Express Wash Concepts buys three Detroit-area CleanHub washes
The acquisition pushes EWC to 147 express locations across six states and expands its Clean Express Auto Wash footprint in metro Detroit and Flint to 21 sites.
By The Car Wash News Staff
3 min read
Express Wash Concepts has acquired three CleanHub Car Wash sites in metro Detroit, continuing its expansion in a region the operator has flagged as a priority growth market. The deal brings EWC to 147 express car wash locations across six states, including 63 under its Clean Express Auto Wash brand.
According to reporting from Auto Laundry News, the newly acquired washes are located in Shelby Township, Sterling Heights, and Oxford. All three closed temporarily beginning October 9 while EWC invests in renovations, equipment upgrades, technology, and rebranding. The company expects to reopen the sites in mid-November under the Clean Express Auto Wash name, lifting its combined total across Detroit and Flint to 21 locations.
Membership transition terms
EWC is handling the changeover for existing CleanHub club members without requiring them to take any action. Current unlimited members will be moved automatically to Clean Express's premium Clean-est Ultra unlimited plan at $20 per month for six months. Billing is waived during the temporary closures, and affected members can wash for free at other Clean Express or Express Wash Concepts locations in the interim.
Founder and CEO John Roush said metro Detroit remains an important growth market for the brand. He emphasized the company's focus on existing customers, saying it is committed to "taking care of existing Clean Hub customers throughout the transition." EWC plans grand opening events and free wash week promotions at all three sites once they reopen.
Why it matters for operators
This deal is a textbook example of how larger express chains absorb independent and regional washes: acquire established neighborhood sites, close briefly for capital upgrades, then relaunch under a unified brand. For operators watching consolidation, the pattern shows that physical footprint and existing membership bases are the prize, not just the real estate.
The membership handling is the most instructive piece. Rather than risk churn during a disruptive closure, EWC is converting acquired members automatically, waiving billing while sites are dark, and offering free washing at nearby locations. That approach protects recurring revenue through the transition and reduces the chance that inconvenienced members cancel before the reopening. Operators planning any acquisition or temporary closure should note how pairing a billing pause with alternative wash access can preserve subscriber goodwill.
The six-month promotional rate on the premium plan is also worth studying. Upgrading members to a higher tier at a discounted introductory price seeds them into a more expensive plan once the promo expires, a retention and upsell tactic that can lift average revenue per member if enough customers stay on after the window closes.
Finally, the clustering strategy matters. Building to 21 sites across Detroit and Flint gives EWC a dense network where members can wash at multiple nearby locations, strengthening the value of unlimited plans and raising the competitive bar for independents in those markets. Smaller operators in consolidating regions may need to sharpen their own membership value and local marketing to hold ground against a connected multi-site chain.
