virginia and atlanta

[chadrpalmer]

Just curious, anyone got any input on the markets for carwashing in virginia beach and atlanta georgia? While I'm asking, whats the cost of living in these two areas like? i.e. whats a gallon of gas today, and how much for a gallon of milk? thanks in advance for any input.

 

[Jim Caudill]

My daughter use to live in Hampton and Norfolk. I would think that the value of land, coupled with the property taxes, would probably exclude the use of land for a self-serve wash. The military has their own "on base" washes (IIRC) and that would tend to limit your market. I don't know how many tourists would want to wash their car during the summer season.

I'll ask my daughter when she gets home about the COL. I know most everything is somewhat higher. A decent 2bdrm apartment costs around $1000 per month in Hampton. Probably significantly higher in Va Beach proper.

 

[jfmoran]

Chad,

I live in Hampton and work in the car wash business in Newport News and Williamsburg. Housing market here is great if you are a buyer, sucks to be a seller (which I am right now). Gas here in the Hampton Roads area is about $3.50/gallon right now and going down, milk is over $4 a gallon. Va beach is a little further south from here, about 30 minutes. Not sure what the wash market is like there but we are struggling here. Our flex serve in Willamsburg is off about 10% in volume from last year after about 7 straight years of volume growth, our express exterior in Newport News (converted from 20 years of full serve) is up about 10% over last year, but no where near the volume we need it to produce.
My guess based on your question is that you are looking at Car Spa as an employer, don't know much about them, visited their wash in Va beach a couple of times and came way very unimpressed (facilities not included).

This area of the country is highly dependent on the military. Va beach is losing Oceana Air force Base (probably will take several years). Va beach is a by far the biggest city down here with about 1 million in population (I believe). Auto Bell has four washes in this area with I think one in VA beach.

Couldn't tell you anything about Atlanta other than I had a cousin who lived there who couldn't wait to leave and it has been a mecca for express exteriors with some hitting a home run and others wishing they had invested their millions else where.

John Moran

 

[chadrpalmer]

youre a pretty good guesser...yup looking into working for them...what was "unimpressive" to you...cost of living is a little cheaper there, it looks like, then where im at right now...ive got a pretty good thing going on where im at, my wife and i are not super adventurous, so this is all a bit intimidating to us....but ive hit a ceiling here, only way to go further for me is to go corporate, or ownership, and we are simply not in an ownership position right now...any advice from the vets out there as to what they would do in our shoes?

 

[addicted2cleancars]

Autobell is growing in both markets.

 

[jfmoran]

youre a pretty good guesser...yup looking into working for them...what was "unimpressive" to you...cost of living is a little cheaper there, it looks like, then where im at right now...ive got a pretty good thing going on where im at, my wife and i are not super adventurous, so this is all a bit intimidating to us....but ive hit a ceiling here, only way to go further for me is to go corporate, or ownership, and we are simply not in an ownership position right now...any advice from the vets out there as to what they would do in our shoes?

Hey Chad,

Not to discourage you because I know very little about Car Spa, but I once upon a time had a good thing going at a single location and wanted more so I went "corporate" for bigger and better things. That move brought me to Mace as a Regional Trainer, that move lasted 6 months when I left in disgust at how badly a $50 Million company could be run. Secondly, I moved my family to Virginia 3 years ago for a great opportunity in the car wash business (Not with Car Spa). Currently, my house is for sale and when I can sell it (it's been almost 8 months now) I am moving back to PA where I will start my own business. I feel where you are coming from because I have been on the same journey for the past 10 years. If you decide to make this move do your due diligence and check them out as much as they check you out. I've seen Car Spa's adds and on paper it sounds great, but so have many of the opportunities that I have taken or been offered in the past 10 years. When I went to work for Mace I got stock options as a sign on bonus (bonus for taking less salary than I was worth). I promptly watched the stock tumble over the next 6 months, never to recover. They were worthless.

Good Luck,

John Moran