By John Thomason – September 4, 2020
If that Valero gas station on Palmetto Park Road just east of 95 has been looking especially sleek, spit-shined and squeaky-clean lately, it’s because it just reopened in late July, after a three-year permitting process and eight-month build.
“This site was scraped and rebuilt, everything from the underground storage tanks to the sewers,” says Scott Fitzgerald, vice president and CFO of the parent company, Petroleum Realty. “Everything here is new—aboveground and underground.”
While a refurbished gas station may not sound blog-worthy—even one with a 21st century design of glass, steel and concrete—it’s the attendant car wash infrastructure that elevates the experience. The first branded Cool Clean Car Wash in Boca Raton offers the automotive equivalent of white-glove service. Employees presoak the car with “bug-prep” detergents and mop it down with high-pressure water before ushering the vehicle through a speedy conveyer system outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment, like brushes that change directions to fit the size of the car.
Customers also can choose the express service, which includes a tech-savvy license plate reader. Those who sign up for an unlimited monthly or annual package are identified by their plate number, which allows touchless access: a perk in the age of COVID.
coolcleanwash.com 