Summer2020_SSCWN_web

EXTRA!
EXTRA!
Presenting the news stories featuring self serve car washes
Free washes were a no-brainer, says business owner
Coach Bowles and his wife Kim own two Water
U Doing CarWashes in Idabel, Oklahoma. When
the pandemic wreaked havoc across the world and
first responders became the first lines of defense and
risked their lives to stop the spread, Bowles didn’t
think twice about giving them something in return.
“My oldest son 26, is a Marine, and my youngest is 21,
and is a fireman in Fort Worth, Texas,” Bowles, who
goes by soonermajic on carwashforum.com, told SS-
CWN. “So being able to give away free washes to first
responders, nurses and doctors was a no-brainer to
my wife and I.”
Bowles said they used their Facebook page to promote
the free carwash day which took place Monday,
April 20 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The post read:
We would like to show our appreciation with
a FREE car wash to all of our county FIRST RE-
SPONDERS and HEALTH CARE WORKERS
Must have badge or ID! If you know a first responder
or health care worker please like, share or
tag them in this post!
Bowles said, “Our county has been hit pretty
good, I figured there are about 500 of them in this
town of 7500… I [thought at the time that] about
250 or more will come. As I was contacting them
all day, I was pretty impressed with how sincerely
appreciative they all were. I am a [tough] guy, not
very touchy feely, but I just felt their appreciation
and it was pretty cool.”
The car wash owner said he went by and spoke
face-to-face with the CEOs at the main county
hospital and the Indian hospital, and also with
people at home health places, ambulance services,
police and fire departments.
“We gave away 224 washes, which is pretty
amazing for our population and [a wash with]
no tunnel. We had both our IBAs going like gangbusters!
Those folks were so appreciative, it was
just awesome to see them, talk to them, meet
them and hear their stories,” said Bowles.
When asked about a photo of the 12-hour event,
Bowles said one wasn’t taken because they were
way too busy.
ModWash looks to become nation’s largest chain
A company called ModWash, is looking to roll
out 100 express wash locations by 2023 and is looking
to become one of the nation’s largest car wash
chains. The business is backed by the Chattanooga,
Tennessee-based real estate, development and investment
firm Hutton and CEO Karen Hutton said
100 car washes are slated to open next year.
“It will be state-of-the-art equipment, the most
modern out there,” Hutton told the Chattanooga
Times Free Press.
The July 12 story stated that the first location
has already opened in Lexington, North Carolina,
while another is close to completion in Thomasville,
North Carolina.
She said the Hutton company will own the land
and buildings and lease to ModWash, which is its
own operating entity. Each ModWash unit takes
about $3.5 million to $4 million to develop. Permitting
and construction typically takes about 14
months, she said.
Hutton said the company, which puts up structures
for businesses such as McDonald’s and Taco
Bell, was building car wash locations for other entities,
the story stated.
According to the story, the Hutton company
owns 75% of ModWash while Hans Weger,
a Georgia business consultant for Hutton in the
past, is the minority partner.
Weger, who also is CEO of ModWash, said the
company is founded on the concept to “make life
shine.”
Weger said in the story, “We wanted to create a
company that was focused on customers and giving
back to the communities and developing people,”
he said. “We’ll make the car shine, help the
community shine and help people shine.”
Weger said if the company gets to 100 units covering
15 states by 2023, that will place it as one of
the biggest such businesses in terms of size, but
that isn’t their goal exactly.
“The goal isn’t to be the biggest, it’s to be the
best,” he said.
Locations are planned in South Carolina, Florida
and New Jersey, said Elle Welch, the company’s
marketing director.
Hutton said that plans are to give 1% of Mod-
Wash revenues back to local communities where
it will do business. Also, the company plans to put
employees in leadership and training programs,
she said.
“We want to make an impact,” Hutton said.
She said Hutton has about 65 employees, while
a construction company, Berry & Hutton, has between
80 and 100 employees. ModWash expects
to employ about 100 people by year’s end, Hutton
said in the story.
Roadhouse Car Wash serves
as art museum
Back in May, the Roadhouse Car Wash of
Davenport, Iowa, was supported by local business
sponsors, and gave children a framed canvas
and supplies to paint “whatever makes them
happy,” the Dispatch-Argus reported. The art
was hung inside the wash bays. One-third of
the proceeds from the bay went to a charity
and all of the proceeds from the vacuum went
to that same charity. The event, called Bay Art
for Charity, continue for a week to raise money.
According to the car wash’s Facebook page:
The idea is simple....we will hang art you
submit in our carwash bays, a dollar from every
wash will go towards the charity posted above
that bay. We have chosen 4 local charities that
help benefit children and families in our area.
Money raised was given to The Salvation
Army, Bethany for Children and Family Services,
Children’s Therapy Center, and The
Child Abuse Council.
26 • SUMMER 2020