New Kensington car wash celebrates opening with free washes, fundraising for Knead Cafe
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A new car wash in New Kensington is celebrating its opening with free car washes for 10 days and benefits for Knead Community Cafe.
Clean Express Auto Wash began operating off Tarentum Bridge Road in front of Busy Beaver in late December, said Beth Martin, a spokeswoman for parent company Express Wash Concepts.
The new facility was built on the site of a previous car wash, which was demolished.
Clean Express founder John Roush and Knead volunteers are expected to attend a ribbon cutting at 1 p.m. Friday at the car wash, which can be accessed from Caldwell Avenue.
To celebrate the opening, car washes that normally cost $18 — the top-of-the-line wash — will be free Friday through Jan. 23 for customers who make a monetary donation to Knead.
Over that same time, $50 gift cards will be available for $25, with all proceeds being donated to Knead.
“We do that with all of our car wash grand openings,” Martin said. “We want to raise money for a local nonprofit and help in the community.”
Martin said the company typically raises several thousand dollars for nonprofits with its grand opening promotions, and expects to do the same for Knead.
Founded by Kevin and Mary Bode in 2017, Knead is a pay-what-you can/pay-it-forward restaurant. Customers can pay a suggested donation for food, more if they can or less if they can’t, or volunteer for up to an hour in exchange for anything off the menu.
“We feel truly blessed to be chosen as the beneficiary nonprofit to receive the proceeds from their grand opening event,” Mary Bode said. “Researching Express Wash Concepts, we were very impressed with their commitment to community in the areas where they set up operations. We look forward to working with them in the future as well.”
The car wash is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.
Washes range from $7 to $18, with unlimited monthly packages available for $20 to $36. Vacuums are provided for free, and car cleaning supplies are available to buy.
The New Kensington location employs eight, Martin said.
Based outside of Columbus, Ohio, Express Wash Concepts is the parent company of more than 60 car wash locations in Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Virginia under several brands. It has nine Clean Express Auto Wash locations open in Cleveland and will have three in the Pittsburgh area.
In addition to New Kensington, a Clean Express Car Wash is open along Route 8 in Hampton. It was formerly a CleanTown USA car wash and is undergoing renovations that are expected to be finished in the second quarter.
Another is expected to open on Lincoln Highway in East McKeesport in February. Martin said the business, formerly a CVS pharmacy, will be unique in having an interior free vacuum lot as well as outdoor vacuums.