Buying An Existing Truck Wash In California - Does It Make Sense?
Does it make sense to buy a used truck wash in California? Well, this is an interesting question one, I was discussing not long ago with an acquaintance.
It seems it could be, but you have to be pretty careful, there are all sorts of pitfalls, old equipment, labor quality, bad reputation, water shortages in the area, or even an abundance of localized tough competition.
Okay so, let's talk shall we? You see the truck washes I've seen for sale were not making money and had heavy competition already entrenched in the market.
The one I thought was making money sold rather quick, I might have put together a few friends myself, but didn't get around to it, the wash was right along one of California's major Interstates, great location, good reputation, and it had been there for years, no really local competition either.
That one is gone, but are there others available? Sure, there are some near freeways, and adjacent to agricultural areas often are seasonal, lots of washouts and really grungy type work (that tends to gum up the reclaim system), but doing a good bit of business, well seasonally that is.
Perhaps another strategy might be to have a truck wash combo business to deal with off-season business, perhaps also cleaning heavy equipment on-site is a good business model.
Where abouts you ask? Well, how about a wash on the Reno, NV side might not be bad, tour buses going to casinos too.
Still the Truckee River is feast or famine too based on snow pack, sometimes it floods, jumps the banks, other times everyone is screaming Level II drought? How about in Blythe CA, Quartzite AZ, Ventura CA, Central Valley? "I thought California was a tough regulatory environment to do business?" Right, I agree, sure, my real estate developer friends have horror stories, worse the cities often act a little "communistic" when it comes to the right to develop your property.
By the time you get done with the endangered rats, desert tortoises, and wetland insects then you have to deal with the Indian bones, artifacts and recently planted Sierra Club member's favorite endangered plant, with an iPhone 5 digital picture of it sitting on YOUR Property, when they trespassed and put the damn thing there.
It's comical some of these planning commission meetings, although a lot less comical when it's your property, your money, and incessant delays.
Okay so, if you can get over the hostile California NAZI like regulatory climate, one which is unpredictable and pits the masses against business owners, well then perhaps you might think about a truck wash.
Personally, I am somewhat unconvinced about the whole thing, so please consider all this.
Sincerely, Lance.
It seems it could be, but you have to be pretty careful, there are all sorts of pitfalls, old equipment, labor quality, bad reputation, water shortages in the area, or even an abundance of localized tough competition.
Okay so, let's talk shall we? You see the truck washes I've seen for sale were not making money and had heavy competition already entrenched in the market.
The one I thought was making money sold rather quick, I might have put together a few friends myself, but didn't get around to it, the wash was right along one of California's major Interstates, great location, good reputation, and it had been there for years, no really local competition either.
That one is gone, but are there others available? Sure, there are some near freeways, and adjacent to agricultural areas often are seasonal, lots of washouts and really grungy type work (that tends to gum up the reclaim system), but doing a good bit of business, well seasonally that is.
Perhaps another strategy might be to have a truck wash combo business to deal with off-season business, perhaps also cleaning heavy equipment on-site is a good business model.
Where abouts you ask? Well, how about a wash on the Reno, NV side might not be bad, tour buses going to casinos too.
Still the Truckee River is feast or famine too based on snow pack, sometimes it floods, jumps the banks, other times everyone is screaming Level II drought? How about in Blythe CA, Quartzite AZ, Ventura CA, Central Valley? "I thought California was a tough regulatory environment to do business?" Right, I agree, sure, my real estate developer friends have horror stories, worse the cities often act a little "communistic" when it comes to the right to develop your property.
By the time you get done with the endangered rats, desert tortoises, and wetland insects then you have to deal with the Indian bones, artifacts and recently planted Sierra Club member's favorite endangered plant, with an iPhone 5 digital picture of it sitting on YOUR Property, when they trespassed and put the damn thing there.
It's comical some of these planning commission meetings, although a lot less comical when it's your property, your money, and incessant delays.
Okay so, if you can get over the hostile California NAZI like regulatory climate, one which is unpredictable and pits the masses against business owners, well then perhaps you might think about a truck wash.
Personally, I am somewhat unconvinced about the whole thing, so please consider all this.
Sincerely, Lance.
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