Tommy's Express Builds Toward 30 Wisconsin Washes

Tommy's Express opened its ninth Wisconsin car wash, in Portage, and lined up six more builds along with a set of conversions. Four franchise groups now develop the brand in the state, with a path to 30 locations by 2028. The model leans on experienced multi-unit operators rather than first-time owners.

Why Existing Operators Carry the Growth

One Portage partner belongs to S&L Companies, which runs more than 130 Culver's restaurants. Operators at that scale bring capital, real estate knowledge, and crews who can open on schedule, which is exactly what a capital-heavy tunnel-wash model needs. A single wash costs millions to build, so the franchisor lowers its risk by signing groups that have already financed and run large portfolios.

Conversions Speed the Map

The brand plans to convert four operating Rocket Wash tunnels in Racine, Mount Pleasant, Kenosha, and on Highway 50 into Tommy's Express units in the third quarter. Converting a running car wash skips permitting and construction, the longest parts of a build, and turns on revenue sooner. For an operator, a conversion can reach cash flow well ahead of ground-up development.

What the Numbers Signal

Moving from nine units to 30 in roughly two years is an aggressive ramp for a format that depends on high-traffic real estate and recurring membership revenue. The figure operators should watch is membership capture per site, because tunnel-wash economics live on subscription volume, not single washes. The conversions will be the first read on whether existing wash customers carry over.