KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Recent winter storms and rain may have been an inconvenience to some, but for one sector of the population, they see it as a business opportunity.
Car washes in the area were jam-packed on Sunday with drivers dusting off remnants of winter and bringing back the spring shine.
“Just enjoying the weather. It’s a great day to come out and get your car washed,” said customer Dangelo Hicks. “It had a lot of salt, and I got a black automobile, so it was sort of gray instead of black.”
For customer Karen Stephenson, she was waiting for clear skies before pulling the trigger. And after three days, she felt Sunday was as good a day as any.
“Mother Nature will do what she wants to do. It can be raining one day, then snowing the next and then 70 degrees,” Stephenson said.
A few miles away at Car Wash 103 on Main Street, owner Donna Messina is making the most of the spring months. She says extra preparation goes into March and April, and then again in September, October and November.
“Especially the chemicals that we order that are leaning to one season more than the other,” Messina said.
Her business typically sees a 30% increase in revenue during those months.
“The change in seasons is a big help to us — the weather, the snow, the rain,” Messina said. “Personally not so good, but business-wise great.”
She also tries to maximize single-weather events. Messina expects to see revenue spike 50% following isolated winter storms.
“We have lines out on the streets some days,” she said.
