American Auto Wash Coye Balok

AMERICAN AUTO WASH AMERICAN AUTO WASH

By Coye Balok

Growing up in Gallup has led to a natural fascination with self-serve carwashes for me. I have always marveled at the amount of time people spend washing their vehicles. There is something emotional when cleaning your car. It’s a large investment in our life, and when it is clean, we feel good about things. I also like a good business opportunity, and I am always looking.

Last February offered a combination of all these things for me. I have always thought that successful business people are not always the greatest minds, but that they have the vision to see what is needed, be willing to gamble, be willing to work hard, and put in the hours to get it started and keep it rolling. I was told recently by a friend who is in business in Gallup: “There are people who do, and there are people who talk about doing.”

I was made aware that Cowboy Carwash was for sale and called the current owner. I have known him for a good part of my life; he is a man of God, and I knew he would be an honest guy to deal with. My education is in horticulture with a minor in marketing, and I took a few business classes. So, what would make me switch from plants to car washing?

A few things had to fit for this to be successful for me. 1) I have another friend who has been in the carwash business in this area for the last 20 years. I spent many hours on the phone, over lunch, and driving around the reservation looking at his washes, trying to decide if this was a good idea and if this was work I could do. He is a good source of information and has been an invaluable coach, and still is, in this process. 2) I like to tinker on machines, having good knowledge of what makes things work. I have spent most of my life working with irrigation and water which makes it even better. I was told and have experienced that there is always something to fix or maintain at a car wash. That has proven true but this is in my skill set. 3) I am good at dealing with people. Being able to talk to strangers and help them feel comfortable spending money at your establishment can be tough. I like to visit and socialize so it comes easy to me. I meet some great people out washing their vehicles. 4) My wife and I were a good investment for the bank

to loan us money. Years of Dave Ramsey financial planning and organization put us in a good spot to borrow to buy a business. 5) I like to hustle. So, we bought a car wash.

The challenge for me was to change the look and persona of Cowboy Carwash so people knew that it was open and things were running well. My goal is to have it operational and safe. I don’t want people alone washing their vehicle to feel in danger. Lights, new paint, expensive surveillance cameras, and just personal presence has done wonders. New paint was the easiest and provided the most fun. I like color and enjoyed changing it with help from some amazing people. I still have a list of improvements to make and will get to them, time and money willing.

We will be changing the name to American Auto Wash as soon as we can afford the sign. That is why the colors are red, white, and blue. I went through a gamut of names and decided on American for many reasons. I love our country, even with its struggles, and I love being part of this community. I realize we are all Americans, even if our skin tone and heritage are different. That is one of the main reasons I love this town.

One of the unseen benefits of owning a car wash is the opportunity to use it for ministry outreach. I never would have imagined it, but we have had our youth group meet down there twice, once as a fundraiser and once for a fun night of getting messy and being silly. Lots of opportunities are provided to talk to people about where they are in life and what they struggle with. We still have a community of people who are alcoholics and sleep outside and need help and need love. It can sure be a challenge sometimes, but they are human beings and God’s creation. I can use concrete and foaming brushes to connect with people; who would have thought.

I really look forward to the next year of business. Winter is a little scary for me but I think I can make it. I pray for rain and snow; our earth needs it and it makes your cars dirty (then you must wash them). It’s really a win-win for me. Stop by and visit, wash and wax your vehicle, acquire a towel to dry it, vacuum the inside and put an air freshener in it, and we will all have a blessed day.

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