Tommy's Express adds locations in Michigan, Alaska and California
The franchise brand opened its first Ludington and Corona sites and a second Anchorage location, all built on its standard tunnel design and membership model.
By The Car Wash News Staff
3 min read
Tommy's Express has opened a group of new tunnel washes across three states, expanding its footprint in both established and new markets, according to reporting from Auto Laundry News. The openings include the brand's first site in Ludington, Michigan, its second location in Anchorage, Alaska, and its first wash in Corona, California.
Each of the new sites uses the company's recognizable building design and the express exterior format the chain has standardized across its network. The consistent look and layout is a core part of the franchise model, giving guests a familiar experience regardless of location.
What the new sites offer
The washes are built around a dual-belt conveyor system designed to handle a range of vehicle types as cars move through the tunnel. Large bay windows let customers watch the wash process, a design choice that doubles as a marketing tool by making the service visible from the road and the queue.
Outside the tunnel, each location includes free self-serve interior vacuum stations and mat washers. The brand continues to push its TommyClub Unlimited Wash Membership, which customers sign up for through the Tommy's Express mobile app. License plate recognition technology handles automatic member entry, and the program offers four wash package tiers aimed at different budgets and needs.
A membership-first growth pattern
The combination of app-based signup, license plate recognition, and tiered unlimited plans reflects a model built around recurring revenue rather than single-wash transactions. Adding a second Anchorage site suggests the first location generated enough demand to justify further investment in that market, while the Ludington and Corona openings extend the brand into new territory.
Why it matters for operators
Multi-site openings from a national franchise brand are worth watching because they signal where competitive pressure is heading. When a chain enters a new market like Ludington or Corona, independent operators nearby should expect aggressive membership acquisition, since the express model depends on converting one-time customers into monthly subscribers quickly.
The standardized elements on display here are a useful checklist for any operator evaluating their own site. Visible wash bays that turn the tunnel into a billboard, free vacuums and mat washers that add perceived value, and frictionless entry through plate recognition all reduce barriers to signing up and staying subscribed. Operators competing against a Tommy's Express location may need to sharpen their own membership pricing tiers and streamline their entry and payment experience to keep pace.
The second Anchorage location is also a reminder that saturation strategy matters. Building a second site in the same city concentrates marketing and brand awareness, making it harder for a single independent wash to stand out. Operators in growth markets should track franchise activity closely and consider how membership value, convenience features, and consistent service can defend their customer base.
