GRAVETTE -- Looking for somewhere to remove the dust and road grime from your vehicle after a summer road trip? Or, just seeking a good cleaning after several weeks of sitting in the yard? The Gravette Auto Wasche is the perfect place. Owners John A. Lykins, his wife Janice and their son John opened the Auto Wasche Friday, July 3, after several months of extensive renovation.
The Lykins family bought the business in March and has spent the last three months doing significant upgrades at the property. "I just got tired of not having a place to clean my vehicles," the elder Lykins said. "We are excited about being able to provide this service to the community."
Lykins and car wash manager Levi Duncan have worked to install new equipment and repaint the business inside and out. The utility room features new instant hot water heaters and water softening equipment. New brushes and handles have been added to each of the five bays.
Lykins and Duncan have been hampered in their overhaul of the car wash only by some difficulty obtaining parts. When parts did become available, they have ordered multiples in order to have a backup stock on hand when needed.
The front of the building features attractive signage, with the business name painted in three different languages. A sturdy guard rail has been added on both sides of the building. Customers can drive into any of the self-serve manual wash bays and wash their vehicles, then pull out and clean the interior with the vacuum on the north side of the property.
Gravette Auto Wasche uses premium brand Scotch Plaid wash and wax products that easily remove road grime, tree sap and insect debris. The wash is followed by a triple-filtered spot-free rinse. The cost is only $1 for a 3-minute wash. The new automated payment system takes only dollar bills and quarters but Lykins says that it will be equipped to accept credit and debit cards in just a couple of weeks.
A large automated wash bay with a brushless cleaning system will be in operation in a couple of weeks. Customers can choose a clean costing $8, $10 or $12, depending on what type of wash they want.
Lykins pointed out that the property is well-lit and surveillance cameras are in use so customers can feel safe using the car wash both day and night. He said he and Duncan are committed to keeping the place nice and clean and hope their patrons will cooperate. "With proper maintenance, we will be able to keep prices down," he said.
Lykins and his family moved to Gravette 30 years ago from his native Bentonville. They lived in several states while he was employed with Walmart, where he started as a stock boy and moved his way up to regional manager before he retired. Duncan is a Gravette native and a 2005 graduate of Gravette High School.
After their first week in operation, Lykins and Duncan say customer feedback is overwhelmingly positive. They emphasized that anyone with questions or concerns should call Lykins at 479-787-0208 or Duncan at 479-787-3409.
"We know how to fix it," Lykins said, "and if we can't, we know somebody who can."
