| There is a continual trend we are seeing | | | | North and West higher end your city has |
| which I can remember participating in over a | | | | interesting trends not normally seen with the |
| decade ago, when cities were trying to figure | | | | middle class center, probably due to the East |
| out how to increase sales tax revenues when | | | | Windsor area thus it is growing North West |
| the large box stores outside of town came | | | | while the west side of freeway has remained |
| into nearby or surrounding areas. For | | | | the older area. But I cannot tell for sure |
| instance a big and easy example would be | | | | without spending much time. Typically an area |
| Wal-Mart. Sam was smart and built his stores | | | | with a regional type mall if it has thee Old |
| just outside of town near towns, which drew | | | | Navy Type stores which go in next to each |
| from neighboring towns of 5,000 or more from | | | | other are trendy places of spending consumers |
| three to five directions. If you look at an | | | | that is good, but also need to be cognizant |
| over lay of Wal-Mart stores to an atlas of | | | | of the need to be by or near Happy Meal |
| that state you will see the rural America can | | | | Station, or other QSRs. This is well |
| get anything they need at the best price | | | | documented in the annals of car washing |
| without driving all that far.Unfortunately | | | | guru's best advice and written articles. By |
| that awesome distribution system that Sam | | | | putting the car wash near that off ramp you |
| designed which accounts for nearly 12% of all | | | | will not cut yourself off from your 10-mile |
| retail sales in America today also made it | | | | radius sphere of influence where 80% of your |
| tough for less efficient small town business | | | | customers will be coming from. now realize |
| owners on Main Street USA to compete. Since | | | | that those town homes or multi-family units, |
| then many small towns have found a way to | | | | apartments that were built for the city to |
| bring back and revitalize there towns. It is | | | | take advantage of matching Federal funds for |
| estimated that with 5-10 million most towns | | | | low income housing years past will be a |
| can totally revitalize their down town | | | | significant base not to mention the up the |
| sectors and that maybe about the same amount | | | | street Golf Course crowd. Like the Viking |
| of fees and permits to build the Wal-Mart in | | | | customers you will be paying through the nose |
| the first place. Since 1980 an estimated 19 | | | | for property, sewer hook-ups and hidden fees |
| billion dollars has been spent on such | | | | (taxes) and you will feel like Popeye the |
| revitalization of down towns and made them a | | | | sailor by the time your all through and want |
| place to meet, shop, hang out and go.Just | | | | to through some tea into your reclaim pit. So |
| like the song "Down Town, everything's great | | | | before you decide to put in a car wash in a |
| when you're downtown" great song and that is | | | | town like Windsor or buy a piece of property, |
| the goal. It is a feeling, a place to be, a | | | | you should look at the layout of the town, |
| destination location. And it has just about | | | | determine where they filters or nets of |
| everything you could want, that is everything | | | | wealth or money flow is going.If the down |
| you cannot find at the mall or at Wal-Mart. | | | | town is going to be revitalized a car wash |
| Sure many of the typical stores have gone | | | | some where between both or a detail shop in |
| out. Such as the stationary stores, photo | | | | the down town with a hand wash valet parking |
| developing, pharmacy, video rentals, sports | | | | or just good old fashion look will put your |
| equipment, auto parts, grocery, pet stores, | | | | business at the top of the food chain with |
| etc. But you can shop for antiques, something | | | | the local founding families of the town and |
| to eat, a movie, used books, lots of items | | | | the powers to be of that fiefdom. Whatever |
| that work well in that setting and many types | | | | you do it is important to do it right and to |
| of businesses, which cater towards those | | | | do well, or just don't do it. Regarding the |
| types of atmospheres. Such as Starbucks, | | | | question of car washes as a business in CA. |
| certain food places and small mom and pop | | | | Yes it is viable, but more money is made |
| shops, florists, gifts, specialty, | | | | building up car washes and selling them in CA |
| entertainment/liquor establishments, | | | | than in running them. The IRS likes to audit |
| restaurants. If you look at cities like | | | | them a lot. Car Washes being a cash business |
| Pittsburgh for example you will see a | | | | by nature tend to hit all the red buttons. |
| well-served and thriving downtown area. In | | | | With the Tax cut and $100,000 immediate |
| other cities you see a combo mix and made up | | | | expensing it is a worthy endeavor, but risky |
| facade downtown of tilt-ups prefab buildings, | | | | too. been in the industry 27 years washing |
| I can think of many like the Limited Groups | | | | stuff, I have to agree with much of the |
| Downtown area in North Columbus OH and it is | | | | thinkin gof this gentleman with regards to |
| hopping with people and spending. A place to | | | | downtown areas and possible car wash |
| go, and it works.But many so many smaller | | | | locations. is also good people and will take |
| towns have done well to rebuild the downtown | | | | care of your needs. Investing in a car wash |
| areas where for lease and out of business | | | | especially in CA with the real-estate prices |
| signs abound. Why? Well all money made in | | | | is a difficult match to the intended ROI. But |
| town leaves town, it does not stay to re | | | | if planned properly with the proper location, |
| circulate. Just like those who get a paycheck | | | | it is a good business, once all the delays |
| in the big city have moved to the suburbs and | | | | are done and the city approves it. The city |
| therefore the subs get the first use of that | | | | planner of this particular city went to Chico |
| flow of money. Why? Well city planners in the | | | | State and is probably laid back so he maybe |
| subs attract through incentives car | | | | easier to deal with than the ultimate |
| dealerships and other such businesses and put | | | | planning commission or all the yuppie liberal |
| them on the main roads surrounding the | | | | cream cake granolas which come out of the |
| residential areas of single family dwellings | | | | woodwork in their 1969 Volvos with leaky |
| and then allow multi-family town homes, | | | | rings spewing Carbon Monoxide smoke and |
| apartments, etc on the same main | | | | proclaiming themselves the environments last |
| thoroughfares, one city I recently reviewed | | | | chance, all the while spreading the Redwood |
| in CA had done exactly that. These areas of | | | | tree pathogen all around the forest each day |
| businesses surrounding the residential areas | | | | as they go for nature walks and chain |
| serve as a net to trap the money from leaving | | | | themselves to trees when the forest service |
| their area. Well the downtown revitalization | | | | is attempting to allow thinning as to not |
| tries to do the same thing, attract people | | | | burn down the entire forest with 120 tons of |
| into the area to hang out and enjoy | | | | debris and dead wood fuel per acre. Heck I |
| themselves and thus have time to spend their | | | | could go on all night. Once opened toe the |
| money.If you look at this city Windsor CA you | | | | line and stay totally politically and |
| can see some of our observations: Now then | | | | non-profit group active, but keeping piece |
| some might think people in CA are all a bunch | | | | near paradise is not easy. They will claim |
| of Hippie Dippies. Such as the Cheech and | | | | noise pollution, water pollution, air |
| Chong Comedy team, but as a whole People in | | | | pollution, toxic chemicals, none of which is |
| CA are generally smarter than most due to | | | | true. The demographics are right provided |
| oxygen level as most live near or around sea | | | | there are less than two other car washes |
| level. Better weather makes year round | | | | which are full service within 7-8 miles of |
| activities and human interaction easier and | | | | your wash, having a more convenient location |
| therefore more is learned both academically, | | | | will net you the soccer moms if you choose |
| physically, observationally and literally. So | | | | full serve. If you are self serve probably |
| it is not much different than a city in Mass, | | | | across the freeway where land is cheaper |
| NJ, VA, but with more ideal weather. The town | | | | since those self serve bays are only good for |
| of Windsor is an okay town. We have no | | | | $1300 per month gross or so?With that |
| problem with it. Some of everything there. | | | | explanation told on this subject of location |
| Protectionism and good ole boy networking | | | | based businesses, you have to ask yourself |
| alive and well, this can be to your advantage | | | | which business models are viable for a down |
| by working the system a little and being in | | | | town sector to really thrive and attract even |
| the right non-profit groups. It is doable. | | | | more people. This example goes into depth of |
| But it is not worth the headaches for our | | | | the kind of thinking that needs to be thought |
| company to participate in anyway due to the | | | | of when setting up a downtown revitalization |
| CA mentality on business. These good ole boy | | | | project, but with each type of business |
| networks want to make money in their downtown | | | | model. For instance ask any developer of |
| businesses but do not often allow the | | | | property manager of strip malls of retail |
| progress to revitalization until which time | | | | large income property and they will tell you |
| they get off their butts and visit a town | | | | the types of anchor tenants needed to make |
| which has revitalized their down town, then | | | | the center survive or strip center. What |
| they immediately go and join the Main Street | | | | types of business and specifically which |
| Program which currently has nearly 1800 | | | | businesses, such as Kinko's, Starbucks, |
| communities which participate in it and they | | | | Blockbuster, etc. And the types usually |
| are really learning a lot from each other, as | | | | preferring franchise businesses such as Juice |
| to what works and what does not.I recently | | | | Stores, Haircut, tanning, insurance, real |
| visited Franklin TN where the downtown was | | | | estate, etc. It is important to understand |
| cooking along as a matter of fact you could | | | | the mall and the traffic without going over |
| smell the aroma from nearby restaurants, see | | | | board, recently I saw a delightful strip |
| a movie, get a beer or your favorite | | | | center in a perfect location in Red Bluff, |
| rendition of a Latte. If this is your dream | | | | CA, right on a busy intersection across the |
| to put in a car wash near downtown go for it. | | | | street from Wal-Mart, none of the businesses |
| But watch out for the traps. | | | | moving in could ever compete with Wal-Mart |
| Environmentalists who do not understand the | | | | and they did not have to. Across from Burger |
| cleanliness of the industry or water usage. | | | | King sat a Starbucks as the strip malls |
| Underground tank rules with regards to fuel | | | | anchor tenant. The center was good, but |
| or reclaim tanks. Labor issues if you do more | | | | probably the coffee place was too well placed |
| than coin-op, automatic. Full serves are | | | | and even with a drive through would drive too |
| loved by customers if excellent quality | | | | much traffic into that strip center for |
| prevails there, but a crew that has part time | | | | parking. Parking in downtowns is equally as |
| drug users can ruin your business quickly. | | | | important. Building downtowns is always a |
| Labor will be an issue. Regarding a location | | | | tough one in convincing the older thriving |
| in the town of Windsor as this study samples | | | | businesses that street improvements, |
| example: the orange areas which would mean | | | | construction and general obstructions are |
| that it is zoned service area, least amount | | | | necessary to do it. Long term it is great, |
| of issues with planning commission and | | | | but short term it is an issue, construction |
| easiest to get passed easily. Also near the | | | | out front will kill you.If you look at the |
| mid center off ramp. Near the Retail Center, | | | | highend areas of Naples Fl, Palm Desert CA, |
| looks like a regional mall, near there is | | | | Scottsdale AZ, you see some great work at |
| best on main road, but have to find an open | | | | total revitalization. But the old funky look |
| location with no center medians. Looks like | | | | of Key West FL, Manhattan Beach CA, |
| traffic issues there, notice the FWY | | | | Montpellier Vt. you see they also work well. |
| interchange signaled intersections. It is not | | | | If you happen to go to GA and visit a little |
| near downtown at all but would serve a small | | | | town 15 miles south of Statesboro, GA you |
| business owner better than a downtown | | | | will see it is the Fruit Cake Capital of the |
| revitalized area. A detail shop would be a | | | | World and actually no where near San |
| better use of a closed down town area gas | | | | Francisco. A revitalization project must tke |
| station, fixed up real nice. I have seen | | | | into consideration the natural flavor, in |
| plenty in FL, GA, SC, AL, TN but also in Gold | | | | this case fruit. Every town is know for |
| Rush Towns of CA, in the rural towns of north | | | | something. This is of value. Oxnard CA, |
| Washington state. Also your volume will come | | | | strawberry Capital. Bozeman MT Sweet Pea |
| from a 10-mile radius, and you would be | | | | Festival, heck recently we were in Sheridan |
| better served in the Suburban area near box | | | | WY for the Hoops Festival. But we have also |
| stores, QSRs and strip malls. The | | | | been to the avocado festival, wine festival |
| demographics are good where in Windsor, lots | | | | all in CA, Raspberry Festival in UT and |
| of Bay Area rich refugees who bought right | | | | Tamale Festival in El Centro near the Mexican |
| and modified their town. Took an existing | | | | Border. There is always a need for a local |
| town and developed the hell out of it, | | | | celebration to draw from miles. Renaissance |
| driving up property values and still a | | | | Fairs, October fest, even the Forth of July |
| revitalized down town would draw them in and | | | | Extravaganza. You have to make it happen with |
| with their money they would spend.In Windsor, | | | | the locals and draw from everywhere, parades. |
| CA, if you end up North West side where all | | | | I have had the good fortune of planning these |
| the orange is there could be issues with | | | | events, participating in them and bringing in |
| visibility and you could be cut off by | | | | dollars. So far in America at last count the |
| C-Stores with rollovers, car wash for $3.99 | | | | cities which have revitalized themselves have |
| with fill up. But the middle to upper middle | | | | refurbished 90,000 buildings, sounds similar |
| will not take their SUVs through there thus | | | | to what we are doing thanks to really great |
| you advantage. Buying an existing car wash | | | | and faithful American corporations in the |
| might be a better play, but car washes go out | | | | Open Markets of the cities of Afghanistan and |
| of business for a reason, it is not always | | | | streets and market areas of Baghdad. For more |
| poor service. It could be location issues. | | | | information on providing jobs and money flow |
| Generally a combination. Towns tend to grow | | | | locally in a town near you check it out. |