1 Year Anniversary! Not Bankrupt Yet!

I recently celebrated my first year in the business! One of the first things I did after we closed on the wash was increase prices to what I thought the market would bear. This was over the 4th of July weekend in 2021 and I was declaring independence from low prices, haha! I figured that if I doubled the prices and got half the business, I'd be ahead due to the lower costs associated with doing half the business. Turns out, we've had a 27% decrease in transactions but a 63% increase in sales. We lost some of the worst customers (you know what I mean) and have enjoyed building relationships with regulars. It's been a ton of work, and I'm very glad we got through the winter (lots of freezing weather and equipment issues) but I think we'll be ready this next time around. Anyways, just wanted to celebrate and give a shout out to all of the great folks on this forum that have offered advice and encouragement over the past year. This is such a great resource and I appreciate all of the members that freely give of their time to offer repair tips and other help!

Congratulations on a successful first year.

I think it's a good reminder that in small business many of us are so busy and focused all of the issues that we have to deal with, that we forget to celebrate what has been achieved.

All the best to you in the future.

Congratulations! It's nice once you get everything running the way you want and your equipment upgraded.

Good Job!

Being in the car wash business for only a year is still exciting, like being a newlywed being married for a year, it still exciting. Come back in a 5 years and tell us how much fun it is or isn’t. When I get a block or so away from the car wash I think “well what’s going to be screwed up or broken today” Sunday it was 5 large bags of household garbage that someone left next the to the garbage cans and the dogs got into them and spread it around the parking lot, Monday it was someone decided to steal the vac hoses off 4 of the vacuums, Tuesday it was someone tried to drill out the coin vault safe, Wednesday it was graffiti cleanup. It never ends, so far this year I’ve called the police 23 times, it’s a new record. Yes it’s still exciting.

Congratulations, thanks for sharing your experience.

Randy said:

Being in the car wash business for only a year is still exciting, like being a newlywed being married for a year, it still exciting. Come back in a 5 years and tell us how much fun it is or isn’t. When I get a block or so away from the car wash I think “well what’s going to be screwed up or broken today” Sunday it was 5 large bags of household garbage that someone left next the to the garbage cans and the dogs got into them and spread it around the parking lot, Monday it was someone decided to steal the vac hoses off 4 of the vacuums, Tuesday it was someone tried to drill out the coin vault safe, Wednesday it was graffiti cleanup. It never ends, so far this year I’ve called the police 23 times, it’s a new record. Yes it’s still exciting.

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That’s hilarious , every time I pull up to either site I’m always asking myself what’s broken / leaking today , how many nails are going to be in the bays etc etc etc ….calls the police on this guy spraying out his van w nails and carpet padding. I’ve never pressed charges but this will be the first. Court date November 2.
But to me this job is better than pushing papers !!!

Someone hosing out the back of their van wouldn’t get a second notice from us, it happens so often. Sunday morning we had 3 bays out of commission from truck bed washers, leaves, sheet rock debris, wood chips etc. It happens so often that we just clean it up and move on to the next car wash adventure. It does piss me off but we aren’t going to stay at the car wash 24/7 and police who can wash and who can’t. I just wish people would have a little more respect for someone else’s property. The last one I caught blowing out all the $hit in the back of his truck said “Why are you so upset it’s just a car wash” I had to walk away because I was about to kick his ass.

Randy said:

Someone hosing out the back of their van wouldn’t get a second notice from us, it happens so often. Sunday morning we had 3 bays out of commission from truck bed washers, leaves, sheet rock debris, wood chips etc. It happens so often that we just clean it up and move on to the next car wash adventure. It does piss me off but we aren’t going to stay at the car wash 24/7 and police who can wash and who can’t. I just wish people would have a little more respect for someone else’s property. The last one I caught blowing out all the $hit in the back of his truck said “Why are you so upset it’s just a car wash” I had to walk away because I was about to kick his ass.

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That’s what it boils down to, lack of respect. It’s happened so many times but this time for some reason got to me. I caught a guy not to long ago scrubbing his truck bed w the foam brush, he told me he was just loosing up the oil in there. The look of oh wow you’re right that will get on someone else’s car was Astonishing to me, that there are people that stupid. Im
Thankful for this forum because before I found it I felt like I was the only one dealing w the common issues.

Meridian, You are on the warm side of our state. We consider your area the banana belt compared to the cold in eastern Idaho. Your 5 to 10 degrees warmer winter temps makes a huge difference. Glad you are doing well. Keeping those prices up will help keep away the abusers and you will end up with more money in pocket.