<br />
than 17 million under the Biden-Harris Administration,<br />
Administrator Isabel Casillas<br />
Guzman announced.<br />
An April 11 press release from the Small<br />
Business Administration (sba) stated that the<br />
state of Pennsylvania has had 1.3 million new<br />
business applications since the start of the<br />
Biden Administration.<br />
“This is great news, not just for small business<br />
owners in Pennsylvania, but for all of us,”<br />
SBA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator<br />
John Fleming said in a statement. “This means<br />
more jobs, a higher standard of living, and is an<br />
indicator of even better things to come.”<br />
The monthly average of 440,000 new business<br />
applications since the start of the Biden<br />
Administration is 45 percent higher than the<br />
average of the previous administration. The<br />
annual growth in new business applications<br />
under President Biden is 90% higher than<br />
pre-pandemic averages. The surge sees substantial<br />
growth in entrepreneurship among<br />
women, Latinos, and Black Americans.<br />
“President Biden’s Investing in America<br />
Agenda has ignited a historic Small Business<br />
Boom as more Americans than ever seek to<br />
start a business,” Guzman said. “With new<br />
business applications being filed at a rate well<br />
above historical averages, it’s clear that this<br />
surge in entrepreneurship is not a coincidence<br />
or COVID rebound alone, but rather the direct<br />
result of President Biden’s economic leadership<br />
and this Administration’s investments<br />
in America, which are creating opportunity for<br />
more entrepreneurs.”<br />
According to an SBA release, the Biden-Harris<br />
Administration’s agenda has fueled a small<br />
business boom with historic federal investments,<br />
including the American Rescue Plan,<br />
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and Inflation<br />
Reduction Act. The release stated that more<br />
than 15 million jobs have been created since<br />
President Biden took office.<br />
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18 • SPRING 2024<br />
SPRING 2024 • 19
EXTRA!<br />
EXTRA!<br />
SBA Launches Digital Hub to connect small businesses with major funding continued ....<br />
their clients to use the Inflation Reduction Act<br />
rebates and tax credits to complete home energy<br />
efficiency projects, to businesses helping rebuild<br />
America’s infrastructure through the Bipartisan<br />
Infrastructure Law, small businesses are front and<br />
center in the Biden-Harris Administration – and<br />
the SBA is here to help.”<br />
The Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in<br />
America economic agenda has fueled a historic<br />
nationwide Small Business Boom, with the first,<br />
second, and third strongest years of new business<br />
applications on record occurring in President<br />
Biden’s first three years in office. New Census data<br />
released today show that the United States has exceeded<br />
17 million new business applications filed<br />
since the President took office – a historic rate of<br />
entrepreneurship that the IIA Small Business Hub<br />
will help continue to grow by helping small business<br />
owners leverage opportunities created by the<br />
Investing in America agenda.<br />
The IIA Small Business Hub includes new technological<br />
assistance guides to help more small<br />
businesses access Investing in America grants, contracts,<br />
and market opportunities. It also highlights<br />
SBA resources that can help small businesses<br />
access the investment capital they need to scale<br />
and the certifications they need to qualify for IIA<br />
funding. As part of this effort, the SBA will collaborate<br />
with other federal agencies to host local<br />
events and <strong>web</strong>inars to connect directly with small<br />
businesses and provide assistance on how to access<br />
IIA contracting opportunities, as well as incentives<br />
such as home energy rebates and tax credits. In addition<br />
to the Small Business Hub, small businesses<br />
are encouraged to continue utilizing the SBA’s full<br />
suite of small business resources to pursue Investing<br />
in America opportunities.<br />
BE ALERT!<br />
Here are the Top 10<br />
small business scams<br />
Scams can impact every business, regardless of<br />
location, size, or industry. But they are especially<br />
a problem for small businesses as they often don’t<br />
have the cyber security support or established accounting<br />
processes of larger companies, according to<br />
the Better Business Bureau.<br />
In an effort to lessen the detrimental impact of<br />
scammers, the BBB has listed the top 10 scams targeting<br />
small businesses.<br />
1. Business Email Compromise (“BEC”)<br />
This is an email phishing scam that typically<br />
targets people who pay bills in businesses,<br />
government, and nonprofit organizations.<br />
According to the Federal Bureau of<br />
Investigations, it has resulted in more losses<br />
than any other type of fraud in the U.S.<br />
With this type of fraud, the scammer poses<br />
as a vendor or other trusted source who<br />
emails an accountant or chief financial<br />
officer. The email asks them to wire money,<br />
buy gift cards or send personal information,<br />
often for a plausible reason. If money is<br />
sent, it goes into an account controlled by<br />
the con artist.<br />
2. Phony invoices<br />
Businesses receive fake invoices<br />
demanding payment for products or<br />
services that were never ordered or<br />
received. This scam mostly involves office<br />
supplies, <strong>web</strong>site or domain hosting<br />
services, and directory listings. Look closely<br />
as you’ll more than likely see the word<br />
“solicitation” in the very fine print. The<br />
amount asked for is initially so small that it<br />
doesn’t seem suspicious.<br />
3. Directory scams<br />
This scam has been going on for decades.<br />
Scammers approach businesses offering<br />
a listing or ad space in a directory that<br />
doesn’t exist. Or, the directory does exist,<br />
but con artists aren’t associated with it. This<br />
can cost the business hundreds of dollars.<br />
4. Stolen identity<br />
Scammers often pretend to be legitimate<br />
companies to trick consumers. Scammers<br />
set up fake <strong>web</strong>sites and “hijack” your<br />
company name and address. They may<br />
also use brand hijacking - blatant copying<br />
and misusing company logos and <strong>web</strong>site<br />
content - to impersonate a business and<br />
deceive unsuspecting visitors. In this<br />
con, the company doesn’t necessarily<br />
lose money. However, their reputation is<br />
tarnished when angry customers ripped<br />
off by scammers think the real company is<br />
responsible.<br />
5. Charity pitches<br />
The most immoral of them all, this one is<br />
where a business is tricked into believing<br />
they are donating funds to a charity.<br />
While many requests are legitimate, small<br />
businesses become victims of fraudulent or<br />
deceptive charitable solicitation schemes<br />
every year.<br />
6. Phishing scams<br />
Phishing scams involve computer viruses<br />
that are difficult to erase. These scams<br />
often appear to be legitimate emails or text<br />
messages. However, when you click on the<br />
link, you download a virus that captures<br />
personal information or loads a form that<br />
asks for bank account or credit card details.<br />
Be leery of unsolicited messages, and don’t<br />
click on links. Instead, hover over the link<br />
with your cursor to see the real address.<br />
Also, be sure your computer has the proper<br />
firewall and computer protection software.<br />
7. Office supply scams<br />
Businesses receive an unexpected<br />
telephone call from someone claiming to<br />
represent a reputable company with which<br />
the business already does business with.<br />
Sometimes scammers will even call in<br />
advance to find out what brand of supplies<br />
or equipment the business uses. The scam<br />
caller will try to sell the business surplus<br />
merchandise at a reduced price, citing<br />
a cancellation or over-order by another<br />
purchaser. The merchandise doesn’t exist.<br />
Don’t be fooled.<br />
8. Coupon books<br />
Small business operators are often<br />
approached to participate in coupon book<br />
promotions. The business will offer a<br />
discount or extras that promoters sell to<br />
consumers. The scammers will then change<br />
the details of the coupons to help sell<br />
the books, or distribute them outside the<br />
company’s normal business area. Ensure<br />
the coupon book is promoted by someone<br />
you trust and the terms and conditions are<br />
spelled out.<br />
9. Vanity award scams<br />
You’ve won an award! No, sadly, you have<br />
not. These vanity award schemes capitalize<br />
on an owner’s excitement over getting an<br />
award that essentially holds no value. This<br />
con targets business owners through email<br />
campaigns. The scam email congratulates<br />
the owner on their selection for the award<br />
and invites them to click a link for further<br />
details on how to claim the prize. But of<br />
course, claiming the honor involves paying<br />
a several-hundred-dollar fee.<br />
10. Overpayment scams<br />
In this scam, you get a check from a refund<br />
check from a business that you have done<br />
business with. The check is for more than<br />
what they owe you. You are then instructed<br />
to wire the balance back to them. Or, they<br />
send a check and tell you to deposit it, keep<br />
part of the amount for your compensation,<br />
and then wire the rest back. Either way,<br />
the check eventually bounces, and you’re<br />
stuck, responsible for the full amount,<br />
including what you wired to the scammer.<br />
20 • SPRING 2024<br />
SPRING 2024 • 21
EXTRA!<br />
EXTRA!<br />
Droughts are impacting states throughout the U.S.<br />
The water supply for the city of Los Angeles is<br />
doing ‘okay,’ but a drought is still inevitable, according<br />
to an April 15, Los Angeles Times report.<br />
“Although current conditions are promising,<br />
L.A. must maintain its ethos of conservation and<br />
prepare for dry times ahead. El Niño, the climate<br />
pattern that helped drive California’s recent<br />
stormy conditions, is expected to wane in the<br />
weeks ahead, and there is an 85% chance that it’s<br />
drier counterpart, La Niña, will develop by late<br />
fall or early winter,” the article stated.<br />
Martin Adams, the Department of Water and<br />
Power’s general manager and chief engineer, said<br />
in a statement that the reservoirs are full following<br />
two wet winters, but the city is still seeing the impacts<br />
of climate whiplash across the state.<br />
“We know we have to stay focused on our investments<br />
in local water supply projects as LAD-<br />
WP continues to evolve and balance the needs of<br />
our customers with the challenges associated with<br />
extreme weather patterns. More than anything<br />
else, we encourage our customers to stay vigilant<br />
in their water-wise practices, which have helped<br />
keep water conservation citywide near record<br />
highs,” Adams’ statement read.<br />
Two years ago, residents were still experiencing<br />
an on-going three-year drought, and living under<br />
the strictest water restrictions the region has ever<br />
seen and Southern Californians were limited to<br />
just 80 gallons of water per person per day.<br />
According to Mark Gold, director of water scarcity<br />
solutions for the Natural Resources Defense<br />
Council, there are other developments on the<br />
horizon that will help keep the city from issuing<br />
strict water conservation initiatives.<br />
“Among them is a statewide ban on watering<br />
non-functional turf, which is expected to lead to<br />
considerable water savings. A proposed regulation<br />
known as ‘Making Conservation a California Way<br />
of Life’ would develop a regulatory framework<br />
for achieving long-term water use efficiency and<br />
is expected to be voted on by the State Resources<br />
Control Board this summer,” according to the Los<br />
Angeles Times.<br />
About 1,000 miles north is another area being<br />
impacted by low water supplies, but this time, it’s<br />
an entire state. According to KOMO-TV Seattle,<br />
due to the low snowpack and a dry, warm summer<br />
forecast, Washington’s Department of Ecology declared<br />
a drought emergency for nearly the entire<br />
state on April 16.<br />
“The drought declaration covers all of Washington<br />
state except for parts of Tacoma up through<br />
SeaTac and Seattle, to just north of Everett. A<br />
drought is declared in Washington state when<br />
there is less than 75% of normal water supply<br />
and there is a risk of undue hardship, according<br />
to Ecology.”<br />
The Department of Ecology says some simple<br />
habits like turning off the faucet while brushing<br />
your teeth or running the dishwasher only when<br />
it’s full can make a difference.<br />
According to an April 16 NBC MONTANA<br />
report, the Montana Department of Natural Resources<br />
and Conservation announced that a report<br />
shows Montana is facing abnormally dry to severe<br />
drought conditions.<br />
“The 2024 Montana Water Supply Outlook Report<br />
showed 40% of the state is classified in moderate<br />
to severe drought and 50% showed abnormally<br />
dry conditions.”<br />
“Northwest and North Central Montana are<br />
particularly vulnerable this spring following severe<br />
to extreme drought in those regions last year,” according<br />
to the report.<br />
Things are looking ‘dry’ for Amarillo, Texas,<br />
as well. According to an April 16 story from<br />
KAMR/KCIT, the Amarillo City Council recently<br />
renewed the 2019 Drought Contingency Plan<br />
with no changes, ahead of forecasted worsening<br />
drought conditions during the spring and summer<br />
months of 2024.<br />
The current Amarillo Drought Contingency<br />
Plan was adopted in 2019 and is up for renewal<br />
every five years, as required by the Texas Commission<br />
on Environmental Quality. City officials noted<br />
that the plan came amid Amarillo’s long history<br />
of regular drought conditions, including a 2018<br />
stretch in which the city went without rainfall for<br />
more than 100 days.<br />
COA Interim City Manager Floyd Hartman said<br />
in the story, “The Drought Contingency Plan helps<br />
the city implement strategies and policies that protect<br />
and conserve the water supply for our community<br />
and residents during times of drought.”<br />
According to an April 19 KAMR/KCIT report,<br />
drought conditions across the Texas Panhandle<br />
and High Plains have also been forecasted as likely<br />
to worsen through the spring season as the most<br />
recent El Niño cycle comes to an end and shifts<br />
into a neutral and then La Niña phase. The most<br />
recent seasonal drought outlook from the National<br />
Weather Service was noted to anticipate a “large<br />
expansion” of drought across the Panhandle, West<br />
and Central Texas areas by the end of June.<br />
And in Iowa, there is a drought declaration in<br />
Osceola, according to an April 11 Des Moines<br />
Register story. “Osceola is looking at pumping water<br />
from a nearby quarry to boost dwindling levels<br />
in drought-depleted West Lake — its primary<br />
source of drinking water.”<br />
Even with the recent rain, two-thirds of Clarke<br />
County is gripped in severe drought, with the remainder<br />
experiencing moderate drought. West<br />
Lake is 7 feet below normal levels, and the city<br />
has ordered residents to reduce water use or face<br />
penalties, the story said.<br />
In addition to addressing the water emergency,<br />
Osceola Water Superintendent Brandon Patterson,<br />
outlined what he called an intermediate proposal<br />
that reduces water demand and, later, connects the<br />
Osceola and Southern Iowa Rural Water Association<br />
supplies.<br />
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22 • SPRING 2024<br />
SPRING 2024 • 23
Carwash<br />
Zierco’s Original Swivel and<br />
Boom Assembly, with<br />
New Rebuildable<br />
Cartridge<br />
Boom Assembly<br />
MODEL 203<br />
• Feather light rotating action<br />
• Twin compression springs are<br />
tension-adjustable for a variety<br />
of hose and gun weights<br />
• Swivel rotates 360˚ - 12 ft.<br />
diameter<br />
MODEL 203 FEATURES<br />
• Proven performance with over 50 years<br />
service in the field (Since 1962)<br />
• Temperatures to 280˚ max.,<br />
pressure to 2000 psi<br />
• Longer hose life as spring<br />
prevents kinks<br />
• Ruggedly built, satisfaction<br />
guaranteed<br />
Carwash<br />
Boom<br />
Assemblies<br />
Zierco’s Easy Service Swivel and<br />
Boom Systems with<br />
MODEL 204 and 206 FEATURES<br />
• Twin compression springs are tension-adjustable<br />
for a variety of hose and gun weights<br />
• Swivel rotates 360˚ - 12 ft. diameter<br />
• Temperatures to 280˚ max., pressure to 2000 psi<br />
• Longer hose life as spring prevents kinks<br />
• Ruggedly built, satisfaction guaranteed<br />
• Optional stainless steel components<br />
• Proven performance with over 50 years service in<br />
the field (Since 1962)<br />
Boom Systems with Full 360 Degree roTATIoN<br />
Booms are Available with 3 Different Mountings<br />
MODEL 204<br />
ENHANCE YOUR SELF SERVING<br />
CONVENIENCE<br />
STYLE B<br />
Flat Plate<br />
Mounts directly<br />
to the ceiling or<br />
beam.<br />
Easy to Use -"Feather Light" rotating action<br />
STYLE C<br />
Swivel Base<br />
Mounts directly to<br />
the ceiling.<br />
MODEL 206<br />
OFFSET Overhead Carwash Boom<br />
Allows for TWO Center Boom Installation<br />
STYLE D<br />
Wall Bracket<br />
Mounts to wall and<br />
is adjustable so<br />
boom swings<br />
to wall when<br />
not in use.<br />
Ideal for foaming brushes.<br />
FOR COMPLETE<br />
INFORMATION<br />
CALL<br />
414-764-6630<br />
FAX: (414) 764-9763<br />
www.ziercowaterboy.com<br />
7355 S. 1st. Street<br />
Oak Creek, WI 53154<br />
sales@zierden.com<br />
VISA and Master Card accepted<br />
DISTRIBUTOR INQUIRIES INVITED<br />
107C Cartridge Features:<br />
• Field Repairable<br />
• 100% 304 Stainless Steel Internal<br />
Materials Eliminate Failure Due to<br />
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• Double O-Ring Design Uses Any<br />
Type of Grease<br />
OPTIONAL<br />
107C CARTRIDGE<br />
QUALITY PRODUCTS SINCE 1937<br />
TM<br />
FOR COMPLETE<br />
INFORMATION<br />
CALL<br />
(414)-764-6630<br />
www.ziercowaterboy.com<br />
7355 S. 1st Street<br />
Oak Creek, WI 53154<br />
Fax: (414) 764-9763<br />
sales@zierden.com<br />
CONVERSION KIT<br />
204B<br />
To Convert Model 203<br />
to a 204 Assembly<br />
Remove boom body<br />
from hinge plate<br />
QUALITY PRODUCTS SINCE 1937<br />
EASY 3 STEP PROCEDURE<br />
TO CHANGE SEALS.<br />
NO TOOLS REQUIRED.<br />
Rotate hinge plate<br />
counter clockwise to<br />
remove seal elbow<br />
TM<br />
Replace O-Rings<br />
DISTRIBUTOR<br />
INQUIRIES<br />
INVITED<br />
VISA and Master Card<br />
accepted<br />
24 • SPRING 2024<br />
SPRING 2024 • 25
INNOVATIONS<br />
INTRODUCING<br />
NEW AND IMPROVED PRODUCTS<br />
AND SERVICES FOR SELF SERVE CAR WASHES<br />
Car wash system with 114 foot clearance<br />
Self serve brush<br />
Last Fall, the producers of Inkfish’s Hog Hair<br />
brushes were pleased to announce a new Foam<br />
Brush for the self serve car wash industry.<br />
Inkfish guarantees this brush will clean better and<br />
last longer than conventional style brushes. Only premium<br />
hog hair is used and the thicker, shorter hairs<br />
don’t lose their shape. The 200+ holes means lasting<br />
cleaning power, and the one-piece design ensures<br />
lightweight durability. Brass, non-leak fittings mean<br />
no cross threading that can be converted to a Prep<br />
Brush with the included adapter.<br />
OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions announced it<br />
is offering the brand new insta-KLEEN XT,<br />
which offers the same design features and operational<br />
advantages of the original insta-KLEEN<br />
system, but has a vehicle clearance height of 114<br />
inches (9.5 feet), which is 24 inches higher than<br />
the 90-inch vehicle clearance of the standard insta-KLEEN<br />
system. This extra clearance enables<br />
the insta-KLEEN XT to accommodate the taller<br />
“sprinter-style” delivery vans that are now a common<br />
sight on the nation’s roads.<br />
The insta-KLEEN Drive-Thru Fleet Car<br />
Wash System from Belanger has been dubbed the<br />
“Car A Minute Wash,” and features a heavy-duty,<br />
aircraft-grade aluminum framework that houses<br />
minimal moving parts. Instead, when motion is<br />
required, the system actuates the wash process<br />
through the use of automotive-rated bearings and<br />
lube-free pivot points that are built for reliable,<br />
maintenance-free operation and long service life.<br />
Additionally, unlike “rollover” systems that require<br />
the entire wash unit to sweep over each vehicle,<br />
the insta-KLEEN framework remains in place, allowing<br />
it to achieve the highest level of structural<br />
integrity.<br />
It also has the ability to produce a clean vehicle<br />
in 60 seconds or less, using less water and<br />
electricity. It can require as little as 4 horsepower<br />
of electrical power per wash. In terms of water<br />
consumption, freshwater usage is minimal, especially<br />
if the wash is outfitted with a water-recovery<br />
system.<br />
Both the insta-KLEEN and insta-KLEEN XT<br />
systems can be customized to meet the unique<br />
needs of the operator’s wash offering through<br />
the availability of accessories like Prep Jet, Blast<br />
Arch, Water-Reclaim System, DuraTrans® XD<br />
Conveyor, Presoak Arch, Wave Low Side Washer,<br />
DuraScrubber® Tire Cleaner, Spot-Free<br />
Rinse and a wide array of Dryers.<br />
Point-of-sale system with VIA Guard<br />
Dencar Technology is the developer of an advanced<br />
point-of-sale system for the car wash industry.<br />
its responsive digital signage is integrated into<br />
the point-of-sale and wash control platform and is<br />
based on a design philosophy that replicates the attended<br />
car wash functionality, but with automated<br />
equipment and processes running 24/7. Dencar’s<br />
automated equipment reduces or eliminates expensive<br />
personnel costs working onsite to manually<br />
sell wash passes, install RFID tags, explain options,<br />
reset equipment, and manage the wash pass environment.<br />
Patent-pending Vehicle Identification<br />
Automation (VIA Guard) technology ensures payment<br />
for every wash.<br />
Bilingual car wash tokens<br />
TokensDirect®, a manufacturer of custom-made<br />
coins and tokens for businesses all<br />
over the world, is now offering a selection of bilingual<br />
stock carwash tokens. They range in size<br />
from 0.900” to 1.073” and are available in brass.<br />
Brass tokens are solid metal and last for years.<br />
Email campaign<br />
service<br />
Touch4 Wash has introduced its Email Campaign<br />
Services platform, designed as a secret weapon for<br />
keeping your wash top-of-mind with your favorite<br />
folks.<br />
Why Email Campaigns? It is like having a personal<br />
assistant for your customer relationships. The<br />
company’s email automation does the heavy lifting<br />
for you, crafting personalized messages and sending<br />
them at the right moment, so you can focus on what<br />
you do best — running your wash.<br />
How Does it Work? Easy as pie, yet powerful as a<br />
clean engine. Once your Touch4 Wash system is in<br />
place, the email automation kicks in automatically,<br />
delivering messages tailored to your customers’<br />
needs.<br />
Keep it Fresh: Utilizing a range of sleek templates<br />
that reflect your wash’s personality.<br />
Smart as a Whip: The AI brains analyze customer<br />
habits to send spot-on messages, whether it is a warm<br />
welcome, a gentle reminder, or a sweet deal.<br />
All About You: Every email is decked out with your<br />
brand colors and promos, keeping your customers<br />
hooked.<br />
Hands-Free Fun: Sit back and relax as the emails<br />
run themselves, leaving you free to focus on the fun<br />
stuff.<br />
TYPES OF EMAILS:<br />
Welcome & Refer: Roll out the welcome mat for<br />
newbies and encourage them to spread the love.<br />
Nudge & Remind: Gently remind customers who<br />
have been MIA for a bit, that your wash misses them.<br />
Loyalty Love: Shower your loyal wash buddies with<br />
updates on their points and perks.<br />
Sweet Deals: Tempt your customers with sweet<br />
deals on prepaid credits or membership perks.<br />
26 • SPRING 2024<br />
SPRING 2024 • 27
TIPs<br />
CUSTOMER SERVICE TIP<br />
Are you getting<br />
the message?<br />
There’s another free way to advertise your<br />
business and reach out to customers, thanks to<br />
Facebook Messenger. If your car wash has a Facebook<br />
page (and if it does not, then you should<br />
consider it… to at least have a way to post your<br />
hours, location, specials for free), then you can<br />
use Messenger as well.<br />
According to LYFE Marketing, you can set up<br />
automated messages for your business page. So, if<br />
someone messages your Facebook business page,<br />
Facebook Messenger will send an automated message<br />
back to them.<br />
The message can be whatever you want.<br />
Oftentimes, these automated messages say<br />
something as simple as, “Thank you for reaching<br />
out to us. Someone will respond back to you within<br />
24 business hours. Thank you and have a great<br />
day!” according to LYFE.<br />
LYFE added that even a message as simple as<br />
that one helps build trust between your business<br />
and potential or existing customers, thus bettering<br />
the chances of you making a buyer or repeat<br />
buyer out of them.<br />
Please note, that you have to access Facebook<br />
Marketing through a different portal than<br />
Facebook and on mobile devices, you will have to<br />
download the Messenger app.<br />
Your Car Wash<br />
BUDGETING TIP<br />
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s an….<br />
Accountant?!<br />
It’s okay to admit you need help, especially<br />
when it comes to managing and balancing your<br />
funds. This is plenty of free help out there, thanks<br />
to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and<br />
if you need even more help, there are accountants<br />
who will freelance their services, set you up with<br />
a system that works for you. Before doing that,<br />
read this information from the SBA.<br />
The following is advice from the SBA.<br />
You need to start with a good balance sheet.<br />
The balance sheet is the foundation of managing<br />
your finances. It operates as a snapshot of<br />
your business financials. It helps you keep track<br />
of your capital and provide a cash flow projection<br />
for future years.<br />
A balance sheet will help you account for costs<br />
like employees and supplies. It will also help you<br />
track assets, liabilities, and equity. You can get<br />
insights by separating and analyzing segments<br />
of your business, like comparing online sales to<br />
face-to-face sales.<br />
COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS (CBA)<br />
Looking closely at money-in and money-out<br />
helps maintain a sustainable balance between<br />
profit and loss. From development and operations<br />
to recurring and nonrecurring costs, it’s important<br />
to categorize expenses in your balance sheet.<br />
Then, you can use a cost-benefit analysis, or a<br />
process that helps weigh the strengths and weaknesses<br />
of a business decision, and put potential<br />
recurring benefits and cost reductions in context.<br />
A CBA is a technique for making non-critical<br />
choices in a relatively quick and easy way. It simply<br />
involves adding money in benefits and money in<br />
costs over a specified time period, before subtracting<br />
costs from benefits to determine success in terms of<br />
dollars. This can come in handy with hiring another<br />
employee or an independent contractor.<br />
For example, let’s say you’re deciding whether<br />
to add outdoor seating for your sausage themed<br />
restaurant, Haute Dog. You estimate outdoor<br />
seating would add $5,000 in extra profit from<br />
sales each year. But the outdoor seating permit<br />
costs $1,000 each year, and you’d also have to<br />
spend $2,000 to buy outdoor tables and chairs.<br />
Your cost-benefit analysis shows that you should<br />
add outdoor seating, because the new benefits<br />
($5,000 in new sales) outweigh the new costs<br />
($3,000 in permitting and equipment expenses)<br />
PICK AN ACCOUNTING METHOD<br />
Businesses often use either the accrual or cash<br />
methods of recording purchases. The accrual<br />
method puts transactions on the books immediately<br />
upon completing the sale. The cash method<br />
only records this once payment has been received.<br />
For example, if you make a sale in January and<br />
receive the $200 payment in February, an accrual<br />
method would allow you to record that on January’s<br />
books, while the cash method would require<br />
that payment to land on February’s books.<br />
GAAP<br />
There are many strategies for preparing financial<br />
statements for a small business. Generally accepted<br />
accounting principles, known as GAAP or<br />
“Gap,” provides a common a way to standardize<br />
financial reporting using the accrual method. Private<br />
companies aren’t required to follow GAAP.<br />
The Financial Accounting Standards Board<br />
(FASB) maintains GAAP in the United States.<br />
GET ACCOUNTING HELP<br />
You might want to get help with your accounting.<br />
Consider hiring a certified public accountant<br />
(CPA), bookkeeper, or using an online service.<br />
Ensure that someone can manage the following:<br />
• Accounts receivable<br />
• Accounts payable<br />
• Available cash<br />
• Bank reconciliation<br />
• Payroll<br />
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28 • SPRING 2024<br />
Thank you for your message.<br />
We will be contacting<br />
you within 24 hours. In the<br />
meantime, please note<br />
that we have special rates<br />
on Mondays! Get 25% off<br />
of your wash between 12<br />
noon and 4 p.m.<br />
Where to find a freelance accountant?<br />
Here are a few online resources you can use if you’re looking to hire a temporary,<br />
or intermittent freelance accountant.<br />
Freelancer.com<br />
SUCCESS TIP<br />
Thumbtack.com Bark.com<br />
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- Dave Thomas, Founder of Wendy’s<br />
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SPRING 2024 • 29
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SPRING 2024 • 31
Presenting some of the best discussions from the Self Serve, IBA and General Discussions sections of CarwashForum.com. To view more posts discussing<br />
some interesting and common problems, as well as some of the best and brightest solutions, visit CarwashForum.com<br />
Brand new brush or brand new motor?<br />
I was wondering when your brushes wear out<br />
on one of your vacuum motors do you replace<br />
the whole motor or just replace the brushes?<br />
I am asking because the motor is still good<br />
We buy the new motor, fast and easy! Plus the armature<br />
on the motor becomes concave and the motor<br />
doesn’t perform as well with just new brushes. -<br />
CARWASHBOY<br />
I change the brushes...personally I think it’s easier<br />
than changing the motor. - RFREEMAN<br />
We tried replacing the brushes but found it less effective<br />
than replacing the motor. Seems that more<br />
than the brushes go with time and use. Customers<br />
notice the new motors too. - ROZ<br />
I change my vac brushes once a year, in August. They<br />
are normally just about gone by then. We change<br />
out the motor every 3rd brush change, by then the<br />
armature is about gone. You always want to inspect<br />
the armature whenever you replace the brushes, if it’s<br />
concave, toss it. I’ve never noticed any difference in<br />
the vac suction after a brush change. A friend of mine<br />
puts a vacuum gauge on the end of the hose about<br />
once a month to make sure it’s still within spec. - RANDY<br />
New motors, I can replace both motors way quicker<br />
than brushes. And you can definitely feel the power<br />
difference with new motors. - KENO<br />
I replace brushes several times before I replace the<br />
motor. You definitely need to make sure to replace<br />
them before they get too short though. If you let<br />
them get too short, electricity arcs between the two<br />
and I took the brushes off then when I went to<br />
have the local carwash place to order them<br />
for me they suggested I just buy a whole new<br />
motor? - BROOKSWASH21<br />
surfaces and ends up ruining the motor. The brush<br />
kits that we order have a little measurement/installation<br />
tool that has a line on it that tells you when the<br />
brushes need replacement. Replacing the brushes for<br />
all 3 motors costs me about $9, instead of $108 for<br />
replacing all the motors. - 8TH STREET CAR WASH<br />
Brushes are fine to replace if you’re willing to do the<br />
periodic inspection of them. If you let them go until<br />
they are “gone” you’ve most likely damaged the motor<br />
itself and then there is no point in changing the<br />
brushes. I have customers in both camps. Some don’t<br />
mind having to periodically inspect the brushes (and<br />
the time it takes) and others feel there is better use<br />
of their time and wait for the motor to die and swap<br />
it out. The real rub on focusing on the brushes is no<br />
one can give you a set schedule to follow. Every vac<br />
at every site has differing usage rates so the brushes<br />
will wear out at different times. It could be 6 months,<br />
a year, 90 days. - DAN KAMSICKAS<br />
I replace the motor when it burns out; fast and easy.<br />
I keep 4 or 5 in stock. - WAXMAN<br />
I think the same! It’s easier to change only the brushes,<br />
and not change the motor yet! And it’s even<br />
cheaper… - FRANKSMISSING<br />
I changed brushes until the armature was toast for<br />
years. Here lately I’m tempted to change them no<br />
more than once, then toss the motor or give it to more<br />
Ain’t no time for the wintertime blues<br />
(Note: Some posts feature minor edits for readability.)<br />
thrifty friends in the business. I keep three motors on<br />
the shelf and when one gets changed out they all go.<br />
Keeps downtime to a minimum. I use a relatively inexpensive<br />
VAL9414, from Kleen rite, less than $50<br />
each. I probably get 10K in vac revenue before a swap<br />
out is needed, fair enough trade. - GREG PACK<br />
I had to replace a vac motor this morning. I didn’t<br />
have time to look at the brushes, but I think I<br />
changed them last July. I always mark the date I install<br />
the motor and the date that last changed the<br />
brushes. I saw the date that I installed the motor was<br />
8 years ago, so I think I got my money’s worth out of<br />
that one. When you change a vac motor you always<br />
want to match the new vac motor with the 1 or 2<br />
motors that are currently installed, same brand and<br />
model motor. Different brand vac motors turn at a<br />
different RPM. - RANDY<br />
I replace the brushes as soon as the thing stops sucking,<br />
i do check vacs 3 days a week minimum to stay on<br />
top of them. I have several vac that have motors that<br />
have been in service since 2013 and 2014. Brushes are<br />
cheap, motors are expensive, everytime I change a motor<br />
I write the date on the motor with a wide and very<br />
large sharpie. Each brush change the date gets written<br />
as well but in regular sharpie. I just changed brushes in<br />
one from 2013 today that has had 12 brush changes<br />
done since it was originally installed. - CBCHEVY4X4<br />
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How do you guys make it through the winters? My wash slows down considerably.<br />
(We are in Mesquite and Garland just outside of Dallas, Texas). - - ROOSTER’S CAR WASH<br />
Having an automatic helps and it snows here so<br />
they salt the roads. - OURTOWN<br />
We make it though the winters fine, it’s our busiest<br />
season. - RANDY<br />
I try to prepay ahead many of the utility bills that I<br />
know will be higher through the winter. Cold winters<br />
were I am and it is my slowest season. I work twice as<br />
hard in the winter for half the business. - SOAPY<br />
I save money in the spring and fall when the car<br />
washes are busy and dip into it as needed in the<br />
winter. - TRISHALE<br />
That’s what I’m going to do this year for sure. -<br />
ROOSTER’S CAR WASH<br />
Winter is my busiest time - SPARKEY<br />
Here in the south Summer is the slowest time of<br />
the year. Spring is the busiest. - GREG PECK<br />
Our winters are our busiest time of the year. Unfortunately<br />
the Wisconsin winter was pretty poor this<br />
year with more rain than snow, so it was definitely<br />
slower this year. Very little salt put on the roads…<br />
- CAR WASH MAN<br />
Summer is pretty busy for me at night. My washes<br />
are very well lit. Ladies love it. Lots of cameras too.<br />
- ROOSTER’S CAR WASH<br />
32 • SPRING 2024<br />
SPRING 2024 • 33
You shall not pass!<br />
Do y’all have clearance signs on your<br />
self serve bays? Personally, I have never<br />
seen a clearance sign on a self serve<br />
bay. Today I had a customer give the<br />
A/C unit on their motorhome a haircut<br />
and it has me considering adding them.<br />
My main hesitation for not adding<br />
them to the self serve bays is that the<br />
entrances to the bays is on an arch<br />
which lowers the clearance height at<br />
the corners 2ft lower than what the top<br />
of the arch can accommodate (I did not<br />
design/build this wash). The “Exit” side<br />
of the bays is not arched, and has more<br />
clearance than the entrance. I am more<br />
than happy to accommodate tall vehicles<br />
through the “Exit” and worry a low<br />
clearance sign on the arched entrances<br />
will cause them to leave. - RSMITH<br />
If you’re going to put a sign up, I’d use the lower<br />
side of the arch clearance number. That way if anyone<br />
sees more clearance in the middle and decides<br />
to push the posted limit, it’s not on you. If someone<br />
wants to enter and exit from the exit side, I’d<br />
let them figure out how that works but would not<br />
advertise it. - WASHNSHINE<br />
I just added these clearance bars recently. Lots of<br />
boom trucks and backhoes with drivers who don’t<br />
have a clue. Hopefully these bars will get their attention.<br />
I’d rather not have customers who are cutting it<br />
real close on the clearance.<br />
More likely to do other damage like hang a hose or<br />
damage a boom. - ALLEN<br />
Adding a sign is to protect you, the car wash owner.<br />
Add all the signs you like; they still ignore them and<br />
smash your building.<br />
I had a ‘too-tall’ van hit my entry guidepost for<br />
my IBA recently. He was about 4” over height. The<br />
guidepost is on cables, so no damage to his van. However,<br />
my IBA has an entry arch made of heavy steel<br />
angle iron. It is designed to stop overheight vehicles<br />
from entering and damaging my equipment.<br />
The van in question was ready to pay and enter, but<br />
I stopped them. - WAXMAN<br />
I have clearance signs, few drivers know their height.<br />
Last summer a Touron damaged their camper ($12600)<br />
and my bay door ($2800). Can’t fix stupid! - MUDMONEY<br />
It is amazing how many people drive oversize<br />
(height) trucks and have no clue that they cannot<br />
fit into an IBA. Guy in a F250 with tall side bed<br />
railings drove thru the swinging height warning and<br />
into the metal bar. It stopped him after he bent the<br />
legs. He then backed up moving the bar again and<br />
left as he looked at me coming to see what was happening.<br />
Cameras saved me as did the police who<br />
frequent my place.<br />
Contacted him in less than an hour and he immediately<br />
said he would cover the repair cost for the<br />
new bar. Was a big surprise at how fast we tracked<br />
him down. Would have been less upset if he came<br />
clean initially instead of racing away from me. Takes<br />
all types. Just glad we had the bar as a new Profile<br />
would have been costly. - ROZ<br />
34 • SPRING 2024<br />
SPRING 2024 • 35
Um…may I help you?<br />
I thought I would share a funny story from my car wash today.<br />
It was a busy day at my wash(5 SS, 1 IBA) and I noticed on the<br />
cameras a Dodge Ram with a large tank in the bed pull in front<br />
and block 2 cars in our vacuum bays. I did a few things around<br />
the equipment room and looked back at the camera monitor<br />
and the guy is using a high pressure foam cannon from his truck<br />
and spraying down both cars in our vacuum bays!<br />
I walked out and stood there watching until the detailer goes<br />
“Hi, how’s it going?” I politely replied “Hi, I’m the owner and I<br />
wanted to see what you guys had going on over here?”<br />
He fumbled his words and said they were using the vacuums<br />
which they were clearly not. His two “customers” were very<br />
nice and I explained there is no drainage in our vacuums<br />
bays and they needed to move out to the front parking spots.<br />
There were a lot of customers around so I tried to be as nice as<br />
possible. They moved, parked, and I proceeded to dry off the<br />
vacuums and swept all of the water and soap out of our vacuum<br />
bays as new customers pulled in.<br />
I told my employee and he laughed and said, “That’s like<br />
bringing your own steak to a restaurant and ordering a water!”<br />
Has anyone experienced anything like this? - GP85<br />
self serve<br />
& support equipment<br />
SINGLE VACUUM<br />
• Stainless Steel arches that are<br />
designed for the single SS vacuums<br />
• Fixed SS Boom to provide the hose<br />
near the drivers door of the vehicle<br />
• Vacuum boom can be ordered<br />
to allow the hose to swing<br />
over the vehicle<br />
• Post is 3” x 6” x 8’ tall for the<br />
fixed vac arch<br />
That’s the exact analogy I use when I explain to<br />
bucket washers that bring their own soap/wax and<br />
wash mitts. - AXXLROD<br />
1. I typically walk up with my hand out and say if<br />
you want to set up shop here the rent is payable in<br />
advance. . $2000/month please.<br />
2. Back in my full-serve gas days, a customer asked<br />
my dad to check his oil. My dad told him the car<br />
was a quart low. Customer goes to his trunk, pulls<br />
out a quart and asks my dad to put it in. My dad<br />
says “We only put in products purchased here.”<br />
Customer says, “But I bought Gas Here.” My dad<br />
says, “Would you go to the diner and buy a cup of<br />
coffee and hand the cook 2 eggs and ask that they<br />
be cooked for you?” Customer says “You sell eggs<br />
here?” You’re way too nice. - HEYVERN<br />
Thought about being an a%%(*&# but I’m lucky<br />
enough to be in a nice demographic. Busy Sunday<br />
with a lot of customers around. I guess he’s been<br />
spotted washing cars in random places in town. - GP85<br />
Da nerve of some people! On occasion I have to<br />
run off a detailer trying to set up shop at one of my<br />
locations. One time there was a guy that insisted<br />
he was spending money on water in my bay so I<br />
couldn’t stop him. I had to threaten to call the law<br />
and have him physically removed.<br />
There are some sneaky detailers that have the<br />
customer drop off and pick up the vehicle at his<br />
house. They bring it to my self serve and tie up the<br />
bay using only water to make a bucket of soapy<br />
water, then a rinse. Some are so tight they bring a<br />
bucket of soapy water with a lid on it and pay only<br />
to rinse! I usually catch on to them when I start<br />
seeing them too often in different vehicles. Coincidentally,<br />
yesterday, I found business cards from one<br />
such detailer on the coin boxes in my bays.<br />
Some years back a guy would come to one of<br />
my locations that is next to a neighborhood store.<br />
He would park his truck in one bay and have the<br />
customer park in another. He would walk over to<br />
the store, steal a bucket of water to make his soap.<br />
He would wash and only spend some quarters to<br />
rinse. Sometimes he wouldn’t be finished with one<br />
customer and he would have the second customer<br />
wait in another bay, tying up three bays. I finally<br />
figured out what he was doing by reviewing camera<br />
footage. I caught him red-handed and ran him off.<br />
He had the nerve to hang out at the store and tell<br />
people how he quit using my carwash because I had<br />
“too many rules”.<br />
Had one guy that would have the customers<br />
come at a scheduled time and was making them<br />
think that MY carwash was HIS. He would pull in<br />
with his truck like he owned the place, blocking<br />
the vacuums or blocking the entrance to a couple<br />
of bays, etc. I ran him off, only to catch him again<br />
a day or two later. He wanted to argue that he was<br />
spending money and would help me keep the place<br />
clean. I told him no thanks, go buy your own carwash<br />
to do business at.<br />
There isn’t enough space here for me to type out all<br />
of the times this has happened in the ~23 years I’ve<br />
had these self serve carwashes. - OLFOT<br />
Hey, brother, can you spare me a loan?<br />
I have two washes and need funding. I have an LLC but can’t get approved for a personal business loan. Where can I get a<br />
loan? My DBA is almost 1 year old and my LLC is only a couple months old. Most banks want you to wait 2 years. Need money<br />
now for renovations/remodeling/repairs. Also, where did y’all get your money from in the beginning? - ROOSTER’S CAR WASH<br />
Do you have any other real property assets you can<br />
use as collateral?<br />
Personally, I owned rental real estate free and<br />
clear. I refinanced 4 properties to take cash out to<br />
buy more during the Great Recession. The last opportunity<br />
I found was a foreclosed car wash and I<br />
bought it. Values went up in time and had instant<br />
equity since I bought near the bottom of the real<br />
estate market. So I use my other assets as collateral<br />
to finance any deal that comes my way. Additionally,<br />
I have a great relationship with a local bank<br />
that understands car washes and my business plan.<br />
I have a track record with them. Getting started is<br />
always the hardest but once you do it seems to get<br />
easier. - RFREEMAN<br />
This is awesome. All I have is my house. Thought<br />
about doing a HELOC. I’m going to start to work<br />
more with my bank. Thank you! - ROOSTER’S CAR WASH<br />
I know a local car wash owner that used his house<br />
to get his first one.....8 car washes later he has done<br />
really well for himself and his family. Needless to<br />
say he has a nicer and bigger house now..... Another<br />
one I know maxed out 10+ credit cards to get<br />
enough money out to buy his first one. Worked his<br />
full time job and car washed part time. As he put<br />
it....family ate beans and rice for a few years but<br />
paid the wash off and now he has 5 of them and<br />
is doing well for himself and his family. He quit<br />
his full time job and just runs the washes. Have a<br />
sound plan and know how much you need to borrow...<br />
bankers don’t like when you come in and ask<br />
for a loan but don’t know how much you want....<br />
remember their bidding on your business just as<br />
much as you are for them. - FREEMAN<br />
I owned my land outright and used that as collateral.<br />
I also got bank financing and an sba 504; 60/40<br />
split. Still I was on a shoestring for ten years or so;<br />
I borrowed more $ to build my detail shop then<br />
more again 3 years ago when I remodeled my iba.<br />
I also financed an 8 plex apt bldg and a 5 plex<br />
with a beauty salon. I am heavily leveraged still and<br />
I love every bit. I always make extra principal payments,<br />
still. - WAXMAN<br />
Used for 2-6<br />
self serve Bays<br />
• High and low pressure gauge<br />
• Pre-wired and pre-plumbed<br />
• Low voltage electric panels<br />
• Single V-belt & pulley<br />
• Stainless steel belt guards<br />
• Easy access to chemicals<br />
• System lettering and<br />
graphic decaling<br />
• ETL/UL/CE APPROVED<br />
SUPER SAVER<br />
Available for 7-12 bays<br />
Features<br />
• Low pressure tire cleaner, medium<br />
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high pressure wax<br />
• All stainless steel construction<br />
• Totally self-contained<br />
• Removable pump assembly<br />
• Model CAT 5CP2120<br />
Pump, 4.0 GPM/1000 PSI<br />
• Brass regulators<br />
• Automatic chemical mixing tank<br />
• Fused terminal blocks<br />
• 3 HP 3 PH motor<br />
The Power Pack<br />
self-service car<br />
wash system<br />
is designed for the space<br />
conscious. The modular<br />
stainless steel framework<br />
is about 25% shorter but<br />
still includes most of the<br />
same features as the<br />
Super Saver 2500.<br />
Optional<br />
Features<br />
• Bug remover<br />
•Triple foam<br />
brush<br />
• Triple shine<br />
• Spot-free<br />
rinse (low or<br />
medium<br />
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• Marine<br />
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UNDER $11,000.00<br />
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CARWASH IN A BOX<br />
• Marinas<br />
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• Beaches<br />
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• Apartments<br />
• Car Rental<br />
• Auto Dealerships<br />
• Car washes<br />
• Laundromats<br />
and More!<br />
International models available.<br />
94000 Series Vacuum<br />
The 94000 Series Vacuums are constructed of high<br />
quality, stainless steel and provide high performance.<br />
SCAN<br />
Here<br />
36 • SPRING 2024<br />
SPRING 2024 • 37
How to make<br />
a splash<br />
What is everyone doing for marketing for your washes? We are looking to spend<br />
some $ on marketing this year for both SS and IBA. What have you found to be<br />
most effective? We currently have nothing in place, just our Google business page,<br />
so blank slate. Any good car wash specific marketing company? Thanks - KENO<br />
I only advertise at dual IB higher volume sites, I<br />
have one in a 5k population town so really no need<br />
as it’s just myself and a competing wash a mile or<br />
so away. I’m frequently there so locals know if there<br />
are any issues I’m easy to get a hold of. At the busy<br />
site, I advertise by sponsoring the the high school<br />
football, basketball, and softball games etc… The<br />
local radio station will talk about my car wash at<br />
festivals, parades etc.. Knock on wood, my tunnel<br />
opened 2 weeks ago and is 2 miles away on the road<br />
behind me. So far I haven’t felt any pressure. It’s a<br />
very pro “support local” town so I’m praying it stays<br />
this way. - TRAVELER17<br />
Best advertising for the buck is location, location,<br />
location. 2nd best is a high and large poll sign. 3rd is<br />
a free car wash promotion day. Also, have your car<br />
wash attended as much as possible. - MUDMONEY<br />
Check on 1 and 2. 3 we haven’t ever tried. May try<br />
it. We are only attended about 1 hour a day at all<br />
our locations… hard to justify payroll to keep an<br />
attendant all day. - KENO<br />
I have heard Mel and Mike Ohlinger (Ohmco) offer<br />
some cool options…<br />
Some suggestions:<br />
• Frequent post on your FB page to grow your<br />
followers (3xper week)<br />
• Once you have 30 days of 3x per week posts,<br />
run local FB ads to gain followers<br />
• If you have a <strong>web</strong>site with offers (online purchase<br />
options), run local FB ads to those links<br />
• Run events at the wash to draw in local folks<br />
and post (per above) the pics and comments from<br />
the event<br />
• Run a Promo to get new customers in (using<br />
the above options). Be sure you have a way to capture<br />
customer contact info so you can market to<br />
them later. - JLANMAN<br />
Definitely give away as many free washes as possible<br />
to charities, fundraisers, school sports teams etc.<br />
We often give gift cards to silent auctions or giveaways<br />
in our community, because every new face is<br />
a new possible customer.<br />
When it comes to fundraising for schools and<br />
sports teams, we sell gift cards worth $20 to the<br />
students for $10, and allow them to go and resell<br />
them to parents and the community for the whole<br />
$20 price. This allows them to make $10 per gift<br />
card sold, covers our water, power, and chemical, and<br />
again gets new faces to come through our wash.<br />
We also pay one of our employees an extra 2-3<br />
hours per week to post on Facebook and Instagram,<br />
and to engage with other local businesses on social<br />
media. I follow all of our pages to make sure that<br />
the posts are consistent and appropriate, and to comment<br />
on the posts that they put together to boost<br />
engagement. (The more comments and likes, the<br />
more people get shown the post.) - 8TH STREET CAR WASH<br />
Less than 2 years ago we launched our 2 self service<br />
dog washes…We work with local schools and<br />
charities to expose and promote…Stickers go everywhere….!<br />
- SJB<br />
SPEND MARKETING $$ ON CHEMICAL!<br />
Get your wash to perform at its best!!!!!<br />
SPEND TIME AT WASH TALKING TO CUS-<br />
TOMERS!!! Word-of-mouth and really clean and<br />
shiny cars are worth more than any fb, social media,<br />
advertising $ you can spend. In the ss bays you<br />
are selling time and water. Plaster their car with<br />
soap - make them say wow! - SHINEPRO<br />
We want your stories!<br />
DO YOU HAVE<br />
A FUNNY STORY<br />
FROM THE BAY?<br />
MAYBE AN<br />
INSPIRING TALE<br />
FROM THE WASH?<br />
TRY SOMETHING NEW<br />
THAT WORKED WELL?<br />
Reach out to Editor Debra Gorgos<br />
debgorgos@gmail.com to share<br />
your story with our readers.<br />
“You won’t believe what this<br />
Darwin did at my wash…”<br />
“The best decision I ever made<br />
for my business was…”<br />
“On rainy days, I like to…”<br />
Some<br />
conversation<br />
starters:<br />
“We were struggling with low<br />
volumes when we decided to…”<br />
“The funniest thing a customer<br />
ever did at my wash…”<br />
38 • SPRING 2024<br />
SPRING 2024 • 39
A LEADING MANUFACTURER OF CONTROLS,<br />
INCLUDING DIGITAL TIMERS FOR THE CAR WASH INDUSTRY.<br />
CONTACT YOUR<br />
DISTRIBUTOR<br />
TODAY!<br />
the silence of the<br />
cams<br />
Security Matters<br />
The Top 10 Mistakes Owners Make When it<br />
Comes to Security<br />
by Jennifer Spears<br />
When adding any type of security to your site,<br />
it pays to do a little research and make sure you<br />
have thought about what your goals are, current<br />
and down the road, and how best to accomplish<br />
them. The last thing anyone wants is to add security<br />
equipment, only to realize later that it lacks<br />
features you need or even worse — is not reliable.<br />
Any type of security to be used at a car wash<br />
needs to be of a higher quality than what is usually<br />
found at the big box stores that shall not be<br />
named. It doesn’t matter whether the security is in<br />
the form of locks, alarms, access control or security<br />
cameras, consumer-grade equipment is not going<br />
to provide the level of security or the durability of<br />
industrial-grade equipment that’s been tested for<br />
years in real functioning car washes.<br />
For example, if you are adding doors or locks of<br />
any kind, they need to have over-sized, hardened<br />
shackles that will be a hindrance to cutting or sawing<br />
or torching. They also need to be a commercial<br />
design that will be more resistant to picking than<br />
a residential or normal duty lock commonly found<br />
at any hardware store.<br />
The same can be said for alarm systems. An inexpensive<br />
residential system may rely only on a<br />
phone/ethernet line for alarm notification with no<br />
backup method for transmitting an alarm. Thieves<br />
know that these types of alarms are easily defeated<br />
by cutting your line outside the building. That’s<br />
the worst. Paying money for some system that’s<br />
supposed to bring you safety and peace of mind<br />
but instead one tiny pair of wire cutters can render<br />
some systems useless in less than a second.<br />
WWW.DIXMOR.COM<br />
1-888-234-9667 FOR A DISTRIBUTOR IN YOUR AREA.<br />
40 • SPRING 2024<br />
SPRING 2024 • 41
Security camera systems are another<br />
area where consumer-grade cameras<br />
and recorders can be a total waste of<br />
money. Buying a system made overseas<br />
virtually guarantees that it is going to<br />
be of residential quality or less. Foreign<br />
brands also make repairs and warranties<br />
useless. “Oh, you wanted tech support<br />
with that system? Sorry. Not offered.”<br />
The fact is, you will need the best<br />
value for your money when considering<br />
any type of security equipment. That<br />
doesn’t mean that you have to buy the<br />
most expensive equipment available<br />
across the board. It rarely means that.<br />
But it pays to research the specs and<br />
features you want, and to make sure<br />
that the brand is proven in your industry.<br />
No overseas back doors. Also, make<br />
sure that any service provider or installer<br />
is licensed and has a reputation for<br />
standing behind their service or installation<br />
without a struggle. Unfortunately<br />
in all things…you get what you pay for<br />
when it comes to security equipment.<br />
So, to make sure that you make the<br />
right decisions when it comes to adding<br />
security to your site, here is a list of the<br />
Top 10 Mistakes Owners and Operators<br />
commonly make when choosing security<br />
equipment or providers:<br />
10.<br />
Not Realizing that<br />
Thieves know about Keys<br />
Buying locks at your nearest hardware store, then<br />
finding out later there are only 5-10 different keysets<br />
(or less) for that brand of lock. This is very common,<br />
and it can be a challenge to find a quality lock that<br />
has unique keys. Thieves know this, and have been<br />
known to buy an assortment of locks that gives them<br />
access to businesses all over town.<br />
9.<br />
Only Having an Alarm<br />
Buying an alarm system that sounds a siren and/or<br />
light, but does not contact anyone when triggered.<br />
These days people are accustomed to alarms going<br />
off all the time and even the closest neighbors will<br />
usually ignore them. Make sure your alarm system<br />
is professionally monitored, or at the very least,<br />
will call or text your cell phone, your manager and<br />
possibly others if an alarm is tripped.<br />
Way to go, Maine and Idaho!<br />
New Mexico<br />
recorded<br />
the nation’s<br />
highest violent<br />
crime rate<br />
Washington<br />
had the<br />
highest<br />
property<br />
crime rate<br />
This is according to FBI statistical data shared with USAFacts.org.<br />
Maine<br />
had the<br />
lowest<br />
violent<br />
crime rate<br />
AS OF<br />
2022:<br />
Idaho<br />
held the<br />
lowest<br />
property<br />
crime rate<br />
8.<br />
Going Wireless<br />
Buying a residential-grade<br />
wireless alarm system or wireless<br />
security camera system.<br />
Thieves can buy a jammer<br />
that will defeat most wireless<br />
systems easily, even wireless<br />
video cameras. These inexpensive<br />
systems are no larger than<br />
a pack of cigarettes and can<br />
effectively render many wireless<br />
alarm and video systems<br />
useless in seconds with a broad<br />
spectrum of Electro Magnetic<br />
Interference (EMI). These devices<br />
block encrypted signals<br />
as well. There is no residential<br />
system in the world that can<br />
survive in a car wash.<br />
Business owners in California<br />
take a stand with the city<br />
A group of business owner in Oakland,<br />
California, are refusing to pay taxes until they get<br />
help from the city in regards to all of the crime.<br />
According to a March 8, 2024, NBC Bay<br />
Area Fed story, “Organizers are asking more<br />
small business owners to join them and force<br />
the city to provide more police patrols and protection.”<br />
In the past two years, La Perla Puerto Rican<br />
Cuisine, has been robbed twice at gunpoint.<br />
Owner Jose Ortiz said he police patrols are<br />
scarce, despite pleas for help. “We’re proposing<br />
not to pay taxes to the city until you give me the<br />
services that we deserve,” Ortiz to NBC.<br />
“We’re not the only ones,” Ortiz said in the<br />
story. “We’re all in the same boat all across the<br />
city of Oakland. The city needs to immediately,<br />
effectively do something about it.”<br />
City Councilman Noel Gallo said he empathizes<br />
with the business owners. “Why do we<br />
keep just elevating taxes, but we’re not providing<br />
the services for safety?”<br />
The movement, called Citizens Unite, is<br />
being led by Edward Escobar, who said in the<br />
story that even large businesses are having difficulty<br />
covering their tax bills in the current environment,<br />
and the issue is far more severe for<br />
small operators like Ortiz.<br />
The movement seems to be gaining traction.<br />
According to the story, a spokesman for<br />
Mayor Sheng Thao’s office said progress is<br />
being made, thanks to the fact that Oakland<br />
has filled all but one of its vacant police officer<br />
positions… adding that a group of businesses<br />
withholding taxes would be counterproductive.<br />
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SPRING 2024 • 43
7.<br />
Only Installing<br />
One System<br />
Only installing an alarm system or video<br />
system – not both. These days many police<br />
departments will not respond to any type of<br />
alarm except a panic alarm unless there is<br />
video verification of an event. If only installing<br />
a video system, make sure it at least has alarm<br />
functionality so anything that triggers the<br />
system can send immediate notification of a<br />
break-in or vandalism.<br />
5.<br />
Not Being Specific<br />
When installing a security camera system, you<br />
expect a camera to see EVERYTHING. This is<br />
not feasible on anything but the cameras you see<br />
in your dreams and cinema movies. A wide-angle<br />
camera gives you just that. A wide-angle view of<br />
a large area. You cannot get facial recognition off<br />
of this or license plates. Cameras are built for very<br />
specific reasons, so you need to know what you<br />
expect from your cameras, and what their specific<br />
purpose is, before you get a quote on a system.<br />
specifically.<br />
3.<br />
Settling for a<br />
Brief Warranty<br />
Putting in an alarm system or security camera<br />
system that does not come with a long warranty<br />
period and ongoing technical support. What do<br />
you do when things go wrong? Who provides<br />
repair services? How do you pull footage of an<br />
event to give to the police? These are just some<br />
of the questions you will need answers to before<br />
choosing a manufacturer or service provider.<br />
44 • SPRING 2024<br />
6.<br />
Believing that<br />
“One Size Fits All”<br />
Buying a “pre-packaged” alarm or video system that<br />
is not specifically designed for your facility. There is<br />
no “one size fits all” system. Each location is unique,<br />
and different environments could require highly<br />
specialized sensors or cameras for durability and/or<br />
functionality. Going down to your nearest supercenter<br />
and purchasing a 4 sensor alarm system or a<br />
4 camera video system for a car wash is NOT going<br />
to get you what you need or want. Don’t waste your<br />
money. Get what you need the first time.<br />
4.<br />
Forgetting that<br />
Water Ruins Cameras<br />
Buying an off-the-shelf all-purpose security<br />
camera to be mounted in your tunnel or bays.<br />
Security cameras that are not completely sealed<br />
to keep water and moisture out ,will not last long<br />
in wet areas. Buy a camera that has been designed<br />
to work in high volume wet areas or car washes.<br />
2.<br />
Misplacing the Focus<br />
Not monitoring entry doors or cash points.<br />
Alarming doors and watching them with cameras<br />
will alert you to break-ins and provide video<br />
evidence of who, what and when bad stuff happened<br />
at your facility. Also, alarming your change<br />
machines, autocashiers and other unattended<br />
machines can alert authorities that you are being<br />
burglarized. Many times, these types of alarms<br />
catch thieves in the act. Security cameras can<br />
then convict them with the proof that is needed<br />
that they were in the process of breaking in or<br />
vandalizing your expensive equipment.<br />
Good<br />
news<br />
(sort of)...<br />
More than 70% percent<br />
of violent crimes in 2022<br />
were aggravated assaults<br />
followed by robbery (17.4%),<br />
rape (10.5%), and homicide<br />
(1.7%). But, here’s the good<br />
news, overall, the violent<br />
crime rate fell 1.6% between<br />
2021 and 2022, primarily<br />
because of lower rates of<br />
aggravated assault (the<br />
majority of violent crime<br />
since 1982), according to<br />
FBI statistical data shared<br />
with USAFacts.org.<br />
1.<br />
Thinking it<br />
Won’t Happen to You<br />
Waiting til it’s too late and you’ve already been<br />
burglarized is unfortunately what a lot of people<br />
do. On average it takes three times of getting<br />
broken into before most people are convinced<br />
it’s worth the money and time to get a system.<br />
“It won’t happen to me.” “We have a business in a<br />
low crime area.” “It’s already happened to me so<br />
I’m sure it won’t happen again.” We’ve heard it<br />
all. A burglary occurs every 26 seconds, with an<br />
average loss of $2800. That bears repeating. Every<br />
26 seconds.<br />
The article’s contributor is Jennifer Spears, carwash owner and sales manager with CarWashCameras.com. With more than 24 years of experience working with car washes<br />
and more than 10000 camera systems under her belt she’s seen it all. Her favorite phrases when it comes to cameras at any type of vehicle facility? “There are never enough<br />
cameras!” & “You need another hard drive with that?” Her staff welcomes comments and questions and can be reached at 866-301-2288 and sales@carwashcameras.com.<br />
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SPRING 2024 • 45
DARWIN at<br />
the<br />
CARWASH<br />
The investment in security cameras pays off for carwash operators<br />
(and the readers of <strong>SSCWN</strong>) with these mostly frustrating, sometimes funny -- and always cautionary<br />
-- stories of Darwins Caught on Camera. Images of these criminals and/or their vehicles were given<br />
to police and the press. Many have been caught thanks to the prowess of security cameras.<br />
Now this is a hole<br />
to be proud of!<br />
You sir, are no Andy Dufrense!<br />
Police in Euroa, Victoria, Australia, are<br />
looking for a man who dug a hole with his<br />
hands to break into the Hot Bubble Car<br />
Wash back in February. According to The Euroa<br />
Gazette, CCTV footage captured a male<br />
outside of the car was between 2 a.m. and<br />
4 a.m. on February 28. He apparently broke<br />
into a shed next to the car wash and dug a<br />
hole with his hands. He then stole keys, and a<br />
security camera. The keys were then used to<br />
open the facility’s coin boxes.<br />
A forensic team inspected the crime<br />
scene, including fingerprints allegedly left by<br />
the suspect. The investigation is still ongoing.<br />
46 • SPRING 2024<br />
A man looking like a mix<br />
between Kenny Powers of<br />
Eastbound and Down, and<br />
comedien Paul Rodriguez, was<br />
kind enough to leave behind DNA, after<br />
setting fire to a car wash in Miami, Florida.<br />
Around 12:30 a.m. on March 2 at the<br />
Tunnel of Luv car wash, a man is seen<br />
on camera urinating inside of the tunnel<br />
bay, and then lighting fire to part of the<br />
equipment.<br />
According to a March 15 Local 10 report,<br />
police said he had just gotten off the<br />
Marathon Bus and walked over to the car<br />
wash, which was closed at the time.<br />
The fire caused major fire and smoke<br />
damage, a news release stated. Authorities<br />
have estimated the damages to the business<br />
to be approximately $60,000.<br />
In Fernley, Nevada, we have a brazen<br />
duo who stole from a car wash<br />
between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., allowing for<br />
plenty of light to help capture their car on video.<br />
According to News 4 & Fox 11, on March 29 the<br />
burglary took place at the Fernley Touchless Car<br />
Wash, and it involved a man and a woman. One<br />
of the two broke into multiple machines and took<br />
an unknown amount of change. They were driving<br />
a Red Buick Verano that was bearing the Nevada<br />
handicap registration of PHF8474.<br />
I took the liberty of trying to figure out the logo<br />
on the suspect’s shirt and found out it is for a company<br />
called “Cookies,” and it is the leading lifestyle<br />
and cannabis brand in North America. Does this<br />
help the case? No, but it, for one minute, allowed<br />
me to feel like a real gumshoe….<br />
SPRING 2024 • 47
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You know you have serious bragging<br />
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few scratches!<br />
The incident took place back in February<br />
2022, at a car wash in Canberra, Australia, when<br />
a man by the name of Aaron Campbell was<br />
caught on CCTV footage attacking a man with a<br />
machete and breaking his window.<br />
First a machete and now a rock?! What is this, The Flintstones?<br />
In Tiverton, Rhode Island, a rock-wielding man<br />
knocked out gas pumps at the American Dream<br />
gas station and car wash, according to an April 15<br />
WJAR story.<br />
Surveillance video captured the entire incident.<br />
A man, wearing a blue crewneck and black beanie,<br />
used a rock to destroy each screen at the pumps,<br />
the story said.<br />
“He started at 12:34 a.m. He made sure all the<br />
pumps were fully out of service. When he was done,<br />
he went back right where the camera and he was<br />
trying to hit it with the same rock. It looked like a<br />
brick or rock that he was trying to hit it with,” business<br />
owner Hamden Ahmad told WJAR.<br />
“Clearly, the person’s intention was to put the<br />
gas station out of business,” Ahmad added.<br />
According to the surveillance footage, the vandal<br />
didn’t target any other parts of the business, and<br />
the car wash and convenience store were left untouched.<br />
Police were able to locate and arrest the culprit.<br />
According to Ahmad, replacing one pump is expected<br />
to cost around $100,000, which was likely<br />
going to be covered by insurance.<br />
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In Greeley, Colorado, at about 11:30 p.m. February 13, Greeley police<br />
responded to a report of a robbery at a gas station/car wash.<br />
According to an April 11 ABC NEWS story,<br />
CCTV cameras caught the whole incident on<br />
tape. The victim, despite being attacked with a<br />
machete, only suffered a laceration on his scalp<br />
and finger.<br />
The victim said he knew the attacker as “Doggie<br />
from Queanbeyan.” That knowledge, along<br />
with the footage, as well as a face mask left behind<br />
containing DNA, lead to an arrest.<br />
A recent court hearing (two years later)<br />
found Campbell guilty of even more offenses<br />
and he was sentenced to more than 10 years in<br />
jail. However, he will be eligible for parole in August<br />
this year… seems a little soon for me! In<br />
fact, Campbell apparently questioned, “Why am<br />
I getting out so early?” after his sentencing. You<br />
cannot make this stuff up.<br />
Do you think the police of Eureka,<br />
Missouri, shout “Eureka!!!” every time<br />
something has been found or solved, or do you<br />
think they are so over it they have put a ban on<br />
the expression? Sort of like the people of Endwell,<br />
New York. Do they really like it when people say,<br />
“All’s well that endswell…” on purpose? Don’t even<br />
get me started on Boring, Oregon. Moving on… unfortunately,<br />
police didn’t get to shout “eureka” or<br />
any similar words because they haven’t caught the<br />
The caller, who is part owner<br />
of the business, said he was<br />
stabbed with a screwdriver after<br />
he tried to stop two men from<br />
breaking into a coin machine<br />
inside one of the car wash bays.<br />
According to the Greeley<br />
Tribune, the owner told police<br />
he heard a loud “bang” coming<br />
from the car wash while he was<br />
closing the store, and decided<br />
to see what it was. (Doesn’t every<br />
horror movie indicate that<br />
you should never go ‘and see<br />
what that noise is?)<br />
The victim said he saw one man power-washing<br />
a truck, and the other was trying to force entry into<br />
the coin machine with a hammer and screwdriver.<br />
They apparently saw the victim approaching<br />
and they both jumped into the truck and tried<br />
to drive away. That’s when the store owner went<br />
culprit yet, but they are getting close.<br />
Back in late February, a 37-year-old man was<br />
caught on camera using a cordless grinder to break<br />
into two meter boxes at the Beacon Car & Pet Wash<br />
in Eureka, Missouri, according to the My Leader Paper.<br />
The suspect stole about $100, however the cost<br />
to replace the two meter boxes is $16,697.05, the<br />
story said.<br />
According to the story, police were called at about<br />
9:25 a.m. on February 28 to the business when the<br />
up to the front of the passenger<br />
window and knocked on<br />
it. That’s when one of the men<br />
rolled down the window and<br />
stabbed him with a tool.<br />
Then the truck backed up<br />
into the vacuum station and<br />
crashed into a cement pillar,<br />
knocking the pillar down and<br />
making the truck un-driveable.<br />
The two men then fled on foot.<br />
Police were able to identify<br />
one of the suspects after viewing<br />
surveillance footage and<br />
that led to the arrest. Police are still looking for<br />
the second man. The man who was arrested denied<br />
driving the truck, but police said, “Nice try,<br />
bucaroo, we have you on tape!” No, they didn’t<br />
actually say that, but they did tell him that the<br />
surveillance footage proved otherwise.<br />
damaged boxes were discovered. Surveillance video<br />
apparently showed the man breaking into the boxes<br />
at about 3:15 a.m. that day, according to the report.<br />
The man was seen leaving in a white 2002 GMC<br />
pickup. That’s a pretty good clue…Eureka! (Sorry,<br />
I couldn’t resist). The car wash’s owner told investigators<br />
he saw a similar pickup via his surveillance<br />
footage at his other Beacon Car Wash in House<br />
Springs, where meter boxes also were damaged and<br />
money was stolen, the report said.<br />
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48 • SPRING 2024<br />
SPRING 2024 • 49
Who here has ever memorized<br />
a social security number<br />
other than your own?<br />
Not me. But a guy in Chillicothe, Ohio, had<br />
the wherewithal to give out a social security<br />
number belonging to a relative when he was<br />
questioned by police. Back on April 8, police<br />
were dispatched to the Crystal Klean Car Wash<br />
after the owner noticed suspicious activity on<br />
his surveillance cameras, according to a story<br />
from The Scioto Post.<br />
“Upon arrival, Officer Joshua Wright made<br />
contact with the business owner, who reported<br />
observing a male subject on security cameras<br />
tampering with doors and coin machines. Officer<br />
Wright then encountered a white male subject<br />
exiting a silver Pontiac. The subject claimed<br />
to have no form of identification and provided a<br />
social security number belonging to a ‘Clarence<br />
Tabor.’ However, further investigation revealed<br />
discrepancies, as the subject’s tattoos did not<br />
match the description of ‘Clarence.’”<br />
He was then taken to jail. Upon further investigation<br />
it was revealed that the subject’s true<br />
identity was Dwayne Tabor, who had an active<br />
felony warrant. Does Clarence know this? If not,<br />
or even if he does, it could make for one awkward<br />
family dinner.<br />
And, now we introduce the “ewwwwwww<br />
gross!” story of the month.<br />
A 20-year-old man was arrested on a charge<br />
of indecent assault after grabbing a woman<br />
at a car wash in Denton, Texas, a Denton Record-Chronicle<br />
reported. On April 11 at about<br />
10:41 a.m., Denton police were dispatched to a<br />
sexual assault report at a car wash.<br />
While on the way, the officer said he might<br />
know the culprit due to an incident, similar in<br />
nature, that took place on March 26.<br />
The story stated that the victim was cleaning<br />
out her car when someone came up behind her<br />
and touched her inappropriately. She said she<br />
first thought it was her husband messing with her.<br />
Hopefully that husband knows not to ever do that!<br />
However, when she turned around, she said<br />
the man was doing “weird things with his tongue<br />
and his... “you get the idea.<br />
Surveillance footage showed the man walking<br />
up behind and startline the woman. Officers<br />
were able to track down a witness who gave a<br />
similar story.<br />
Officers searched the area and tracked down<br />
the alleged offender. He was arrested and charged<br />
with indecent assault.<br />
The March 26 incident involving the same<br />
suspect at another location was also caught on<br />
surveillance cameras.<br />
“Denton County jail records indicate that<br />
Denton Police Department officers and Denton<br />
County Sheriff’s Office deputies have arrested<br />
the man 15 times since July 2021. The previous<br />
charges do not include assaultive offenses and are<br />
mostly for criminal trespass,” the story said.<br />
50 • SPRING 2024<br />
Two words for this next story: Inside job.<br />
Hate to say it, and if the owner is reading this I do apologize, but it doesn’t take Columbo to<br />
figure out this guy knew where the money was. What do you think? In Duarte, California, a burglar<br />
was caught on surveillance video breaking into the Route 66 Car Wash & Lube, according to a March<br />
5 abc 7 story. The burglary occurred Friday morning and footage shows the intruder shattering a<br />
glass window before entering the business. He then takes abbout $300 from the cash register and an<br />
undetermined amount was taken from a file folder. The damages totaled about $1,500, according to<br />
the car wash’s owner, Javier Ramos. How did the culprit happen to know there was money in the file<br />
folder? I certainly wouldn’t look inside of one!<br />
The business opened in December and has been struggling to make a profit, according to the<br />
story. The man being sought was wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt, a blue Dodgers baseball<br />
cap and a black face mask, the story said.<br />
This next story features a victim similar to the one that dodged a<br />
machete, but instead, this man dodged a bullet…<br />
In Monroe, Louisiana, police arrested a man<br />
for an alleged attempted manslaughter following<br />
a shooting at a car wash, according to an April 10<br />
Ouachita Citizen story. On April 4, officers were dispatched<br />
to Tommy’s Car Wash Express to respond<br />
to a shooting. “On arrival, officers learned that a victim<br />
had been struck by a bullet and crashed their<br />
vehicle, a gray GMC Yukon, into a ditch…”<br />
According to surveillance footage you can see<br />
Roderic Willis, 34, pulling into a parking spot on the<br />
east side of the car wash. Shortly after Willis parked,<br />
the victim parked behind Willis, the story said.<br />
“Willis was seen walking to the back of his vehicle<br />
as the victim got out of their vehicle and the two<br />
exchanged words. Willis and the victim walked toward<br />
the front of Willis’ vehicle, still talking, before<br />
the victim backed away and opened the driver’s side<br />
door of his vehicle,” the story said. That last sentence<br />
used the word “vehicle” way too many times.<br />
Surveillance footage then shows the victim<br />
walking back up to Willis and punching him several<br />
times. Willis fell into his vehicle through the driver’s<br />
side door while the victim continued to strike<br />
him, police said, according to the story.<br />
According to the arrest report, Willis then retrieved<br />
a firearm from his vehicle as the victim tried<br />
to close Willis’ door on him before running away<br />
and getting into his gray GMC Yukon.<br />
Willis then allegedly shot the victim, striking<br />
him approximately two to three times. Sidenote:<br />
Man! Both of these men are like the Energizer<br />
Bunnies of beatdowns. Willis then apparently kept<br />
shooting at the vehicle as the victim drove away,<br />
the story said.<br />
Surveillance footage then shows Willis walking<br />
around the car wash parking lot with the firearm<br />
still in his right hand while making a call on his<br />
phone with his left hand.<br />
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SPRING 2024 • 51
52 • SPRING 2024