With three decades as a finance executive under his belt, Tom Fuller knows how to evaluate a business. He spent most of his professional life researching and investing in a variety of industries.
One business sector he paid little attention to was car washing, which is ironic since that is exactly what he does now.
“I wanted to go do something different,” Fuller says about his decision to leave the high-powered world of New York City finance and become a full-time car washer. “Somebody had brought me the idea of car washing, and I had to admit it was interesting. I made some phone calls, spent a few weeks researching the industry, and decided to buy my first wash.”
When Fuller entered the industry in 2019, his initial goal was relatively modest: to acquire a handful of car washes and transform them into a professionally managed company. While his approach remains the same, the scale of the business is far beyond his original plans.
Fuller owns and operates Team Car Wash, a rapidly expanding New Jersey chain with 18 sites across the state’s central and northern regions. The company operates 12 express sites, but its portfolio includes something that has become increasingly rare in today’s market: traditional full-service car washes.
At a time when much of the industry has shifted exclusively toward the low-labor express format, Fuller has leaned into a model many operators have moved away from. And for his markets, it works.
There is no denying the power of the exterior-only format, with its low labor costs, fast throughput, and scalable membership programs — but there is something to be said for the old-school full-service approach. Especially markets where the population is accustomed to a do-it-for-me approach.
“New Jersey is a full-service market,” Fuller says. “I believe there will always be a demand for full service. It would be far too painful from a profitability perspective to even consider converting our full-service locations to express sites. They are very popular sites with large, unlimited wash clubs and customer bases. That is what the customers want, and that is what we provide.”
New Jersey’s service-oriented culture contributes to the ongoing popularity of the full-service model. The state is the last one in the country where drivers are not allowed to pump their own gas, and many consumers are accustomed to businesses that provide hands-on service.
For those customers, the ability to have their vehicle cleaned inside and out by a crew of car wash professionals helps set Team Car Wash apart from much of the local competition. Fuller’s full-service locations consistently attract strong traffic and loyal customer bases, and despite the higher labor requirements, deliver strong economics.
On busy weekends, some Team Car Wash full-service locations have as many as 20 to 30 employees on site, compared with just a handful at a typical express exterior wash. But the higher ticket value and additional services help offset those labor costs.
More importantly, Fuller says the model creates differentiation. “There will always be customers who want that level of service,” he says. “And if you can provide it; it’s a great business.”
While full-service is a key piece of the Team Car Wash approach, the company also embraces the express concept, particularly for new builds. These sites focus on speed, convenience, and membership programs, with customers vacuuming their own vehicles before or after the wash.
Team Car Wash continues to experiment with the concept, piloting new services to set itself apart from the crowd. Its newest wash in Hackettstown features an indoor vacuum area. The converted Rite Aid has 10 indoor vacuum stations, in addition to its outdoor offerings, providing customers protection from the frigid Northeast winters and hot and sticky summers.
Alongside operational improvements, Team Car Wash invested early in building a structured marketing function. The company’s marketing team focuses heavily on digital advertising and customer data collection, using text campaigns and automated marketing programs to keep customers engaged.
By bringing new customers onsite through free wash offers and encouraging repeat visits, the company increases the likelihood that those customers will join the wash’s successful membership program.
Community partnerships also help raise brand awareness. Team Car Wash is the official car wash of Rutgers Athletics and is a sponsor of minor league baseball’s Somerset Patriots.
“There are half a million Rutgers alumni in our market area,” says Fuller. “And 300,000 people go to Patriots games each year. We have a big billboard on the outfield wall, and we do a dirtiest car in the parking lot promotion at every game.”
Since entering the car wash industry, Fuller has steadily expanded his company’s footprint. But growth is not the top priority. Maintaining a balance between expansion and operational discipline remains central to the company’s strategy.
For Fuller, that means ensuring that every location — whether express or full-service — meets company standards. In an industry increasingly defined by speed and scale, Team Car Wash’s approach offers a reminder that service still matters.
