Tagg-N-Go reaches 33 washes as co-founder shares scaling lessons

Tagg-N-Go Car Wash has grown from seven locations in mid-2022 to 33 today, a run that co-founder Conner Atkins says has reshaped how the company thinks about scaling. According to reporting from Car Wash Business Center, the St. George, Utah, chain added 26 sites over roughly four years, splitting the growth between 15 acquisitions and 11 new builds.

That pace works out to about one new location every 60 days on average, though the growth was far from steady. Atkins noted that the company went through an 11 month stretch without opening a single site, a reminder that expansion timelines rarely follow a clean schedule.

What rapid growth taught the founders

Atkins shared several takeaways for operators weighing their own expansion. Chief among them: people drive results, and a growing company tends to attract and retain team members who want to grow with it, while stagnant operations struggle to keep that same talent. He also pointed to the importance of vendor relationships, noting that how a company treats its suppliers matters during a build-heavy stretch.

Compensation is part of the equation, but Atkins emphasized that culture, systems, and the way a company grows carry weight alongside pay. One of his more candid pieces of advice concerned timing. He warned that scaling takes roughly twice as long as operators expect. While he said he is glad the company pursued the growth for its customers and staff, he indicated he would approach some decisions differently given the chance.

From a single self-serve to an express chain

Tagg-N-Go traces its roots to 2013, when founders Quinn Allgood and Conner Atkins bought their first self-serve wash after leaving careers in banking. That first site taught them quickly that consistency, attention to detail, and customer experience determine whether a wash succeeds. Over time they moved toward the express model, which made unlimited wash memberships simpler to manage and delivered a more predictable experience for guests.

The company launched the Tagg-N-Go brand in 2016 and opened its first branded location that January on Sunset Boulevard in St. George. The chain now serves customers across Utah, Nevada, and Idaho, including recent expansion into Eastern Idaho markets such as Pocatello.

Why it matters for operators

Tagg-N-Go's story offers a grounded look at what multi-site growth actually requires. The blend of 15 acquisitions and 11 new builds shows that scaling does not depend on a single strategy; buying existing washes and constructing new ones can run in parallel. The 11 month gap between openings is a useful counterpoint to the idea that expansion should be continuous, and it suggests operators should plan for lulls tied to site availability, capital, or market conditions.

Atkins's warning that growth takes twice as long as expected is worth internalizing before committing to aggressive timelines with lenders or partners. His emphasis on culture and talent retention also carries a practical lesson: as an operation adds sites, the ability to attract managers who want to advance becomes a competitive advantage. Finally, his note on vendor relationships is a reminder that equipment suppliers and contractors become critical partners when an operator is building or converting several sites in a short window.