Arbor Car Wash & Lube Center
Arbor Car Wash & Lube Center
Written by Grant Fuller Tuesday, 07 August 2007
All-in-one service center transforms local cars.
When a road-weary car rolls up to The Arbor Car Wash and Lube Center for a visit, it’s a pretty safe bet that it will soon hit the streets a changed machine.
“You could kind of consider it a spa for your car,” owner David Swenson said. “That’s what a lot of people call it – an ‘auto spa.’”
With services including car wash, oil change, gasoline, state inspection, full auto detail, tune-ups, batteries and other maintenance, Swenson has turned his business into a one-stop shop for Northwest Austin drivers. And he says the resulting automotive makeover is often a pleasant shock to his customers’ eyes.
“We’ve had people who are getting ready to sell their car, so they’ll have it detailed, and they’ll actually keep the car because they didn’t know it could look that good,” Swenson said.
A native of Idaho, the 45-year-old owner studied agriculture and initially worked in weed and soil science, making chemical recommendations to farms. But when a Canadian firm bought out the company that employed him, Swenson made a career switch.
“They moved all their people in and moved us out,” Swenson said. “I pretty much decided right there I was never working for anybody again.”
He started working with relatives on car wash equipment, and then spent 10 years as the owner of two washes in Colorado. When he moved to Austin with a business partner in 1997, Swenson bought the struggling Arbor Car Wash and endured a rain-soaked first month to eventually turn things around.
“You can do all the traffic studies in the world, but until you open the doors, you just don’t know,” Swenson said. “But we have had some real long-term customers here. Usually people who start here, stay here.”
The Arbor is Austin’s only family-owned and operated full-service car wash and lube shop, so Swenson works hard to maintain a relationship with his neighborhood. The car wash gives around $60,000 per year in donations and services to at least 75 charities and local organizations.
“I think a lot of people come here because we live in the community, we work in the community,” Swenson said. “Everybody else has been bought up by the big chains.”
One symbol of The Arbor’s local connection is the 6,000-pound concrete gorilla – painted burnt orange – that stands sentry near the car wash entrance.
“You’d think the Aggies might come and paint it maroon, or Baylor might come and paint it green,” Swenson said. “So far that hasn’t happened.”
What to do while you’re waiting
- Watch your car
- Eat fresh popcorn
- Relax in a rocking chair
- Get a chair massage
- Browse humorous greeting cards
- Enjoy a cold drink
- Buy, sell, or repair a cell phone
- Catch up on the news
- Have your shoes shined
- Shop for car accessories
The Arbor Car Wash and Lube Center, 10401 Jollyville Road, 346-8050, www.arborcarwash.com
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