Car Wash Update

tufsu1 · May 31, 2011, 10:43:03 AM

Quote from: Bativac on May 31, 2011, 08:25:18 AM
What kind of signage does the car wash have?

a pretty decent sized sign right on Main Street...plus some flags and landscaping adjacent to the sidewalk.

as to the rest of the banter...this thread was not started to discuss SPAR...just to encourage folks to frequent the car wash!

Bativac · May 31, 2011, 10:51:17 AM

It can't be a great time to own a carwash right now. It's dry out and cars are only getting a little dusty. Plus, money is tight and I would think a full service car wash is one of those luxury items that is the first to go when you have to choose between luxuries and groceries. The fact that this place is in the middle of a stretch of Main St that (to quote Egon Spengler) is like a demilitarized zone doesn't help any.

Still, I hope the business surivives and flourishes.

Debbie Thompson · May 31, 2011, 12:37:07 PM

$6 for 6 minutes. Pretty good price for a car wash if you don't want to do it yourself.

Ralph W · May 31, 2011, 01:48:55 PM

I realize that people have to make money from their businesses but, aside from the lack of dirt on cars, there are competitive factors that should be recognized.

A self service car wash on Atlantic west of Southside charges $3.00 for the wash and the vacuum cleaner stations are free. I also think that not far from that business is one that charges $4.00

tufsu1 · May 31, 2011, 02:16:10 PM

Main St car wash also allows folks to use the vacuum free of charge on the drive-thru washes

iloveionia · May 31, 2011, 02:30:40 PM

The car wash can not survive on the neighborhood alone. Mr. Silas spoke once or twice about having car shows there. From a business perspective it will take more than just visibility and a decent price, he needs a bigger draw like the car shows he talked about.

Additionally, I disagree tufsu1 about the lack of life on Main hurting his business. It does hurt. The blight and abandonment hurt. While I feel very safe in Springfield, there are plenty of people who don't (those that live outside of Springfield,) and I am certain that with not much around the carwash, some folks would be scared to go get a wash and wait. 6 minutes is an awfully long time in a dangerous neighborhood. And, yup, Springfield is still perceived as a dangerous neighborhood. WE know better, but. . . . .

Debbie Thompson · May 31, 2011, 11:08:25 PM

Even if it's not perceived that way, no one who works downtown would bother to come. They'd go where they live. Ditto the folks in Metro North, Riverside, etc. They will frequent car washes near their homes. Unfortunate, but true. Doubtless, that's why it closed the first time. :-(

hooplady · June 02, 2011, 09:35:01 PM

Location, location, location. It's most convenient when heading south on Main, which is more likely when people are headed for offices downtown, and they don't have time in the morning. Is he open on Sunday? He should go for the after-church crowd. We have a lot of congregations who draw from outside the immediate neighborhood. Heck, he should apply to BE a church, that's mostly what we have on Main these days. The Most Holy Church of the Spotless Wash.

danno · June 03, 2011, 07:52:36 AM

They are open 7 days a week.

Debbie Thompson · June 03, 2011, 12:51:22 PM

Hooplady, you crack me up. I almost spit soda on the keyboard at the church line.

Unfortunately, I don't know too many people traveling Main Street going south in the morning either. When I take Main at 7:30, during rush hour, I'm usually one of maybe three or four cars on it. Ditto coming home...same thing. Many years ago, when I did a short stint at St Lukes on Boulevard, Main Street used to be jammed during rush hours...even with I-95 already open. Not any more.

Miss Fixit · June 03, 2011, 05:07:43 PM

SAMBA - the Springfield Area Merchants and Business Association - will host a cookout at the Main Street Car Wash on Saturday, June 11th.

We'll be grilling hot dogs and hamburgers and serving complimentary lunch to Car Wash customers and SAMBA members from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Please come out and support this new Springfield business! Car washes are still only $6, and Silas has donated several certificates for future FREE car washes (including some of his more expensive services) that we'll be giving away during the event.

peestandingup · June 03, 2011, 08:29:35 PM

Im sure its a fine carwash with a fine owner. But Main is just totally "bombed out" looking still. Plus, the business is tucked away almost out of sight from passers by. And since they decided to make Main into a 4 lane highway artery (brilliant idea for a "main street" BTW), it just makes all of those matters worse ("nothing to see here, honey. just keep driving until we're out of it & back in civilization"). You laugh, but Im sure thats what a ton of people think.

Main's in a weird way right now. It suffered greatly from the artificial bubble over there & the current building owners are insane & still keeping their prices high (or just letting their buildings rot). I dont see any decent legitimate business doing well on that street until a lot of these problems are addressed.

Which BTW is really what SPAR & everyone else here should be discussing. I remember that mile long thread about the carwash on here that was just a lot of bickering over basically nothing. Perspective, people.

Non-RedNeck Westsider · June 03, 2011, 08:58:54 PM

Well tell Silas that one of the vehicles that wen't through today was from the westside thanks to Metrojax. $10 for a wash and dry, including tip isn't bad. I can't bring myself to drive Mrs. NRWs car through because that would ruin my whole sunday, but he'll get the opportunity to wash mine every other week.

tufsu1 · June 03, 2011, 10:07:59 PM

Quote from: peestandingup on June 03, 2011, 08:29:35 PM
Im sure its a fine carwash with a fine owner. But Main is just totally "bombed out" looking still.

stop making excuses and just support the business...then, if you have a good experience (like I have), tell all your friends!

peestandingup · June 03, 2011, 11:22:47 PM

Quote from: tufsu1 on June 03, 2011, 10:07:59 PM
Quote from: peestandingup on June 03, 2011, 08:29:35 PM
Im sure its a fine carwash with a fine owner. But Main is just totally "bombed out" looking still.

stop making excuses and just support the business...then, if you have a good experience (like I have), tell all your friends!

You & I could tell 1000 people & that still wouldn't solve the major underlying problems. So solve that if you want this district to do well. If not, then watch as the infrastructure continues to crumble, more vacancies go unattended & businesses who take a chance open then end up closing a few months later. Simple as that really. So do you have any real solutions??

And I support plenty of businesses over there, thanks. My family makes it a point to drive our happy asses to Springfield (out from suburban hell) just to support them.