Anyone who lives in Loudoun County and owns a car knows that the car wash scene has seen some major changes in the past few years.
Flagship Carwash built the largest indoor car wash in the United States across the street from One Loudoun in Ashburn. They also purchased many car wash locations around Loudoun and Northern Virginia and brought them under the Flagship brand.
One of those car washes was the Leesburg Station car wash on Catoctin Circle SE. It was owned for nearly two decades by the local Magazzine family. Since that time, Ryan Magazzine hasn’t left the industry. Instead, he built a new express model car wash in Manassas only to sell that one too. Now, he’s building another one in Sterling with plans to open it in 2024 and then — very likely build more.
The Burn spoke with Magazzine, a Leesburg resident, about everything going on in the industry and his plans to launch a new brand of his own. Here are excerpts from our conversation.
Q: The car wash scene in Loudoun and Northern Virginia has gotten really interesting in the past couple of years.
“The entire country is seeing a car wash boom. I would say the express model — quick service with vacuums and towels for customers to use with a monthly subscription— accounts for around 90 percent of new car wash development. Everyone is in such a hurry these days and it has become a proven model.”
Q: You sold your longtime Leesburg car wash to the Flagship Carwash brand. What precipitated that?
“There’s a lot of private equity in the car wash industry now and a lot of chains coming into the market. My father and I ran the Leesburg Station Wash for 18 years and really enjoyed it but there was significant interest by various private equity firms to acquire the car wash — a lot of groups wanted to purchase it.
Q: And Flagship came calling?
“Flagship has been around for a long time, and we were always friendly competitors. We each stayed in our lane. But then they came into the Loudoun market and bought up three Ashburn-area car washes and they built that large one at One Loudoun and they made an offer and we thought maybe it was the right time to exit to allow me to focus on a new model.
Q: Tell us about the Station Auto Wash Express that you are planning to build at the Guilford Station development in Sterling. You built one in Manassas already and then sold that to Flagship as well.
“The express model is really popular and customers love the membership plans and quick service. I went around the country and visited a bunch of different operators and then came up with a unique design I was really excited about. I found an awesome piece of property in Manassas and construction was underway. And then multiple groups wanted to buy it just prior to opening the store. Flagship made an offer that was very attractive, so I ended up selling it. It wasn’t planned.”
Q: And now you’re going to build the same Station Auto Wash Express model in Sterling?
“I received a ton of emails and comments from my website from previous customers that said they would love to have me back in Loudoun County. It feels really good to have individuals remember the service we provided. We won Best of Loudoun 17 times in a row. I like serving Loudoun. Our roots are here. I live in Leesburg. So, I am really excited about the Guilford Station site and bringing a locally owned and operated business back to Loudoun County.”
Q: Why do you believe it’s a good spot?
“They are putting in a Dairy Queen and a Goodwill store in addition to the 7 Eleven, The Human Bean coffee shop, and Enterprise Rental car. Customers can grab a cup of coffee, fill their cars up with gas, grab lunch and get a car wash in one convenient location. I feel like the area is really growing. The traffic count is good, and the visibility is fantastic. The area is booming, and I feel like I can provide a service that customers want. We will have 28 vacuum stations — the most of any single site in the area. In addition the location will have a 150-foot wash tunnel with a flat belt conveyor and the latest technology available in the industry.”
Q: You’re not planning on offering all the interior cleaning and detailing that your former Leesburg location offered. Are you worried your customers will miss that?
“The full-service model is extremely difficult to run just with the labor. We would have 45-50 individuals working on a Saturday. And it’s not where the industry is headed. The industry is headed towards the membership-based express model and there are many new brands that are coming into the market. My guess is that the car wash industry locally and regionally will look a lot different in five years than it does today.”
Q: So how will you set your new operation apart?
“As an individual operator, I can bring some elements that some of the larger groups are missing. It’s exciting to look at new technologies — new chemicals that are being released — ceramic applications are the latest — that really work with the shine and help protect the car. There are some add-on services that can enhance the customer experience to distinguish my operation and I’m currently researching those.”
Q: Your former Leesburg location was known for its customer service. Can you maintain that in an express model?
“Absolutely. When you get your car washed, it should be a “feel good” experience. It feels good to get your car washed on a sunny day. We want people to feel they are leaving with an amazing value after a great visit — that is what I want to focus on.”