If you’re planning on starting your own car wash business, one factor will decide whether you make it or break it in the industry—location. Yes, location is everything in a car wash business. In fact, when setting up the business, you’re more likely to spend a significant amount of time researching possible locations than any other form of preparation. Location goes beyond just the physical address, as there are other considerations in relation to the location that needs to be looked at during your search. If you want to choose the perfect place to install your car wash equipment, here’s what you need to look for:
Traffic Count
In general, a car wash is still generally an impulse purchase, which means you need to put your place of business where it gets the most exposure to potential customers. Traffic counts, so make sure you find a location with the greatest amount of passing traffic. Areas that are near government offices, highways, business centers, shopping malls are some examples of good areas to start a car wash.
However, a busy road doesn’t always mean it’s the best option. You should also consider the speed of traffic that goes in front of your establishment. Slower traffic is preferred as customers can just as easily pull in and go directly to your car wash. Highways with two or more lanes will also work as they give drivers enough space to maneuver around and pull over.
Demographics
Now, demographics are a huge factor to consider, but it also depends on what type of car wash you plan to build. If you’re going for a high-end car wash, consider wealthier middle-class areas. Likewise, a denser local population offers a large customer base than a more sparsely populated area. You don’t want to invest in building a car wash in the middle of a ghost town where only five people own a vehicle. Aim for those areas with a large population and are known to be inhabited by people with a steady source of income.
Competition
Of course, like any other business venture, you need to know who your competitors are and how they will affect your business. Evidently, the worst-case scenario is building a self-service car wash and sharing a street with your local competition. Instead, look for an area where there is little to no competition within a good distance. Finding a place where other local car wash options underserve their customers means you don’t have to split your customer base with another major car wash site.
Local Attractions and Partners
Of course, even when you find a good area to put your car wash, you have to consider the possibility that it won’t always be that way after a few years. Different areas will rise and fall in popularity and profitability, so it’s in your best interest to be prepared for these shifts before they even happen. One of the best strategies to avoid this is to find an area where you’re surrounded by fellow establishments like shopping malls and town centers that have been there for a long time and will stay there for the foreseeable future. These areas tend to retain their property value, have higher traffic counts and have a lot of potential business opportunities.
Conclusion
Choosing a location for your car wash requires extensive research and consideration. Hopefully, these tips will provide you with the knowledge you need to find the right location to ensure your business’s growth.
Complete Car Wash Solutions is always at your service when it comes to building quality car wash facilities. With over 40 years of experience in the industry, our team has been delivering world-class car wash solutions to our clients across the industry. If you’re looking for highly skilled and dependable car wash builders, CCW Solutions is here to help. Contact us today to get started!
