Ritzville car wash gets refurbished

RITZVILLE – A new owner is refurbishing the self-service Ritzville Car Wash.

Shane O'Donnell, owner of Alignment and Brakes Plus in Bellingham, saw an opportunity when the city's only car wash business became available last year.

O'Donnell bought Ritzville Car Wash, 316 E. Third Ave., for $46,000 in January from Joel Curran, Adams County Assessor's Office records show. The car wash had been on the market since last year.

Originally built in 1980, the business has changed hands several times since the mid-1990s.

It passed from Dennis Charters to Ronald Grams, who ran it as Big Daddy's Car Wash from 1996 to 2003. John Melgren owned it for the next 17 years, before selling it to Curran three years ago.

"The car wash has potential," O'Donnell said. "Pete Spain Construction will redo the parking lot, and we'll add more lighting so people won't be afraid to use it at night."

O'Connell also plans to install a better vacuum and fresh decals on the money collection boxes to make them easier to read.

Local resident Jim Jacobs will help with cleaning and garbage removal, O'Donnell said.

Prices will also increase.

"The prior owner didn't raise the cost of a car wash, but he also didn't keep up with maintenance. That needs to change," O'Donnell said.

This is the second car wash O'Connell has purchased in Eastern Washington.

"I bought another self-service car wash in Grand Coulee about a year ago," O'Donnell said. "It was dilapidated and the only local business of that type. The lighting was poor and people using illicit drugs would hide out there."

O'Donnell refurbished the equipment and added lights, which police said helped curtail transient issues.

O'Donnell said he is new to the car wash business.

"I grew up in Bellingham," O'Donnell said. "I've owned an auto shop there for almost 20 years. Self-service car washes are a new venture for me."