Former In-Bay Car Wash Properties That Have Been Repurposed For Adaptive Reuse
Several shuttered in-bay car wash properties have been converted into new uses like coffee shops, food halls, cafes -- and even art galleries and cannabis shops
It seems like new build express car wash properties are popping up everywhere.
Car wash software firm DRB estimates that close to 700 new express conveyor wash sites opened for business in 2024 alone.
Plus the number of automatic and express conveyor washes is on pace to double over the next five years and comprise roughly 1/2 of all U.S. car wash units.
But the rapid growth of express conveyor car washes is rendering many older self-service in-bay wash units obsolete.
At least for use as a car wash.
Some of these shuttered car wash units have been repurposed into unique and creative adaptive reuses.
As coffee shops, food halls, cafes—and even art galleries and cannabis shops.
From Car Wash To Coffee Shop
The former Texas Pride Car Wash in Ft Worth, Texas closed several years ago.
Its seven-bay car wash building remained vacant for quite awhile.
Until three area bar and restaurant owners transformed the property into the Townes Quality Grinds coffee shop.
The small former office area of the former car wash was converted into a full kitchen that prepares hot food items that are served all day.
One car wash bay was repurposed as a drive thru lane while several of the other bays were enclosed to offer interior seating.
Garage doors were even added to create an indoor-outdoor setting on nice weather days.
A Car Wash Remade As a “Micro” Food Hall
While Townes Quality Grinds in Fort Worth provides coffee and light fare, a former in-bay car wash in East Nashville has been repurposed as a “micro” food hall.
Now known as The Wash, each of the six bays of the former car wash have been converted into kitchens for different food concepts.
Although The Wash has limited parking and does not offer any indoor dining areas, the restaurants have walk up counters and share a patio with tables, chairs and benches.
A Peruvian restaurant is set up in Bay 1, Cuban carryout is available in Bay 2, Bay 3 offers Thai takeout, Bay 4 features Mexican cuisine and Bay 5 serves Pho.
As for Bay 6?
It is a cocktail bar.
The Former Arkansas Car Wash That Is Now A “Hip and Chic” Cafe
The Hip Café in Fayetteville, Arkansas repurposed a former four-bay self serve car wash.
The proprietors of the locally owned restaurant converted the former office area to a kitchen and dining area.
And they re-used the former car wash bays for not only a drive thru lane but also as outdoor covered patio seating.
Other Unique Car Wash Adaptive Reuses
In-bay car wash adaptive reuse has not been limited to coffee shops and cafes.
There have also been other unique repurposes of former car wash units.
Like a former in-bay car wash in Gahanna, Ohio that is now used as an art space and mural gallery.
Or the repurpose of an in-bay and tunnel car wash in the ~500 person town of Barryton, Michigan as the M66 Cannabis shop.
The tunnel area of former car wash was repurposed as a drive thru pickup lane while the bays were enclosed and are now used as offices and retail display areas.
The “Integrated” Adaptive Reuse
Of course sometimes a shuttered car wash bay was ancillary to a property’s core use.
So a complete redevelopment was not necessary—just another use for the former car wash space.
Like at Dee’s Super Service, a fourth generation, family owned gas station/auto repair shop/grocery store near the Bear Lake recreation area in rural Northern Utah.
The multipurpose property—which has been in business since 1945—also features a car wash bay that is attached to the main building.
Though it has not been used as a car wash for quite some time.
Dee’s Super Service did find a creative way to repurpose the space, however:
It converted the wash bay into a seasonal ice cream shop.
And branded it as The Car Wash Ice Cream shop.
