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Keith Dmochowski, Reading Eagle, Pa.
·2 min read

Jan. 10—Tommy's Express Car Wash is opening its first location in Berks County this week.

The car wash, co-owned by Tyler Weber, broke ground in July at 4624 Penn Ave. in South Heidelberg Township.

The opening on Thursday will mark the progression of a plan by Weber and his partners — father-in-law Nelson Shertzer and brother-in-law Weston Shertzer — to build a network of Tommy's locations throughout Berks and Lancaster counties.

Their company, SWS Ventures, already owns a Tommy's Express Car Wash in Ephrata that opened in 2022.

Another Tommy's on Willow Street in Lancaster is slated to open in May, Weber said.

Weber told MediaNews Group in July that his company's goal is to build Tommy's locations around population centers and major retailers.

"We were kind of disappointed with the car washing options in the area and dug into it a bit more and saw that Tommy's Express does an awesome job," Weber said in July. "We thought it would be a great fit for this area."

Weber said the quality and speed of the washing and drying process set Tommy's apart — customers can expect to leave with a clean car three minutes after entering the site, he said.

The company also offers free vacuums and mat washers for guests.

In addition, Tommy's offers TommyClub memberships, through which customers can manage their washes, cars and billing, and purchase monthly unlimited wash packages useable at any Tommy's location.

Members can also be automatically admitted to the wash via a license plate reader system.

To celebrate opening day, Tommy's will be offering free washes through Sunday, Jan. 14.

No signup is necessary for the free wash, but guests who download the Tommy's Express app get another 30 days of unlimited washing on the company's highest "WORKS" tier for free, Weber said.

A ribbon cutting ceremony is planned for Thursday at 12 p.m., with local community leaders invited. The ribbon cutting will be followed by a "ceremonial first wash" of local police vehicles, Weber said in an emailed invitation to the event.

"(Construction was) very smooth, thanks to the support from South Heidelberg Township and local businesses who have helped us build," Weber said.

The opening celebration will also feature free detail kits for guests, as well as a raffle giveaway with prizes including a large screen TV and a one-year unlimited wash membership.

Tommy's operates more than 180 locations nationwide, with another 90 locations coming soon, according to the company's website.

In Pennsylvania, 10 locations are open or underway. In addition to South Heidelberg, Ephrata and the location under construction in Lancaster, Tommy's Express Car Washes are open in Chambersburg and Harrisburg, and coming soon to Chadds Ford, Feasterville-Trevose, Jeanette, Pittsburgh and Quakertown.