Driving down the streets of Louisville, it would be difficult to miss the abundance of car washes, which seem to be on every corner.

For Alex Thomas, the owner of the family-run Thomas Car Wash, the surge of car washes is nothing new. Thomas' cousin and brand director for Thomas Car Wash, Kristina Ellis, said the growth of the car wash industry locally is something Louisville has seen before. Ellis and Thomas’ uncle Mike told them the city saw a similar surge in the 1980s.

"In the '80s, there was also a huge boom with car washes and gas stations," Ellis told The Courier Journal. “(Uncle Mike) keeps saying this is just like the '80s where they saw a car wash on literally every corner … he said just ride the wave, just ride the wave. So, we're just riding it while we got it."

The five-location car wash chain, which is a Louisville-based company, has been in their family since 1946, with Thomas claiming it is the first, and oldest car wash, in the Commonwealth. According to AAA, 1946 was the first-year car washes offered automated car cleaning services.

Now, there are dozens of car washes across the city, many of which are popping up within a relatively close driving distance of one another.

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"Car washing used to be a game where all the operators kind of got along and there was a respect of you put them far enough away. But we're all in the game together," Thomas said.

With what seems like a car wash on every corner, and several more in the planning and building stages, The Courier Journal set out to find out how many car washes are in Louisville and why the industry is seeing rapid expansion. Here's what we know:

How many car washes are there in Louisville?

There are at least 110 places around Louisville where you can get your car washed, according to a count conducted by The Courier Journal.

There are at least 70 express washes where you just drive through, like Thomas Car Wash, and there are at least 30 detail shops that also offer car washing services.

Additionally, there are at least 10 mobile car wash operations where the car washing service comes to you to wash the vehicle.

As one of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the country, Louisville is also home to a robust population. According to 2020 census data, the population of the Louisville metro statistical area is 1,285,058 people. When compared to other surrounding MSAs such as Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Nashville, Louisville ranks third in people per car wash, with one car wash for every 21,067 people.

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(Note: U.S. Census data does not include detail shops or mobile car wash businesses in the car wash count.)

Why are there so many car washes in Louisville?

Between 2015 and 2017, the car wash industry saw the emergence of private equity firms as players in what used to be a local, mom-and-pop industry. Private equity firms are known for buying and selling businesses in an effort to make more money for the firm than what it initially invested in the business. With car washes moving to fully automated, express services and monthly membership plans, these seemingly small businesses became more lucrative in the eyes of private equity.

"People have different priorities," Ellis said. "The car wash industry has just kind of been booming because [private equity firms] see opportunity, but from a different standpoint."

With more private equity firms having deep pockets and seeing value in expanding the car wash industry, cities like Louisville can continue to expect to see more car washes pop up on the block.

According to a report from the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2017, the top 50 car wash companies, like Zips Car Wash or Mike's Car Wash, accounted for nearly 20% of the industry's total sales across the nation.

Where are most of Louisville's car washes located?

"Car washes are often located along major commercial strips and near shopping centers," said Caitlin Bowling, the communications manager for Louisville Forward. "There is a common saying ‘retail follows rooftops.’ Businesses want to be where people are, so it would make logical sense for car washes and other commercial businesses to locate near residential areas."

High traffic volume is essential for any car wash. According to data from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Shelbyville Road near Lexington Road and Frankfort Avenue averages 35,000 vehicles daily. Preston Highway from Parkway Village to the airport averages 16,000 vehicles daily and Taylorsville Road from Breckenridge Lane to South Hurstbourne Parkway gets 27,000 vehicles daily.

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"Traffic is key. A lot of former banks make really good spots for (car) washes," Thomas said. "Our Preston highway site, it was a former PNC."

Is there room for more car washes in Louisville?

Since January, there have been at least eight more building and planning permits applied for related to new car washes in the city, according to the Louisville Metro Business Portal.

Thomas doesn't fear competition. If anything, he used it to transform his company's product. Just a few years ago, Thomas Car Wash pivoted from doing full-service car washing at all five sites to going express style, providing the customer with a quicker drive-thru service that is fully automated.

“These guys coming in, our competitors … we have to be as good in our space as they do," Thomas said. "Otherwise, one of us wins, one loses. We both obviously want to win. (Private equity companies) made us better."

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So, is there a ceiling?

"I don't think we're there yet. We're not saturated," Thomas said.

Contact reporter Olivia Evans at oevans@courier-journal.com or on Twitter at @oliviamevans_

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Why does Louisville have so many car washes? What we found