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CONTENTS
Around the Wash:
Tale of the
25-Cent Vend .......................4
Around the Wash:
Ask Your
Women Friends ...................6
Tips ......................................8
Association News
& Calendar .................... 10
Extra Extra ..................... 16
Industry Dirt ................. 20
Fun & Games ............... 24
Tricks
of the Trade .................... 30
The Right to Wash
Part 2 .................................. 40
Cover Story
Out with the Old ............. 42
Darwin at the
Carwash........................... 48
Around The Wash:
Tale of the
25-Cent Vend
By Howard Higginson,
Owner/Operators of Howard’s Car Wash
in Los Angeles, California
Come on, guys,
ball bearings
nowadays!
I like the saying “Everything old is new again.”
The phrase often refers to fashion trends or
music, even people. For the most part, I think
the saying is true, but not always. Sometimes
something old is just that –old—new again only
to the person who remembers it when it was
brand new. Its significance for that person exists
in the bigger picture, a connection that’s nostalgic
to a specific time, or place, or feeling.
I’ve been in the self-service car wash business
for 45 years, a fact that amazes me even now.
In 1978 when I opened my first car wash, I had
equipped my facility with systems purchased
from researched suppliers, and everything was
new. I was excited about being my own boss,
maintaining my business in a traditional way. As
the years passed, I’ve kept the same mindset I
had when I started out. The younger set embarking
on their journey in this business, including
my two sons, may find it hard to understand
the relevance, necessity, and yes, sentimentality
connected to a particular piece of equipment.
In this case, it’s my first 25-cent vending machine,
an integral part of Howard’s Car Wash
from the beginning.
At the back of the building of my first wash,
in a recessed section of block wall, I installed a
single column, 24-shelf, Laurel Metal vending
machine, attaching it to the block wall with two
pieces of angle iron and securing the unit with a
Hilti nail gun. That machine was going nowhere.
It would vend a Blu Sham towel for $.25. Standing
back to admire my handy work, I couldn’t
help recalling the car wash I frequented as a
young married man in the late sixties—four bays
with walls made of tin, three vintage vacuums,
and not one machine vending towels. The wash
cycle cost a quarter; the vacuum cost a dime. It
was usually unattended, but always had custom-
VOL. 51, NO. 2, SPRING 2023
Publisher Jackson Vahaly
Editor Debra Gorgos
Design Katy Barret-Alley
Editor Emeritus Jarret J. Jakubowski
Editor Posthumous Joseph J. Campbell
Editor Posthumous Julia E. Campbell
Self Serve Carwash News is published 4 times
per year and is independently owned by Jackson
Vahaly. Web address is www.sscwn.com.
All inquiries should be directed to:
Self Serve Car Wash News
110 Childs Ln., Franklin, TN 37067
jacksonv@sscwn.com
Copyright 2023. 2 Dollar Enterprises/SSCWN. All Rights Reserved
Still the
24/7
Operator’s Roundtable!
4 • SPRING 2023

ers, and nearly every Saturday, I left there with a
clean car for less than fifty cents.
I considered those numbers when my construction
was completed. My wash cycle was set to run
at $.50 for five minutes, and each of my six vacuums
would run four minutes for $.25. This made
me wonder. How could I charge a whole quarter for
one towel? To its credit, the sturdy Blu Shams were
as reusable then as they are today. Still, twenty-five
cents for one seemed too high. After opening day, it
was a relief to see the price was not a problem. No
one complained. The machine sold out daily.
After 45 years, it is rusted and dented, it creaks
when opened, and the bright decals faded by the
sun have been replaced at least a dozen times. It
has survived wind, rain, hammer blows, seven attempted
break-ins, one riot, and a bullet hole that
came from who knows where. The story behind
that remains a mystery.
I admit, the pull knob on the machine is tricky,
and the four bottom shelves no longer work. Still,
customers have approached me to ask about the
25-cent towel. Some are surprised when they see
the machine, but they all tell me how much they
appreciate that in LA’s inner city, where the price
of gas is through the roof, and self-service car washes
charge $2.00 or more, there is still a car wash
where a dollar will turn on the meter, and a quarter
will buy a towel. Newer machines stocked with a
variety of towels have been installed at my washes
over the years, and now flank my 25-cent vendor,
still on duty every day, managing the job at hand.
It’s seasoned, like me, but for customers unfamiliar
with Howard’s Car Wash, it’s like new again.
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SPRING 2023 • 5

Around The Wash: The Woman Factor
Ask Your
Women Friends!
If you’re looking at your clientele and noticing
a lack of females, you might want to
find out why. Sometimes it is hard to see
things, that others notice right away. Women
are tough and smart, but do they want to go to
a ‘junky’ or poorly-lit car wash? The answer is:
NO. It isn’t that we cannot defend ourselves,
it is more that criminals still consider us as
easy targets. Sure, generations of tough female
characters from Valkyrie, to Sydney Bristow,
to Ellen Ripley, have inspired women to fight
back, but, it also has to do with whether or
not we would visit a business in the first place.
“Women are clearly the major
consumers in far more than just female
categories. It doesn’t matter whether it
is purchases of cars, cosmetics, or even
products for men, female consumption
power is the leading consumption
power in the world. Any company that
overlooks the woman as the decision
maker is making a huge mistake.”
- Andrea Jung, President & CEO,
Grameen America
Take for instance, the car wash pictured
here. These are recent pictures of a car wash
somewhere across the United States (I would
never want to shame self serve owners, I know
how hard you work…., but still, this owner
has to step it up. These pictures were taken on
a sunny Friday afternoon at the height of pollen
season. The person who took these photos
pulled onto the lot, and then…. Drove away.
What do you think? Does this owner have
some work to do?
Here are a few ways this car wash
could be more appealing to female
customers … or any customers
for that matter, since, as the
photographer noted, the car wash
didn’t have a single customer at
the time the photos were taken.
1
Have more lighting
up and on. Have it
3
outside the bays as
well as inside.
2
Have a phone number
posted in case of any
questions or concerns.
4
Clean out the trash—
empty trashcans show
that someone has been on
the premises and actually
cares about the property.
Clean up the weeds.
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SPRING 2023 • 7

TIPs
It’s time for some
Springtime maintenance!
The vacuums
Routine maintenance of your vacuums is
critical. Here is a recommended maintenance
schedule (varies by usage), provided by J.E.
Adams Industries, Ltd.
3 Hoses & Claws - MONTHLY
3 Filters – MONTHLY
3 Motor Brushes – QUARTERLY
3 Motors – QUARTERLY
3 Door Gaskets – ANNUALLY
3 Motor Gaskets – ANNUALLY
Electrical maintenance
of the vacs:
3 Check wire connections
Is there wire wear?
Are there loose wires?
3 Blow out coin mechs and motors with
compressed air
3 Ensure you have the proper amps for your
equipment
3 motors pull 24 amps requiring 30 amp svc
2 motors pull 16 amps requiring 20 amp svc
3 Use a licensed Electrician to check for:
Proper voltage
Length of run
Proper wire gauge
Inside the Wash
The weep system: When checking your weep
system, be sure to inspect your check valves for
proper operation as well. It is also a good time
to check your trigger gun and boom swivels for
minor leaks under low pressure. If these swivels
are leaking, less water will reach your trigger gun,
wand and spray tip. Without enough water flowing
through your spray tip you risk the chance of the
tip clogging with debris. If you are not sure if you
have enough water flow it is a good idea to replace
the trigger gun with a new weep trigger gun. If
you need additional weep water, check with your
supplier for what is called an “extra weep” gun. An
extra weep gun allows additional water to flow
through the pump, hose, boom, gun and tip.
Now that you are sure you have no leaks in your
exterior equipment and fittings, be sure to check
the interior equipment room fittings and hoses
as well. During temperature change your fittings
expand and contract, allowing the Teflon tape or
pipe dope to gap between the fittings. Repairing
water drips can save money and future problems
from occurring. To repair water dripping from a
fitting, simply unscrew your fittings and reapply
Teflon tape or pipe dope or a combination of both
to reseal the fittings. If a swivel is leaking a repair
kit can usually be installed or replace the swivel
with a new one.
The pumps: Spring is our time to perform
pump maintenance and preventive maintenance.
Changing the oil in the pressure pumps is critical
and we change ours every spring. While changing the
oil is an important part of preventive maintenance,
each spring we also inspect the pulley, crankshaft
and bearings for irregular wear or movement. This
is also a good time to remove the pump head and
inspect seals, O-rings piston/plungers.
Once the oil is changed and the other parts of
the pump are inspected or replaced, the oil wicks
are lubricated to keep dust off the ceramic plungers.
During the inspection time we also look at the
possibility of cracked or worn pump hoses, fittings,
worn regulators and solenoid valves. While inspecting
the pumps for proper pressure, soap, wax and
high-pressure rinse functions, we also inspect the
wand tip and trigger gun for wear. Cleaning the coin
mechanism, bay bill acceptor and credit card reader
in each bay is vital for proper operation.
These tips were provided
by Joe Anish of Vilco Supply.
Spring clean
your bookkeeping!
Review your expenses
Spring cleaning is a great time to pull a P&L
(Profit & Loss Statement) to review your expenses.
Going through your expenses line-by-line can
help you identify areas to save money. Subscriptions
set on auto-pay are notorious for being forgotten
over time.
You may also have a pile of receipts sitting on
your desk or in your email inbox. There are apps
available that can help you manage expenses and
paper. Simply snap a picture of your receipt, and
the expense will automatically be placed in a certain
category. According to Financial Solution Advisors,
PLLC.
Evaluate your vendor
agreements
Spring is a good time to review your relationship
with your vendor. Ensure that you’re getting the
best deal possible and that your contracts reflect
the current needs of your business, according to
bill.com. Don’t hesitate to negotiate better terms
or switch to a more cost-effective vendor if necessary.
8 • SPRING 2023

FGM 227-air-vac-machines-NE-carwasher-final-outline
final outline
-
SPRING 2023 • 9

2023 CALENDAR
OF EVENTS
*All events are subject to changes due
to current circumstances.
MAY 8-10, 2023
2023 ICA Car Wash Show
Las Vegas Convention Center
JUNE 4-6, 2023
8th Women in Carwash
Conference
The Benson Hotel, Portland Oregon
Association News
Heartland Carwash Association
The Heartland Carwash Association (HCA),
based in Des Moines, Iowa, announced that Laurie
Plemons will serve as the new Executive Director,
according to an April 1 press release. Plemons will
be responsible for maintaining and securing memberships,
increasing revenue, organizing and coordinating
the Product Show, as well as general management
responsibilities. She joins the HCA from
the Mid-Atlantic Carwash Association (MCA),
where she serves as Executive Director. Plemons
Carwash Operators of New Jersey
successfully manages membership and vendor development
efforts for the MCA. Plemons comes to
the HCA with 20+ years of experience in conference
planning and membership database management.
She also brings over 15 years of experience
working with non-profit organizations. Founded in
1983, the HCA has association members and vendors
throughout the Midwest, including Minnesota,
South Dakota, North Dakota, Missouri, Wisconsin,
Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, and Kansas.
SEP, 21 & 22, 2023
Carwash Show Europe
EXPO Greater Amsterdam
The Netherlands
OCT 2-4, 2023
Northeast Regional
Carwash Association
Atlantic City Convention Center
Atlantic City, New Jersey
The Car Wash Operators of NJ Labor Day
Weekend Campaign will raise money for the Children’s
Specialized Hospital. Taking place September
1-4, 2003, the event will see participating operators
contributing a percentage of their proceeds
going towards the Hospital.
“Our association has been raising money for
Children’s Specialized Hospital for 17 years and
contributed nearly $90,000 to that effort,” said
CWONJ Event Chairman, Doug Karvelas, in a
press release. “The opportunity to work with a larger
footprint across the state through the work of
Children’s Miracle Network, which also supports
Children’s Hospital, is a perfect opportunity for
us to continue our support. Our members are very
generous, and this will no doubt be evident over the
Labor Day weekend.”
Participating car washes can choose a variety of
amounts to donate per transaction. Signage will also
be provided, along with a Miracle Child poster and
special enhancements promoting the cause for the
drive-up menus.
The deadline to register for participation is July 1.
Carwash Association of Pennsylvania
A Message from the CAP Board President
The Carwash Association Pennsylvania is
witnessing a surge in interest and membership
in the Commonwealth. It is exciting for CAP to
share-in and promote the camaraderie of being
a “car-washer in PA” on any scale.
August and September are busy times for
CAP, as our members get together at various
annual events. This includes the CAP Baseball
Outing on August 25 at the Phillies vs. Reds
game in Philadelphia. Then in September, the
CAP Annual Vendor Reception & Dinner, with
keynote speaker David Begin will take place
in Hershey on September 14. This is followed
by the CAP Golf Outing on September 15 in
Carlisle. New to our roster of CAP events, the
CAP New Investor Seminar will take place
just before the reception and dinner. This event
provides the prospective investor to learn next
steps to bring dream to reality.
So… how are we doing in PA? Really Good!
Most of our members are sharing steady and
10 • SPRING 2023
positive sales, despite increases in wholesale
cost of goods and supply chain issues across the
spectrum. 2022, though not quite as strong as
2021, most will say sales are trending up and
there has been a positive shift by the consumer
towards the retail car wash. We are seeing positive
demographic shifts in many markets, along
with post-COIVD lifestyle changes (work from
home vs. working at the office). This flexibility is
allowing consumers to take care of life’s chores
during the weekdays, instead of what once was
limited to the weekends.
With this change in consumer lifestyle, and
populous shift increases in many markets here
in PA, CAP is hearing of up-to 100 new car
wash sites coming into PA by year end 2023!
Collectively, this is a good thing. Though some
may be concerned about crowding in certain
markets, most operators are embracing competition
by stepping up their game to maintain
their place in the market. One CAP member
recently shared “We’ve been washing cars for
over 50 years in this community, our customers
are faithful, and appreciate the family-owned
business”. That’s the spirit! There are not
enough car washes in the market to wash every
car in every market. All of our PA operators are
resilient and continue to meet the challenges to
meet the needs of the consumers in their communities.
In closing, let me leave you with this. Pollen
is the new snow. Many of our members are sharing
that numbers in late spring are comparable
to snowy winter months. And with that, there is
always a silver lining – or in this case yellowish-green
one – to look for amidst the roadblocks
and setbacks life may throw at us.
I welcome every carwash professional to
attend a CAP event this year – go to our website
www.pacarwash.org for more details – and
to come see what makes the Commonwealth an
exceptional place to plant and grow a carwash
business. I look forward to the opportunity to
see many new faces this year!
Stay well.
Dave Edwards, CAP Board President

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SPRING 2023 • 11

Association News
Southwest Car Wash Association
It was another epic Southwest Car Wash
Association Expo, with Dick Vitale offering up
passionate words of wisdom as the keynote speaker,
and days full of educational sessions and a packed
showroom floor. Held last February, the theme of
the event was Game On.
Dick Vitale, helped in promoting the Expo
with the following Facebook post:
Today I am going to be the keynote speaker at
the Southwest Car Wash Convention in Ft Worth
Texas. Last night we arrived at about 7 pm checked
into our hotel and immediately went to dinner at
Bob’s Steakhouse. The food and service were absolutely
fantastic.
In preparation for the event, I had a conference
call with the CEO of the SCWA Chuck Space and
I was really impressed with the various concepts
that he shared about what they want to achieve
during their annual session. I am going to utilize
as my theme the key for success in pursuit of any
goal is to have a formula I firmly believe in & that is
PASSION + PRIDE + PERSEVERANCE = WIN
IN THE GAME OF LIFE .
As I told Chuck Space, their outstanding leader, I
am honored that they selected me to be their speaker
for their prestigious annual convention.
12 • SPRING 2023

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SPRING 2023 • 13

WE WANT
YOUR
STORIES!
Do you have a funny
story from the bay?
Maybe an inspiring
tale from the wash?
Try something
new that worked well?
“You won’t believe what this
Darwin did at my wash…”
“The best decision I ever made
for my business was…”
“On rainy days, I like to…”
Association News
International Carwash Association
Who is going to the Car Wash Show from May 8-10 in Las Vegas this year? There will
be a booth for Self Serve Car Wash Magazine featuring Publisher Jackson Vahaly and myself,
Editor Debra Gorgos. And, here are some of the offerings geared towards self serve operators.
WCA (WESTERN CARWASH ASSOCIATION):
How to Make a Self-Service Car Wash Profitable
GEORGE DALLAS, ARCHIMEDES
5/8/2023 - 9:30 - 10:30 AM
George Dallas pulls on his 40+ years of experience to discuss key aspects of making your
self-serve car wash profitable. His presentation shows that, while running a self-serve is often
associated with a more hands-off approach, a successful self-serve requires anything but. Engineering
a positive experience by appropriately setting up the equipment and making sure the
small details are accounted for will help generate passive sales and customer growth.
Self Service and Automatic Carwashing...Learn the Secrets
to Double or Triple Your Revenue
BRENT MCCURDY, MCCLEAN SOLUTIONS
5/9/2023 - 10:15 - 10:45 AM
Self Service and Automatics have steep competition from an industry trend toward Express
Exterior tunnel models. Is the Self Service and Automatic industry doomed? Far from it! Specific
advice and data are available from this industry veteran showing 10 things to do to maximize,
drive sales, and thrive in the face of express exteriors. This data is REAL WORLD before and
after data. It focuses on the recent re-investment in multiple self-service and automatic wash
locations. Data suggests that demand for self-service and auto washing is as healthy as it ever has
been and that self-service operators can build, invest and profit right alongside express exterior
operators. The data will open wide the eyes of operators and investors.
Brent McCurdy is the President and founder of McClean Solutions LLC. McClean is a
manufacturer of high-quality detergents and protectants for the professional car wash industry.
McClean utilizes an innovative two-part detergent process as a unique approach to
avoid shipping water because the two-part allows for higher concentrations compared to a
single-product approach. McClean waxes and protectants are of the highest available concentration
which provides a low cost in use in comparison to competitive alternatives. McClean
also focuses on chemistry testing and math as the foundation of their consultative approach.
Brent is also the president and owner of a chain of 6 car washes in the Philadelphia Northeast,
which gives him a unique inside perspective in aiding and consulting carwash operators. These
carwashes feature self-service, automatic, and an express exterior tunnel wash.
WCA (WESTERN CARWASH ASSOCIATION):
Add Mobile App to Self-Serve to Increase Customer Options
KIMBERLY BERG, CITRUS HEIGHTS CAR WASH
5/9/2023 - 8:00 - 9:00 AM
Kimberly Berg, owner and operator of Citrus Heights Car Wash, takes you through her
journey of adding a mobile payment service to her self-serve car wash operations. Through
the process, she highlights what went right, what she could do differently, and what was out
of her control. After operating with the additional payment option for a while, she can now
provide data insights for how it has affected business and what additional tools she has at her
disposal to improve customer satisfaction.
WCA (WESTERN CARWASH ASSOCIATION):
Self-Serve Operator Panel Discussion Featuring: Kimberly
Berg, Citrus Heights Car Wash
COREY CAMPBELL, CLASSY CHASSIS GEORGE DALLAS, ARCHIMEDES
5/9/2023 - 9:30 - 10:30 AM
Existing self serve operators and those new to the industry are invited to bring their questions
and participate in an open-to-the-floor q&a session, moderated by three successful self
serve owners.
14 • SPRING 2023

SPRING 2023 • 15

EXTRA!
EXTRA!
Presenting the news stories featuring self serve car washes
Best friends Jeff Harstad
and Stephen Schumacher
are now the proud owners of
seven Car Wash Co. self
serve locations
in and throughout the Twin Cities, according to a
February 23 Community Reporter story.
The duo have been friends since they were in
middle school and worked for Harstad’s father, who
also owned a car wash.
“Jeff and Steve wanted to build on their experience
and bought two Robert Street car washes in
2014, in West and South St. Paul. Then when Todd
Kormanik decided to retire in 2020 after 43 years,
they added West 7th to their group,” the story said
Todd had been operating his 12-bay car wash
since 1967, and after 43 years, it needed major
work. This meant rebuilding the original Quonset
hut sections, redesigning the bays, installing new
equipment and amenities, according to the story.
was to create a fairly priced, flexible and reliable
service.
The story said that the neighboring McDonald’s
opened in 1964, and, “...In that era, McDonald’s had
neither drive-through nor indoor seating. But the
teens who loved cars gathered on the spot, bought
their Big Macs and malts, and lovingly washed their
cars, and the site became a destination.”
Now, the Car Wash Company is ready to resume
that tradition.
How about some tea and
dumplings? And a car
wash, too?
That’s right, in McKinleyville, California, you
can get all three thanks to the Auto Spa/Auntie Hao
multi-profit center, according to a March 23 North
Coast Journal report. Auntie Hao’s, operated out
of a bright blue food truck, offers everything from
Chinese crepes, dumplings, fried noodles and tea.
After so many punches on an Auntie Hao punch
card, you get a free car wash.
Michael Evenson is part owner of both the Auto
Spa and food truck, which is the reason for the
truck’s permanent location alongside the car wash.
His wife, Xuanli “Shirley” Hao, is the chef behind
the popular Asian foods.
16 • SPRING 2023

The small business credit crunch is no joke.
EXTRA!
EXTRA!
“Borrowing for small businesses was already
constrained due to rising interest rates,” according
to an Associated Press report from April 11. The recent
collapses of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature
Bank, didn’t help matters and now it looks like other
banks are being “forced to tighten credit further,
since they’re seeing an outflow of deposits, which
means they need to retain capital,” the story said.
According to Ray Keating, chief economist for
the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council,
“It’s hard to read how severe this is going to be, but
it’s certainly going to be significant and when you
look at how things play out, small businesses are hit
the hardest.”
And, according to the latest Biz2Credit Small
Business Lending Index released in February, the
approval rates of small business loan requests at big
banks have fallen for nine consecutive months, the
story said. Only 14.2 precent of credit applications
were approved by larger banks in February. Two
years ago, the approval rate was at 28.3 percent.
The story said that the Federal Reserve will hike
interes rates in order to slow down the economy
and ease inflation. Rohit Arora, CEO and co-founder
of Biz2Credit, said that small businesses will be
left in the lurch.
According to an April 10 Reuters report, “By
raising the benchmark interest rate that banks use
in lending money to each other, tighter monetary
policy makes consumer and business loans more
expensive and harder to get. In theory, that lowers
demand for credit-financed goods and services, and
in time also lowers inflation.”
Thankfully, the worst seems to have been avoided,
stated the Reuters story. “Emergency steps by
the Fed and Treasury Department protected depositors
at both banks, helping ease what could have
been a destabilizing run from smaller banks to larger
ones. Other actions by the Fed helped maintain
confidence in the wider banking system.”
The response - less lending, tighter credit standards
and higher interest on loans - was already taking
shape. Officials are now watching for signs that
has been kicked into overdrive.
According to the story, Matthew Luzzetti, chief
U.S. economist for Deutsche Bank, recently estimated
if the next Fed loan officers survey shows a
10-percentage-point rise in the share of banks tightening
credit, it could lop about half a percentage
point from U.S. output - enough to turn expected
meager growth into a recession.
“These scenarios would push lending conditions
into a range that has more clearly been associated
with recession,” Luzzetti and his team wrote, according
to Reuters, saying they see potential for “a
broader tightening of financial conditions that will
meaningfully slow growth at a time when recession
risks were already elevated.”
But…there’s some good news….
According to a more recent report from Keating,
the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report from
the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that inflation
ran at a mere 0.1 percent in March. “That’s
welcome news,” he stated.
For the 12-month period ending in March, CPI
inflation ran at 5.0 percent, which was the slowest
12-month pace since the period that ended in
March 2021, he stated.
“If we look at the past nine months, the news
improves, as the annualized inflation rate over that
period registered approximately 3.2 percent. Indeed,
as made clear in the following chart from the
BLS report, inflation took a major step down starting
in July of last year.”
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SPRING 2023 • 19

INDUSTRY DIRT
HAPPENINGS
IN & AROUND THE
SELF SERVE CARWASHING INDUSTRY
OPW and ICS join forces with Rinsed
OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions’ ICS business, of
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was excited to announce
in a March 16, 2023, press release, its non-exclusive
partnership with Rinsed, to create a more streamlined
on-boarding process for vehicle wash customers.
Rinsed, a customer relationship management
software company for the vehicle wash industry,
pairs perfectly with ICS’ point-of-sale technology
to help car wash owners significantly reduce credit
card declines and customer churn, while increasing
online sales with forms optimized for every device,
the press release stated. According to Kevin Ahnert,
General Manager for ICS Payment Solutions and
Controls, ICS and Rinsed can help deliver cost savings
by eliminating API-access fees typically required
by most point-of-sale vendors. “We are excited to
partner with Rinsed. We’re committed to providing
our customers with everything they need to succeed,
and this relationship with Rinsed is further proof. In
addition to the Rinsed software portfolio, our marketing
arm, The Agency at ICS, provides an ideal way
to capitalize on this robust data collection with website
design, digital marketing campaigns as well as
through social media and reputation management,”
Ahnert stated in the press release.
Austin Esecson, CEO of Rinsed, also stated
in the press release, “ICS’ point-of-sale technology
works seamlessly with Rinsed software to allow our
customers to build smarter marketing campaigns
that help convert more leads into paying customers,
track actual usage, schedule regular emails and text
messages to members, as well as tailor messaging to
reach both current and past members.”
Spotless Brands to use $600M to expand portfolio
Access Holdings’ Spotless Brands, of Baltimore,
Maryland, announced in a March 16 press release its
plan to use $600 Million help support the execution
of Spotless Brands’ expansion strategy, growing operations
in both new and existing markets through
both de novo expansion as well as accretive M&A.
The capital raised will directly support the growth
and innovation of the business, scaling its operations
in new and existing markets, the press release stated.
Access has partnered on the capital raise with Wafra
Inc. (“Wafra”), a global alternative investment firm.
“Our growth up to this point has been the direct
outcome of the team’s hard work and dedication to
delivering consistent, premium service to our customers.
We are proud to be the partner of choice for
the best brands and operators across the country,”
said Spotless Brands Chief Executive Officer Russ
Reynolds, in the press release. “This capital will be
utilized to further enhance our position as the industry’s
premier express car wash platform via new
market expansion, accelerated densification of our
current markets, and investment in transformational
infrastructure and technology.”
Access Holdings Founder & Managing Partner
Kevin McAllister, also stated in the press release,
“This capital raise ensures the institutional knowledge
of the entrepreneurs we partner with—our very
own car wash hall of famers—continues to take precedence
and inform the growth of Spotless Brands.”
McAllister added that the announcement represents
a transformational activity for Access Holdings due
to the creative execution by its team. Wafra has significant
experience in the car wash industry, stated
the press release, having previously grown El Car
Wash into the leading express car wash platform in
South Florida. Established in 2019, Spotless Brands
has expanded its presence from a single market comprised
of 24 sites to over 140 sites operating in nine
markets. The capital raised will strengthen and scale
Spotless Brands’ consistent growth in new markets
and densify its operations in existing geographies.
Spotless Brands is currently on track to add one
to two new geographies to its business each year
through both de novo builds as well as M&A activity.
D&S welcomes two new team members
Two new team members have been added to
the D&S Car Wash Supply team, according to two
February press releases.
Bill Linzy, with a combined 31 years of experience
in the vehicle washing industry (21 of which
were focused on truck washing), has been named a
new Sales Team member. Linzy will report directly
to Brad Quay, Vice President of Sales, and he
will be responsible for growing the company’s National
Truck & Fleet Wash division. “I have known
Bill for a number of years. He has a great deal of
knowledge in the Truck & Fleet Wash sectors and
is very well respected in the industry. I believe that
he will help us take the IQ-MAX to another level
with the knowledge that he has and the contacts
that he has made over the years,” Quay stated in
the press release.
According to Linzy, “It’s enticing to see the
truck wash side of D&S developing [with the IQ
MAX] – I’m excited to work with good people
[at D&S] who take great pride in their work. …
Building a personal relationship [with customers]
is important for them to grow, succeed, and continue
to do business with us.”
D&S has also welcomed Dave Bogenpohl to its
20 • SPRING 2023
Bill Linzy
Car Wash Supply’s Field Sales & Service Division
(FSS), according to the press release. Bogenpohl has
been a part of the car wash industry for nearly 30
years, lending his hands to countless car wash projects
across the country. Coupled with such valuable
field & customer service experience under his belt,
Bogenpohl’s true passion lies within his readiness
to help and become a true partner for success, the
press release stated. “The two most satisfying things
for me in the industry are taking someone’s ideas,
dreams, or goals of owning a successful car wash
and making it a reality. Also, the personal relationships
that are built – we don’t just sell someone a
car wash, but put them in business and become
a partner in their success,” Bogenpohl stated. He
also takes great pride in driving around the 8-state
region he is involved in and seeing all of the car
washes that he was involved in establishing.
Bogenpohl’s career in the car wash industry began
with his role as a tech in 1993. Around 2013
he started his own company: Mid-States Car Wash
Solutions. “It’s very interesting to see the changes
currently going on in our industry…I’ve seen more
changes in the last 3 years than I did in the 10 previous
to that,” he stated in the press release.
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SPRING 2023 • 21

INDUSTRY DIRT
Kleen-Rite acquires Laurel Metal Products
Kleen-Rite Corp., of Columbia, Pennsylvania,
the largest family-owned car wash distributor in
the country, announced that they have acquired
Laurel Metal Products in a March 10 press release.
A staple of the car wash industry, Laurel
Metal Products is a leading manufacturer of car
wash vending machines, the press release stated.
The company originated in 1959 as a sheet metal
fabrication shop before developing their first car
wash vending machine in 1970. They specialize in
drop-shelf vending, a method that reliably delivers
products to customers at a highly successful rate.
Kleen-Rite and Laurel Metal Products have
been partners for several decades, so the acquisition
makes sense for both parties, the press release stated.
The move will streamline the process of building
and stocking Laurel products, create opportunities
for Kleen-Rite to use their resources to expand the
Laurel brand, and be an important part of Kleen-
Rite’s overall strategy of continuous improvement
in the dynamic and evolving car wash industry.
Laurel’s current management will stay in
place, and all long-term employees will be retained.
Their products will continue to offer exceptional
quality backed up by trustworthy customer
service. “This exciting acquisition will only
serve to bolster the strength of both Kleen-Rite
and the Laurel brand in the future,” the company
stated in the press release.
Car wash industry continues to thrive, states report
The entire car wash industry, including full serves,
in-bay automatics and self serves, is going to do just fine
in the years ahead, according to Verified Market Research’s
“Global Car Wash Market” report. In 2021, the
industry was valued at a whopping $35.49 billion and
is projected to reach $46.73 billion by the year 2030.
That means the industry will grow at a compound annual
growth rate (CAGR) of 3.1% from 2021 to 2030,
according to a March 16 report by CStore Decisions.
Take for instance Soapy Joe’s, which operates 20
locations in the San Diego County area.
“Soapy Joe’s will continue to pursue aggressive
growth targets for 2023, both in new units added and
increasing membership levels at existing sites,” said
Anne Mauler, vice president of marketing at Soapy
Joe’s, in the story. “Customers are increasingly focused
on convenience,” said Mauler. “National data shows
that people are on the roads as much or more than
pre-pandemic levels and need quick, friendly service
to fit their lifestyles.”
The “Global Car Wash Market” report also stated
that the rising inclination of consumers toward speed,
convenience and vehicle maintenance is anticipated
to propel the market through 2030, the story said.
“Moreover, high demand for professional and reliable
cleaning, increasing new car registrations and rising
environmental awareness among customers is likely
to bolster the market growth.”
According to Chris Romba, senior director for
GetGo’s WetGo car wash, which has over 270 c-store
locations across five states and 42 WetGo car washes
throughout Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania, the industry
will continue to grow and grow well into the
next 10 years .“As consumers’ pride for having a clean
car increases, we’ll see more interest in car washes,”
Romba said in the story. “The economics of car washes
are favorable. Car wash subscriptions are a great value
and can actually save time and money compared to
washing your car yourself.”
TRACK
THAT CLICK!
CLICK IT
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“We’ve been advertising to car wash operators for
7 years now, and have tried and tracked many of the
different industry advertising options. As far as online
opportunities focused on the car wash industry go,
nothing has provided the consistent click-throughs
at the rate of the CarWashForum.com.”
JIM LANMAN, TOUCH4WASH
22 • SPRING 2023

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SPRING 2023 • 23

FUN & GAMES
WHAT’S DIFFERENT?
Think
these two pictures taken at a self serve car
wash are the same? Think again!
There are five differences. Can you spot them?
1. Caution sign is gone, 2. Broom handle is missing, 3. Hose is higher, 4. Cement is darker, 5. Brush head is red, 6. Ghost woman is trying to escape from teh wall
Zoinks!
A Mystery Machine Scooby Doo van
was caught getting washed in what
looks like a self serve in London? Or
Poland. It’s hard to tell and no other
details were shared on the YouTube
video. But, the real mystery here is …
how did someone convince this kid
to do all of the work? He’s got to be,
like, what, 11?
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SPRING 2023 • 25

FUN & GAMES
YOU CHEAT ON ME AND
YOU’RE GOING
TO GET SOAKED
Before the days of social media when boyfriends and girlfriends would catch their
partners cheating via DMs or secret phone numbers, there was the phenomena, and,
frankly, a gift to those with insomnia, the show Cheaters. Started in 2000, Cheaters is
a sort of documentary-style show featuring military-esque spy footage, where loved
ones are ‘followed’ and maybe caught cheating, and then cameras are rolling when the
cheater is confronted by the scorned beloved. And, as luck would have it, one episode
involved the cheater being confronted at a self serve.
After days of following the suspect, it is ultimately determined that the male in this
episode, is cheating.
While the suspect and the mistress are at the self serve car wash, the girlfriend is
driven to the car wash, pictured here. If anyone reading this owns this car wash, please
contact me so that I can watch all the whole thing on security footage!
And, here’s where it gets good! After the suspect is yelled at by the girlfriend, she
somehow gets hold of the car wash wand, which had been running the whole time,
and shouts John McClane style: Yippee Kai Yay, m&^%$# f*&^%$! Then starts spraying
her soon-to-be-ex boyfriend.
She also shouts, “You need to be baptized!” followed by some other expletives.
If anyone wants to see the episode for
themselves, you can view it by going to
YouTube, and typing in “Cheaters” and
“Stacy”.
No word on whether the couple worked
things out and stayed together, but one
thing I know for sure is that was one
nicely maintained self serve!
26 • SPRING 2023

SPRING 2023 • 27

Carwash
Boom Assembly
MODEL 203
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28 • SPRING 2023

Carwash
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Assemblies
Zierco’s Easy Service Swivel and
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ENHANCE YOUR SELF SERVING
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accepted
SPRING 2023 • 29

TRICKS OF THE
(Note: Some posts feature minor edits for readability.)
Presenting some of the best discussions from the Self Serve, IBA and General Discussions sections of CarwashForum.com. To view more posts
discussing some interesting and common problems, as well as some of the best and brightest solutions, visit CarwashForum.com
You, sir, are no Jackson Pollock!
Here’s a good one: Apparently this Sherwin
Williams employee splattered paint all over
the back gate of his truck. Well, what better
place to clean it than at a self service car
wash? Destroyed a new hogs hair brush
and splattered paint everywhere. I guess they
take their logo literally. “Cover the Earth” 20
years in the self service car wash business
and still, the crap people do never ceases to
amaze me. - AZCARWASHMAN
That is Exactly why we have a Full Time attendant
from sunrise to sunset! We would have caught him
before he even got started! I feel for you! Sometimes
they sneak in on us during the night.. Not
Good - CARWASHBOY
…I was able to track down which location the truck
came from and made a complaint. The district manager
came out and couldn’t apologize enough for
what his employee did. Offer to pay for any damages.
That was decent, still always annoying to deal with
the clean up of this type of thing. - AZCARWASHMAN
SSCWN EDITOR CHIMES IN:
Well, that was a pleasant story
with a nice and happy ending …
unlike these following two stories!
Why don’t
you take that
bucket and ...
On bucket washing:
Pressure problem fixed!
I’m at a loss here. New pump, new motor. Pressure at the pump shows
1200 psi. At the nozzle, it’s a super low spray. The only thing I’m left with is
corrosion in the line somewhere? I’ve ordered new hose, not sure what else to
do. Thanks in advance. - JEFFC11
If I am not busy I let it go. If I’m busy I tell them
you can’t do that unless the meter box is running.
Most people are good about it but I have had a few
that told me to F*** off and at that point the power
gets cut to the bay and they leave with soap on the
car. - JSSHAC
If someone goes that far I call the police right next
to them so they can hear. Nearly every time, when
they hear me read off their license plate they pack
up and leave fast. I make note of their plate and
if they come back I call the police out of earshot
and have a criminal trespass warrant issued against
them. A couple of times they’ve had warrants, they
go to jail and their car gets impounded. - MEP001
Have you checked to see if the spray tip is
plugged up? - OURTOWN
Try this, disconnect the High pressure hose from
the pump next to the bay that’s got the super
low spray and connect the High pressure hose
with the super low spray to that known good
bay, start the bay that you connected the high
pressure hose to and then go out to the bay and
see if it’s working correctly. If it’s working correctly
the problem is somewhere between the
pump and the gun. You could have a check valve
leaking by. - RANDY
Your gauge could be bad (Does it return to zero
when the pump is off?). Does the gauge read
1200 inside when the trigger is pulled? - MEP001
I had a problem like that a few years ago. New
hoses & new CAT pump, but suddenly low pressure
in Bay 1. We replaced the check valve &
hose. Found strands of Teflon tape had created a
blockage inside the new steel-braided hose. Took
us longer to find it than fix it. Crazy!! - KIMBERLY
BERG
30 • SPRING 2023

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SPRING 2023 • 31

TRICKS OF THE
Fallin’ for
pollen
Here’s a picture from the
Kennedy Finest Car Wash
Facebook page. Based in
Tampa, Florida, the picture
was taken in February 2021.
Southeast NC started dropping beginning of last
week or February and it’s been dry. It’s been really
warm and unusual for the pollen to drop so early
but business has been unreal . Good luck!!! - TRAV-
ELLER17
Wishing everyone a season full of gold dust…! - SJB
Ours usually comes in the middle of March. Sometimes
it’s great, enough to turn the sky a greenish
yellow. One year recently it rained really heavily the
first night, rinsed the pollen out of the trees and off
the cars and killed that month. The only month I’ve
had that was worse was when I was down for three
weeks from a broken water main. - MEP001
We are starting to see signs of pollen and our wash
counts are rising. - STXCW
It has begun - SOONERMAJIC
We could use some pollen here. We got screwed
out of most of our snowy weather this winter so
there was not much salt put down on the roads.
- OURTOWN
What winter? It was a joke. I’m praying for snow
from now into May. Pipe dream. - GOBUCKEYES
12-18” of heavy, wet snow coming to Central MA
from 8 pm today till 8 am Wednesday. Gotta love a
mid-March snowstorm! Clean up will be time-consuming,
but it drives business afterward, so it’s
worth it. - WAXMAN
SSCWN EDITOR CHIMES IN: What is pollen, exactly? Well, it’s time to
put on your lab coat because we’re going to science class! According to John
Hopkins Medicine, Pollen is the tiny egg-shaped male cells of flowering plants,
including trees, grasses, and weeds. The University of Western Australia takes
it a bit further stating, “Pollen is essential for sexual reproduction of flowering
plants and plants that produce cones. Each pollen grain contains male gametes
necessary for fertilization.” Say what, now? “The male part of flowering
plants is the stamen. of an “anther” supported by a single stalk, the filament.
The anther usually contains four pollen sacs which are responsible for producing
pollen grains. Each pollen grain is a single cell containing two male gametes.
Once mature, the anther splits open and pollen is released.” Now that we
have that cleared up, let’s get to the part as to why it sticks to cars. According
to detailing master, AvalonKing, pollen is a highly acidic compound that begins
to burn into clear coatings, plastic trim, and other polymer materials like
headlight or taillight covers within a matter of days. (If you are going to ask me
what an anther is, you are barking up the wrong tree.)
“When you take a closer look at pollen, specifically that derived from trees or
ragweed, you’ll see that the outer edge looks like tiny hooks. Those spines help
pollen to grab onto its intended target, the stamen of a plant. But pollen isn’t
discriminatory – as those hooks will also grab onto pretty much anything.”
Also, here’s a picture posted to Facebook by There you go, folks!
So, what did he do, and did
it work? The answer is ...
Thanks for all the insight and suggestions. I did switch the lines from the bad pump to
the good and it worked fine. So it did indicate the line was clear and free of obstruction.
That led me to the bypass valve. I removed it, cleaned it, WD-40ed it, reassembled
it and it worked like a champ! Geesh...this stuff can drive ya batty! - JEFFC11
32 • SPRING 2023

self serve
& support equipment
SINGLE VACUUM
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Used for 2-6
self serve Bays
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graphic decaling
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• Model CAT 5CP2120
Pump, 4.0 GPM/1000 PSI
• Brass regulators
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• Fused terminal blocks
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wash system
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is about 25% shorter but
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same features as the
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SPRING 2023 • 33

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34 • SPRING 2023

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SPRING 2023 • 35

1
9
7
2
5
0
TRICKS OF THE
Back and
better
than ever!
BEFORE
AFTER
Yesterday I reopened my late father’s car wash
(located in Bancroft, Ontario, Canada) that
had sat abandoned for more than 5 years.
I wanted to say thank you to all those who
helped me out with answers to my questions
and also show a couple pictures of where I
started and where I am today. I know I still
have a long way to go but I’m proud of myself
for getting this old wash back in service. Next
priority is signage. - JAMES.IRELAND
BEFORE
AFTER
36 • SPRING 2023

Won’t you not be
my neighbor?!
TRICKS OF THE
So, a couple of days ago I saw a guy put up a “car wash coming soon” sign on his property right across from my car wash. Yay! Not sure what type of
car wash he’s going to open. My town’s population is 11k. I have a 4SS/1IBA. His car wash will be on the main road while mine is on a small road
(parallel). Indeed his car wash will be brand new and customers will like the look of it compared to mine. As expected, I’ll be sharing my revenue
with him. From your experience, having new competitors around you, do you see significant “loss” in revenue? Do you think he will open a SS and
IBA, or express tunnel? My guess is express tunnel. I guess from now on I will put a big bright smile on my face and swallow all kind of nonsense and
complaints from customers, or are they going to threaten me to go to the next door car wash? - N00BIE
Go to the city planning board to see what his plans
are and act accordingly. - SWAMPDONKEY
Tunnel probably. Your IBA will take a hit, but your selfserves
should be fine. Different customer. - AXXLROD
Be proactive. Update all your signage, paint what
needs to be painted, new decals on everything, replace
any brushes and wands that need it, refresh the
vacs… If your IBA is old, I’d replace or at least update
as much as possible with a good cleaning and maybe
a new entrance signage Might look at a system that
would give away free vac with auto wash purchase.
Just make it look as new as possible. - DAWGWASH
Refresh your vacuums too, if it’s an express exterior
they’ll probably have free vacs which they won’t
maintain. I have a couple reviews from people that
say they’d rather pay to use my vacs than use the
free ones at a wash closer to their house. - MEP001
Tunnels don’t scare me! I can wash a car better -
just not as fast. In February, I literally watched
customers cancel their tunnel memberships in my
lot. While I helped them download our APP. Make
sure you are putting out a great car. Emphasize the
touchless factor if you are that. Have one tunnel
under construction nearby now and rumors of two
more shortly. i’m ready- bring it on. - SHINEPRO
I’ve got a tunnel 1200 feet away and they just put in
free vacuums, 18 drops, which cut into my vacuum
business, there you don’t have to wash to use the
free vacuums. Now I just found out a local car wash
chain is going to build a tunnel across the street and
down about 300 feet away. All of this in a town of
10,000. I’m just going to keep doing what we’ve
been doing. - RANDY
It depends - some don’t warrant worrying about,
but some really have their stuff together and turn
out an outstanding product in a few minutes. It all
depends how it is run and if everything is dialed in
and maintained. - WASHNSHINE
Point taken and agree! My experience with them so
far is that the track speeds are so fast that they don’t
really get the fronts and backs clean
Wish my crystal ball could tell me how this is all
going to shake out. - SHINEPRO
Stay tuned…
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SPRING 2023 • 37

TRICKS OF THE
Help! I need somebody… I think?
I’d love to hear some thoughts and experiences from
the pros out there about what type of maintenance/
attendance would be required for a self serve “spray
and vac” with four stalls? How much time per week?
What type of “tasks”? Etc. Thinking of things like.
1. Refilling the change machines and emptying the
sprayers, vacuum and vending.
2. Picking up trash, emptying trash bins
3. Refilling soap etc.
What else? What’s a typical/good schedule for a
week? E.g. “Twice a week you’ll need to refill your
change machines” etc. - PMI9B
Depends. If you want it to be successful, you need
to check on it at least once a day. Check everything
every day. Filling the changer depends on the size
of the changer, I have to fill mine five times a week.
Keep it clean, clean, clean. - MEP001
Depends on the location. If in a poorer area where
your site becomes the local free trash dropoff service,
it could be a full time position to keep it clean.
- ECKERT16
It depends on various factors mentioned below. I
know owners who load their change machines with
enough money to keep a week but that comes with
the risk if you get a break in. You can reduce that
risk by changing tokens only. Vacuums can usually be
emptied once a week, and vending usually does not
amount to much (BUT depends on your customer
demographics) Trash, that’s daily, often multiple
times in the day. If you are not there, pay someone
for 1-2 hours a day to help keep the place clean. They
will never do as good a job as an owner. Soap, you can
use 15 gal containers and that should be good for at
least a month. Cameras all over the property as well
as cameras & water leak alarms everywhere inside
the equipment room can be HUGE help so you can
see things from your phone. You need to check the
equipment each time you are at the wash and try to
stop possible issues in advance. With a trash helper
who can be observant enough to call you if they see
anything odd (like unexplained water on the floor)
you can get the visits down to once a week. That
being said I am at the wash more often so customers
see and know me - goes a long way toward building
goodwill and revenue. - ROZ
All of the above posters are 100% correct. There
are times you will be there when your efforts will
be immediately tangible - like cleaning a dirty bay,
fixing a leak, replacing a brush or emptying trash.
There is also time that you will be there that does
not seem to be significant, but greeting customers,
explaining options, offering advice, helping an elderly
person with some physical task that might be
a problem for them. These tasks pay huge dividends
to your customer loyalty and the perception of your
business. You have to have some “customer time” at
your wash - even if it isn’t a ton of time and even
though it is a “self serve” wash. - WASHNSHINE
As many replies have noted, it will depend greatly
upon your location, customer base etc. Just to
give an idea from our wash, we are in a dirty, muddy
farming area. I go every morning to make sure
things are working OK, clean up mud and rubbish,
clean out vac filters etc. Typically it takes me about
30 minutes each morning. Every afternoon one of
our staff attends to clean up, and they typically they
take 30 minutes to 1 hour. - GREG_T
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SPRING 2023 • 39

The Right
to Wash PART 2
ONE SELF SERVE OWNER SHARES
HIS UNBELIEVABLE STORY
The story of self serve
car wash owner Dale
Davenport and his battle
with the city of Dallas
By Debra Gorgos, editor
In part 1 of this story, which appeared in the
Winter issue of Self Serve Car Wash, we learned
about the car wash owner of a closed self serve car
wash in Dallas, Texas. Dale Davenport was fighting
to re-open his car wash after it had been shut
down by local authorities. Part 1 talked about how
Davenport got into the car washing industry and
worked tirelessly to make his business a respectable
operation, visiting it numerous times a day
to take care of any problems, he picked up any
trash, and, like a lot of self serve car wash owners
he kept a close eye on his business around the
clock and reported any criminal activity. Davenport
tried to work with the police and called 911 if
he noticed anything suspicious. He even put up a
new eight-foot commercial chain link fence in the
early 2000s. He added lots of high-quality security
cameras. He did everything he was asked to do by
the city to thwart any criminal activity. He even
hired a guard company. But, when he was told he
had to hire a particular guard company that was
owned by a city council member, he knew then
things didn’t seem right. This is where Part 1 ended
and where Part 2 begins: The chapter in which
Davenport decided to go up an entire city.
PART 2
Dale Davenport had always been a maticulous car
wash owner. He would regularly visit his car washes
and clean up every piece of trash. In all his years
in the industry, he didn’t get a single complaint,
fine or bad review. Davenport knew that if the car
wash came across as clean, customers would think
it was a business worthy of their time and money.
If any sort of unnerving activity, from “gatherings”
to loud music took place at Jim’s Car Wash, Davenport
handled it. He wjould even chase suspicious
people off of his property. Like any good citizen,
he called 9-1-1 and tried to get any and all help he
could get if he thought a crime was taking place.
Sometimes the cops would come, and sometimes
they wouldn’t. But, that was okay with Davenport,
as he knew they were busy. Those 9-1-1 calls will
40 • SPRING 2023
play a key role later on.
Jim’s Car Wash was, or is rather, located
on Martin Luther King Blvd, or
MLK Blvd. for short. A stretch of road
dotted with every kind of fast food
restaurant, gas station, laundromat,
etc., you can think of. MLK Jr. Blvd
drives straight into the Texas Fair Park,
a destination mecca with everything
from parks and concerts to the State
Fair of Texas, the latter of which hosts
millions of people every year. According
to the city of Dallas, “Martin Luther
King Jr. Boulevard functions as a
significant spine for the South Dallas
community and serves as a cultural and historical
center for the area.”
It is a perfect place for a car wash. Lots of traffic
and lots of other businesses nearby.
And, like most self serve car wash owners can
attest, crime can unfortanately be a part of the
business. But, Davenport wasnt’t an absentee or
“set it and forget it” type of owner. Neither was his
father, the former co-owner of the car wash. Both
were hard-working, hands-on owners.
In 2001, the father and son duo were told by
the Support Abatement Forfeiture Enforcement
(SAFE) team (which has since been defunded and
demobilized), that their car wash was a hotbed
for criminal activity. Freddy Davenport was more
than willing to address this problem. He even volunteered
to set up a sting operation. His offers to
help were dismissed.
This is where things started to seem off. If things
were so bad, then wouldn’t they want every ounce
of help they could get? Apparently not, according
to Dale.
Then things took a turn for the even more perplexing
when in 2002 a police officer maced a
man in his parking lot. The officer said that the
man was resisting arrest, but Dale, who witnessed
the incident, said otherwise. He even testified in
court that the man was not resisiting arrest.
According to an August 11, 2021, Dallas Observer
story, the man accused of resisting arrest was acquitted
in part because of Davenport’s testimony.
That wasn’t the end of it for Dale, though, as it
seemed as if some people weren’t too happy with him.
“That day, 17 DPD vehicles and 26 officers
blocked the car wash's driveway, preventing customers
from entering. Later testifying under oath,
former Dallas police Chief David Kunkle admitted
officers had blocked the entrance to Jim’s Car
Wash,” the Dallas Observer reported.
"And it is true, and it makes me angry, and it was
very unprofessional that we had 11 patrol cars that
next day after the verdict that showed up at the car
wash," Kunkle said at the time. "The officers parked
their cars, and it was clearly in my opinion designed
to intimidate and coerce, and it was unprofessional
behavior that should never have occurred."
The next day, a bullet was shot through a window
at Dale’s home which sits over 30 miles away
from Dallas. Luckily no one was hurt.
“It was then that I realized I had made someone
really angry and I stepped on somebody’s toes,”
Davenport said.
Davenport called his local sheriff’s office which
then notified the FBI. An investigation leaned towards
the bullet coming from a gun connected to
the city of Dallas, but the details of those findings
are not accessible to the media.
Davenport put two and two together and realized
he was going up against a behemoth. A city
that was possibly covering up illegal activity, perhaps
even entwined in somesort of drug underbelly.
All speculation, of course, but a bullet through a
window and a witness going up against the police
were not for the faint of heart. And, Dale, well, he
just wanted to run his car wash.
“At this point I was just angry. I am as angry now
as I was years ago when this happened,” said Davenport.
“But, I was ready to do what I had to do.”
Was it about the car wash? Or, was there something
else they wanted… like the land? Part 3 will
cover these questions as well as how Davenport
fought back.
This is the second in a four-part series that will appear
in Self Serve Car Wash News. In the next issue, Davenport’s
legal battles, as well as his rise to fame for taking
on the city, will be revealed.

SPRING 2023 • 41

OUT WITH THE OLD….
AND IN WITH
SOME
NEW
EQUIPMENT
How and where to find the money when
it is time to make improvements
By Bill Baker
Bill Baker is Senior Vice President at Coast Commercial
Credit, LLC, a firm specializing in financing for
the carwash industry. For more information on equipment
financing, you can reach him at 888-428-0995 or
BillB@CoastCC.com
When you’re in a business focused on cleanliness,
it’s important to make sure all of the equipment
is working properly, looks dependable and
will produce a shiny, clean vehicle via a wash that
is worth every customer’s hard-earned money.
Broken-down, weak or worn-out equipment can
be a red flag to a customer, or potential customer.
Also, with the prominence of online reviews that
42 • SPRING 2023
can contain photos, its important to make sure unsavory
images of your car wash are not online for
people to see. If you’re looking to improve your
car wash and think it is time to replace or add-on
equipment, the following is some advice on how
to fund such initiatives.
Why Add or
Replace Equipment
at a Self-Serve Car Wash?
Making the commitment to add or replace selfserve
equipment can influenced by several factors.
Keeping up with technology to provide the most
up-to-date options and functions, will create more
opportunities for customers to stay longer, which
will generate more revenue. Remember: Time
spent in the bay is crucial. Adding new equipment
can also help regain lost customers that have lost
confidence in your wash due to poor-performing,
or nonoperational equipment. New equipment
can help do battle with your competition. Some
examples of new self-serve additions can include:
3 Larger meter boxes with more
low-pressure functions
3 Bill acceptors and credit card readers
3 Handheld air dryers
3 Triple color foam, and
3 Glass front vendors

CV-A
Features
■ Fragramatics 1600 hr Turbo Motor
■ Poly or aluminum dome
■ Computer controlled timer
■ UV protected graphics
■ Filters – Four-bag system uses high performance,
synthetic filtration media with 15 sq. ft. filtration
area. Two easy-access service doors on rear
■ 2” dia. vac hose – high-flex, vinyl, crushable, 15 ft.
long. Includes cuff and polyethylene hand tool
■ ¼” x 25’ Wire braid or coil hose with inline gauge
Specifications
■ 1.25 HP ‘Big Dog’ high output compressor
■ Brushed Stainless Steel Tank and Main Cabinet
■ Coin acceptor – mechanical
■ Electrical - 120 V ac, 25 amps
■ Mounting - One internal and two external lugs
with security collars. Uses 3/8” bolts for secure
installation.
■ Tank Dimensions - 18.5”dia. x 42”h
■ Unit Weight - Net 145 lbs. Ship weight 185 lbs.
■ Ships in carton/pallet: 67”h x 32”w x 31”d
Options
■ Multi-coin acceptor
■ Lighted dome
■ Debris catcher
■ Dome colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue,
white
■ Hose colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue,
white, gray, black
fragramatics.com
3021 Midland Drive • Pine Bluff AR 71603
800-643-1574 • sales@fragramatics.com
SPRING 2023 • 43

OUT WITH THE OLD….
According to the National
Association of Secretaries of State:
Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filings allow creditors
to notify other creditors about a debtor’s assets used as
collateral for a secured transaction. UCC liens filed with
What is a UCC Filing?
Secretary of State offices act as a public notice by the
“creditor” of the creditor’s interest in the property.
Why Add or Replace
an In-Bay Automatic?
Nothing scares an unattended automatic customer
more than police tape, an out or order sign
or a pylon in the automatic lane.
There’s no way to accurately determine how
many customers may or will never come back
– unless you can calculate an average day’s revenue.
Replacing your automatic and/or pay station,
will not only restore customer confidence,
but will also allow you to add features that will
help compete with the express tunnels that are
popping up all over the world. Unlike a self serve
bay, customers also might fear getting stuck inside
of an in-bay, and we need to make sure they
know and can rely on your car wash’s equipment
so that that will never happen. In-Bay automatics
are now much faster and more efficient making
it easier to raise prices. Newer cashiers and pay
stations can help you market prepaid wash cards,
implement loyalty programs, and possibly offer
a monthly limited or unlimited plans. If you invest
in your business – you are investing in your
customers and they in turn will be more invested
with you and your car wash.
Is there an easy way to
finance equipment?
When it comes to acquiring equipment, equipment
leasing can be the quickest and easiest way
to get the equipment you need to properly operate
your car wash business and keep up with the
competition. Leasing offers advantages that buying
does not, including low monthly payments, which
are typically spread out over the course of months
or years, rather than delivered in a lump sum.
What is equipment
leasing?
Equipment leasing is a type of financing in
which the small business owner rents the equipment
rather than purchasing it. The equipment is
leased for a specific period of time (typically 3 to 7
years). Once the contract is up, the business owner
either renews the lease for an additional term,
does not renew the lease and returns the equipment
, or purchases the equipment (normally for
$1 or 10% of the original purchase price). In most
cases, car wash operators treat leasing just like a
loan. They pay for the equipment over the term
and then purchase it for a dollar at the end. With
leasing, the collateral is the equipment, and the
land is never attached.
Why lease equipment for your business?
• APP-ONLY TO $400,000
Standard bank loans require that the applicant
provide full financial disclosure. This can mean providing
business and personal tax returns from the
past two years, year-to-date business financial statements,
personal financial statements and more.
Equipment leasing is different. For qualified
candidates, getting approved can be as simple as
providing a single page credit application along
with some bank statements and a copy of the
equipment proposal. Borrowers can get approved
for equipment leases up to $400,000 with a single
page credit application!
• CONSERVE CAPITAL
Equipment leases generally require just one or two
payments at closing. On the other hand, bank loans
frequently require 20% to 30% down. Obviously,
buying equipment outright means you'll be paying
cash for the entire purchase price up front. The lower
down payment associated with leasing gives operators
the opportunity to conserve cash reserves and/or allocate
those resources to other projects.
• TIME IS MONEY
When equipment breaks beyond repair or just
needs to be replaced, waiting a couple weeks for
a bank to approve your loan can be devastating
and costly. Along with the lost revenue, it will cost
your future lost revenue as customers will go to another
car wash and you might lose them for good.
44 • SPRING 2023
Equipment leases can be approved in less than a
day and funded in just a couple days. Being approved
immediately allows operators the comfort
of knowing they can place the equipment order
now and get the replacement equipment quickly.
The expedited approval process associated with
equipment leasing can save both time and money.
• LESS COLLATERAL
When it comes to financing car wash equipment,
many traditional banks require additional
collateral for conventional loans. This can come
in the form of the business/personal real estate
or other assets. Equipment leases are normally secured
with just a UCC filing on the equipment
financed. Not having other personal or business assets
tied to the equipment financed is a significant
advantage to equipment leasing.
• FIXED VERSUS FLOATING
Equipment leases are fixed payments over a
specified term. Many conventional loans have
floating rates with the potential for variable payments.
Equipment leases give you the comfort of
knowing what you're going to pay and what to
budget for overhead.
• TAX SAVINGS
Acquiring equipment, whether leased, financed
or purchased outright can give the operator much
needed tax deductions. Most leases used in the
car wash market have a specified purchase option
at the end ($1 or 10% of the original equipment
cost). These are called capital leases. In most cases,
up to 100% of the cost of the equipment can be
written off in the first year with a capital lease. In
addition, the yearly interest paid is written off for
capital leases.
A lease with no stated purchase option or fair
market value purchase option is called an operating
lease. It is common to see 100% of the annual
payments deducted for income tax purposes when
a company has an operating lease.
• OFF BALANCE SHEET FINANCING
Operating leasing can be off balance sheet financing.
In most cases these leases do not have to
be listed as a long-term liability on a balance sheet.
Therefore, the appearance of lower leverage (less
debt) makes the financial statements appear to be
more attractive to lenders in the event you want to
secure other types of financing.
• EARLY PAYOFF
In general, leases are not intended to be paid
off early. Leasing is an agreement that commits
the lessee to make payments on equipment for a
certain time period. This can be an issue if you
are looking to flip a location. While leases can be
transferred in most cases, the new buyer will have
to be approved. If they don't qualify, the leasing
company may require the seller payoff the sum of
the payments due on the lease.

The Best for Your Success !
The Best for Your Success !
D&S Car Wash Supply
SPRING 2023 • 45

OUT WITH THE OLD….
What about getting a loan?
If you own a brand-new business, you may run
into some difficulty obtaining an equipment lease
for more than $30,000 to $50,000. In many cases,
this holds true even if you have a solid credit history
and an otherwise good financial track record. Leasing
companies like to limit exposure to new operators.
There can always be exceptions, but if you are a
new business owner and need an equipment lease
for more than $30,000 to $50,000, you may have
to pay more upfront to get the deal done. Due to
this, it might be worthwhile for you to pursue other
types of financing like an SBA equipment loan.
If possible, new operators should try to finance the
equipment needed with the initial funding used to
purchase the business. Business acquisition funding,
especially if real estate is involved, is going to
be your lowest cost of funds and longest terms.
Talk it out with your CPA
The final decision on whether equipment leasing
is right for you should be discussed with your
CPA and/or trusted financial advisor. There are
also lots of resources and experts available with
the Small Business Administration (sba.gov).
Equipment leasing can be a good tool for existing
car wash operators to get the equipment they
need quickly with limited financial disclosure, but
a loan might be better suited for those who are
new business owners.
Signs that it’s time
for a makeover!
Which car wash machine would you trust?
THIS ONE OR THIS ONE!
3 Is your competition upgrading
or replacing their equipment?
3 Are you going to car wash
conventions and checking out
what’s new?
3 How often are your bays “out of
order.”
3 Use your car wash in the role
of a customer—are you getting
your money’s worth?
Check your online reviews
to see if customers, or
ex-customers, are taking
photos, and/or making
fun of your old equipment.
46 • SPRING 2023

SPRING 2023 • 47

DARWIN at
the
CARWASH
The investment in security cameras pays off for carwash operators (and the readers of SSCWN) with these mostly
frustrating, sometimes funny -- and always cautionary -- stories of Darwins Caught on Camera. Images of these criminals and/or
their vehicles were given to police and the press. Many have been caught thanks to the prowess of security cameras.
I can think of about 7 other worthwhile
things this next criminal could
be doing with his time and energy,
that do not involve criminal activity.
• He could put on a production of Jesus
Christ Superstar at the local theatre.
• He could donate his luscious locks to Locks
of Love.
• With his massive tool collection he could
lend his skills to Habitat for Humanity.
• He could star in and build a set for a
production of Jesus Christ Superstar.
• He could play the lead singer in a Black
Crowes cover band.
• He could star in a biographical-type
documentary on the late, great George
Harrison.
• He could use his chiseling talents to make
paraphernalia related to his starring roles
in Jesus Christ Superstar and/or being the
lead singer of the Black Crowes, and sell
them on etsy.
Sadly, instead of any of those aforementioned
ideas, Jeffrey Burke, pictured here, decided to go
with the thievery route.
Burke, of Canfield, Ohio, was jailed after police
said a witness recorded him allegedly using power
tools to break into a car wash coin machine around
1 a.m. on February 22, according to 21 NBC.
“The neighbor began recording video on a
phone early Wednesday after hearing the sound of
a power tool inside the Whatawash car wash,” the
story said.
When police arrived at the car wash, they found
Burke in possession of a saw, grinder, hammer,
crowbar, bolt cutters, wire cutters, and a chisel.
According to the story, the car wash’s coin machine
was cut.
The owner of the business said he will have to
spend about $8,000 to repair the coin machine.
This story thoroughly confused me,
which is easy to do, but still ...
It looks as if footage from the Green & Clean
Car Wash in Midland, Texas, shows a woman letting
out a few happy pups out of a kennel in her
trunk. They are wagging their tails and seem to
want to be around her. Then the woman apparently
leaves the car wash without the dogs. Animal
Control is eventually called and caught the pups
who were in "poor health and needed medical
attention," according to a March 9 Midland Reporter-Telegram
story. The car wash’s surveillance
footage was shared on the local Crime Stoppers
Facebook page and the woman was identified. On
March 1, MPD was able to identify the woman as
Racheal May Barnes, 38. She was caught by police
and has been charged with cruelty to an animal by
abandoning, a class A Misdemeanor. When interviewed,
Barnes stated she was not from the area
and had picked up the dogs from Fort Stockton,
the story said. She claimed that she stopped at the
carwash to wash the car and call animal control.
However there is no evidence that she made the
call. Now, I have a few questions:
Why did she have a nice kennel in her trunk if
she wasn’t keeping the animals?
The puppies seemed pretty happy, so was she
the actual owner?
And why did she say she picked them up in
Fort Stockton? Why pick up animals and then
abandon them?
So many questions and all i have to say is:
Don’t do drugs, kids. Also, I’m not sure if this is at
all relevant, but I recently got a rescue dog from
Texas. Even though I live in New York state, she
was transported up to me, all thanks to the organization:
RT Rural Tank Animal Rescue. They are
always looking for foster pet-parents and adopters,
so visit www.ruraltank.org if you’re interested and
why do I feel like Bob Barker right now? Also, here
is a picture of my Texas dog, Maggie. And, this story
is going way off track, but hey, I will also make a
plea to help our four-legged friends, so forgive me.
48 • SPRING 2023

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SPRING 2023 • 49
nrcc-2023-9.5x13.indd 1
4/4/23 5:56 PM

I think Alanis Morrisette could have a follow-up to her 1996 smash hit, yet
confusing song, Ironic,
featuring this next story. Although, as one might
notice, it isn’t really irony at play and instead just
really, really bad luck, similar to having a black
fly in your chardonnay or a death row pardon ten
minutes too late.
In South Euclid, Ohio, a thief almost got away
with a heist if it weren’t for that crazy car wash line!
According to a February 15 WOIO story, police
arrested a man suspected of robbing an Ohio
grocery store after his alleged getaway car was
Seems like a whole lotta work
for a whole lotta nuttin’, I say.
In Willington County, Ontario, the
Wash and Shine Car Wash was attacked
numerous times, causing over $25,000
in damages, the Orangeville Banner reported.
Suspects tried to steal money
from the car wash three times back in
February. The car wash also has a coin
laundry on the premises.
According to car wash footage, a
U-Haul truck drove up to the car wash
on February 20. Two suspects reversed
a U-Haul truck in a self serve bay and
then used what appears to be a blowtorch
to burn open the coin machine.
They were unsuccessful. Then they
tried to do the same to one of the laundry
machine’s coin box.
“The investigation is ongoing,” said
Cst. Jacob Unger in the story. “Officers
are following up on leads and tips from
the public.”
Police posted a video of the suspects
on social media of the break-in.
trapped at a car wash. A manager at the nearby
Giant Eagle grocery store thought she saw a man
leaving with a shopping cart full of almost $500 in
stolen goods. She alerted the authorities and the
thief, along with a get-away driver, drove to a nearby
car wash, but it was apparently a busy day, as he
got trapped in the parking lot and couldn’t move.
It all was caught on the car wash’s security cameras.
Officials were able to catch up to the criminal
and make an arrest.
Doesn’t this next criminal know about
the adage of having someone realize
what they’ve lost once it’s gone?
Or, is it, “realizing what you once had… once
you’ve let it go”... Or something like that? Maybe
it is more like, don’t return to a place that dumped
your sorry pa-toot.
In Paducah, Kentucky, we have a man by the
name of Nathan P. Cruse, 27, who is accused of
breaking into a car wash back in February, according
to a WPSD story. Cruse was a former employee
of the car wash. Both Cruse, and 24-year-old
Matthew C. Harris, were caught on the car wash’s
surveillance footage. When the owner of the car
wash reviewed the footage, he said he recognized
Cruse. Both Cruse and Harris were arrested and
are awaiting sentencing. Which brings me to my
favorite adage: Get a job and get a life!
You don’t want your
%^$#%& furniture?
Well, guess what, this car wash owner doesn’t
want it either! In Evansville, Indiana, a pair were
caught on camera dumping a coach, a box spring
and some bicycles at the Weinbach Car Wash on
March 15, according to 44News. The manager of
the car wash, James Stinson, called the police, who
are “investigating” the incident and the story even
made it to primetime news.
"I have it happen from time to time... But not
a whole U-Haul truck load," Stinson tells 44News.
"Now that it's full I have no place to put my trash."
We hear you, James.
I wonder how it smells… in jail!
Two Saucon Valley residents have landed in hot
water after they allegedly broke into a car wash
vending machine and stole air fresheners, according
to an April 19 Saucon Valley News story.
The story said that 26-year-old Angel Luis-Rodriguez
Medina and a 17-year-old boy, were arrested
after surveillance footage from Saucon Valley
Auto Spa allegedly showed them breaking the
vending machine door; taking tire gel, windshield
and leather wipes, and air fresheners; and putting
them in a car parked in one of the bays on April
1. The surveillance footage captured the vehicle’s
registration information.ed as a juvenile.
50 • SPRING 2023

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A car wash was damaged
and robbed
in Kennewick, Washington, on March
19, according to a YAKTRINews.com
story. The suspects, one who looks
like a mix between Peter Brady and
Britney Spears’s first husband, Jason
Alexander, and the second, who looks
like Britney Spears’ second husband,
were caught on camera causing several
thousand dollars in damages
around 2:30 a.m.
The story said one of the men
used a sledge hammer and a crowbar
to break into a change machine while
the other suspect stayed near the getaway
vehicle. Don’t hit me, baby, no
more times, cried the car wash owner.
Just joking.
This next story isn’t necessarily a
crime… unless it’s a crime to scare a
person half to death… on purpose!
Back in April, a car wash worker got the fright of
his life when he opened a vehicle's trunk and found a
person tied and gagged and wearing only boxer shorts,
according to a WalesOnline story. But, thankfully, it
was all a prank. “Gary Stephenson [had] hatched a
plan to scare the new business next to his work and
roped in pal Chris Peacock to act as the bait,” the story
said. “Footage shows a car wash worker lifting the
boot of Gary's hatchback only for half-naked Chris to
roll out with a gag in his mouth and his wrists bound
together.” Nothing more funny than a possible kidnapping,
isn’t that right you crazy, Brits!? Also, I hope
a revenge plan is in the works…
Gary revealed the prank backfired when they forgot
to plan where Chris would run to once the trunk
was opened. So, alas, he was left standing half-naked
by the roadside for 10 minutes as motorists mocked
him, the story said. That’s what you get, pal!
The video of the incident was posted to TikTok
and has been viewed more than 1 million times. This
prank brings me to question what on earth has happened
to “nice” and “harmless” pranks that used to
take place? Like a flower on a lapel that squirts water,
or someone setting ahead all of the clocks? Don’t
even get me started on April Fool’s Day? That day has
gotten plain ol nasty and mean. My own son woke up
his father on April Fool’s Day by dumping a cup of
cold water on him at 7 in the morning. “April Fool’s!”
he shouted. I tried to tell him that, no, that was just
a mean thing to do and then I realized I probably
shouldn’t punish him or he’ll do something similar to
me… and that's messed up.
52 • SPRING 2023

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SPRING 2023 • 53

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56 • SPRING 2023