BlueWave and ClearWater hit 94 washes with Pearland acquisition
The affiliated Texas chains rebranded a former iShine site in Pearland, adding their first two-tunnel format location to a combined network of 94 washes.
By The Car Wash News Staff
3 min read
BlueWave Express Car Wash has acquired and rebranded a former iShine Car Wash site in Pearland, Texas, pushing the combined footprint of BlueWave Express and its affiliated ClearWater Express Wash brand to 94 locations. The deal, reported by Car Wash Business Center, also gives the operator its first two-tunnel site, a new format for the growing network.
The Pearland location continues the company's steady expansion across Texas through acquisition and conversion of existing washes. BlueWave plans a ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening celebration at the site, with additional details to be announced.
Two brands, one membership
BlueWave Express and ClearWater Express operate as a single car wash family, and unlimited members can use their plans at any location under either brand. As the combined footprint grows, the company frames that cross-brand access as a convenience advantage, letting members wash near home, on a commute, or while traveling into other markets served by the group.
The two-brand, shared-membership structure lets the operator expand under different names while pooling recurring revenue and member value across the full network. The Pearland site adds a two-tunnel configuration to that mix, giving the company more throughput capacity at a single property than its standard single-tunnel builds.
Growth through acquisition
The Pearland deal fits a pattern of buying and rebranding established sites rather than relying solely on ground-up construction. Recent additions to the network include a ClearWater Express location in Kaufman, Texas, that joined the family in July 2026, and a BlueWave Express opening in San Antonio earlier in the year. Converting existing washes lets the company enter new communities faster and build on each site's existing customer base.
The company positions its growth around more than store count, pointing to job creation, team member development, and support for local organizations in the markets it enters. Guests at the Pearland site can expect the standard express menu, unlimited membership options, and a fast wash experience consistent with the rest of the network.
Why it matters for operators
Reaching 94 combined locations puts this operator within striking distance of the 100-site milestone that marks a serious regional chain, and its playbook offers lessons for independents watching consolidation move through their markets. Acquiring and rebranding an existing wash, as happened in Pearland, can be faster and cheaper than new construction while immediately capturing an established traffic base and, potentially, an existing membership roster.
The shared-membership model across two brands is worth noting. It spreads unlimited plan value across a wider geographic base without forcing every site under one name, which can preserve local brand equity while still delivering the cross-location convenience that drives membership retention. Operators competing against multi-brand chains should understand that a customer's plan may work at more locations than the signage suggests, raising the bar on convenience.
The move to a two-tunnel format at a single property also signals a capacity play. Where a market can support the volume, doubling tunnels at one site can lift throughput and revenue per location without the cost of acquiring a second parcel. For independents, the takeaway is that scaled competitors are optimizing both footprint and per-site capacity, and standing out increasingly means competing on service quality, speed, and membership value rather than location count alone.
