BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Coinciding with Costco Wholesale Corp.'s announced intentions to enter into the car-washing business, the nation's No. 2 wholesale club said it too is looking at growing car washes. A spokesperson at Sam's Club confirmed that the members-only arm of Wal-Mart is eyeing new locations that would feature both fueling islands and car washes.
It's definitely a value-add to our membership, Sam's Club spokesperson Olan James told CSP Daily News. We'll extend them based on the need of the communities we're in. It will be on a case-by-case [[image-nocss] basis].
James' comments come just weeks after Costco CEO Jim Sinegal told a Seattle newspaper that it plans to open its first car wash this spring at a Costco outlet in the greater Seattle market.
As for Sam's Club, three years after rolling out its first car wash, the retailer now runs nine such facilities (including in Phoenix, pictured), including both friction and nonfriction washes. While the company has not established a target on the number of washes to open annually, it does regard them as a niche opportunity that dovetails nicely with the pumps.
It's good for the customers, James said. You pump your gas, wash your vehicle and you're on your way.
[Learn more about Costco's and Sam's Club's car wash strategies in the March issue of CSP magazine.]
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