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Kent A Adelson Central Car Wash | Central City, Nebraska<br />
30<br />
years<br />
Q. Name of car wash(es)<br />
and location(s)?<br />
To answer your questions, I will talk about my first<br />
wash, Central Car Wash, in Central City, Nebraska.<br />
Q. When did you start out?<br />
1989, December.<br />
Q. Why did you enter the industry?<br />
I grew up in a small town, Polk, Nebraska, with a<br />
population of 350. A block down our street a family<br />
friend built a self service car wash, consisting of<br />
2 inside bays and 1 outside bay. (Incidentally, this<br />
same wash closed its doors a couple weeks ago. It<br />
had never been updated in any way). My mother<br />
still lives a block away.<br />
This was when I was probably around 12 years old,<br />
or mid-1970s. I remember seeing cars lined up on<br />
Saturday mornings, and seeing people from nearby<br />
towns in those lines. This was a very big deal<br />
back then! Everyone, including my family, used<br />
the wash regularly!<br />
When I was in my twenties, I noticed that Central<br />
City, which was 12 miles away, with then a population<br />
of 2,600, only had one car wash, with an<br />
old brush in-bay automatic, and one self-service<br />
bay. I thought the town could use another. After<br />
some creative financials, which involved short<br />
term shareholders, I purchased a prime lot, drew<br />
up plans, and had it built! Windtrax was the company<br />
for all equipment.<br />
Q. What were things like for your self<br />
serve when you first started out (what<br />
were your prices, etc.)?<br />
We were very busy right from the start in the self<br />
service bays. I am pretty sure we priced it at 4<br />
quarters for 5 minutes. Not charging enough as I<br />
look back. We had tire cleaner, engine cleaner, presoak,<br />
soap, foam brush, rinse, wax, and spot free. It<br />
was a nice system, and I am still using the same self<br />
service pump stands today.<br />
Q. How have things<br />
changed since then?<br />
I saw a bit of a decline in use on the self service<br />
side in the early 2000s. I am happy to say that<br />
started turning back around after 5 or 6 years and<br />
has steadily grown back. I am as busy now as I<br />
have ever been at this wash. We added Rapid Dry<br />
and updated meter boxes in the bays, and added<br />
automated product vending. In 2010 we updated<br />
to Etowah Valley meter boxes and elected to<br />
charge $2 for 4 minutes.<br />
Q. What kinds of car wash/industry changes<br />
over the past 30 years have impressed<br />
you the most?<br />
I think the variety and ease of how we accept payment<br />
and our customers payment options have<br />
impressed me the most. Self service was quarters-only<br />
forever. Now we accept bills, credit cards,<br />
Apple and Samsung pay, etc.<br />
We also can personalize the wash for our customers,<br />
recognizing and tailoring wash packages to<br />
their needs. The ability to offer fleet accounts and<br />
loyalty discounts are also nice changes.<br />
Remote monitoring is great!<br />
Q. What kinds of changes have<br />
disappointed you the most?<br />
The changes that have disappointed me the most<br />
are......<br />
The industry technology and target shift to the<br />
tunnel market, while leaving little focus on the improvement<br />
of equipment for car washes in towns,<br />
suburbs or communities that fall below the population<br />
and traffic numbers required for the tunnel<br />
market.<br />
The car wash investment groups that are over<br />
building into too competitive areas.<br />
The difficulty in finding good and reliable employees.<br />
Q. What does the future hold<br />
for you and your car wash(es)?<br />
We are renovating our wash in Central City. This<br />
will include adding an additional automatic bay,<br />
new building roof, exterior and interior walls, doors,<br />
all new lighting, reconditioned meter boxes, bay<br />
equipment, and adding a new vacuum area. Also<br />
new in bay equipment we have designed and built.<br />
Q. What do you think a self serve car wash<br />
will look like in another 30 years?<br />
Debra, as you know, there are still many areas<br />
where a person can own or manage a very profitable<br />
car wash, washing a high volume of vehicles<br />
per hour, with few or no employees. This includes<br />
the self service wash. In areas like mine there will<br />
always be a need for a car wash. Gravel roads, mud,<br />
snow, ice and bugs are all a part of rural America<br />
and will be in the future.<br />
If I had to make a crazy guess about a self service<br />
wash in 30 years I would envision a customer in a<br />
bay using a wand that was applying a very small<br />
volume of water, or maybe even something other<br />
than water, to clean their vehicle.<br />
WINTER 2020 • 67
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