By: Anthony Analetto
Originally Published in AutoLaundry Magazine
I’ve always liked the expression “if everyone seems to be thinking alike, then no one is thinking.” Whether you believe that global recovery is for real, or that we have a few more years to go – positioning your car wash business to grow over the coming year requires thought and planning. For nearly a decade, car washing has been dominated by the express-exterior wash format. Minimal labor, high volume, ease of management – what’s not to like? Being the co-owner of two such properties, both successful, built when financing was readily available, I’m the first to sing the praises of this wash format. But an express-exterior requires a distinct property that is fundamental to its success. Banks today don’t seem to favor the knock down and rebuild, ground-up construction, or expensive land requirements for these washes. From what I’ve seen, banks want to loan less, prefer multiple profit centers, and are more receptive to reinventing existing washes without major construction. And by thinking differently, today’s car wash investors are evolving the industry once again. They are following a three-step model that includes exploring potential locations in their market, evaluating each opportunity, and executing in a way that leverages today’s equipment capabilities and financing requirements to growtheir business – let’s take a look.
