21. Car Washes

Why are these sudsy roadside stops one of the fastest growing industries in America? Zachary Crockett takes a look under the hood.

RESOURCES:

• "Private Equity Wants to Wash Your Car," by Miriam Gottfried (The Wall Street Journal, 2022).
• "California Labor Commissioner Recovers $282,000 for Car Wash Wage Citations," State of California Department of Industrial Relations News Release (2022).
• "Sgt. Clean’s Future Shines Bright Thanks to Subscription Model, Strong Reputation," by Vince Guerrieri (Crain's Cleveland Business, 2018).
• "One California Drought Winner? The Local Car Wash," by Lauren Sommer (Marketplace, 2015).
• Sonny's CarWash College.

SOURCES:

• Brian Krusz, co-founder and director of growth & development at Sgt. Clean Car Wash.
• Eric Wulf, C.E.O. of the International Carwash Association.