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For residents of Seattle and Greater Puget Sound,
that big, pink elephant is almost as much a symbol of home as the Space Needle
or Mount Rainier. Since 1951 Elephant Car Wash's rotating, neon elephant has
been a Seattle
landmark; elephants now grace eight Elephant Car Wash
locations in Seattle and surrounding areas. The Battery Street elephant, the
most well known of them all, has been on television shows and in magazine
articles, commercials and countless tourist photographs. Anyone who has ever
been
through an Elephant Car Wash knows that the elephant is also a symbol of
long-standing quality and service.
The first Elephant Car Wash was opened in 1951 on Fourth Avenue and Lander
Street in downtown Seattle. This elephant was the first "automatic" car wash -
while most car washes relied entirely on plastic bristle brushes and human
labor, original Elephant owners Archie, Dean
 and
Eldon Anderson invented hands-free machines that cleaned cars more safely and
reliably. A second location opened in 1956 on Battery Street in the heart of
downtown Seattle, another in 1963 in Tacoma, and five more Puget Sound locations
(Federal Way, Bellevue, Auburn, Puyallup and Burien) in the years to follow as
Elephant's reputation for quality service spread and grew. Elephant car washes
now exist in Eastern Washington, Arkansas
and California.
In 1982 Bob Haney bought the Elephant Car Wash
chain from the Anderson brothers. The car washes have long since abandoned the
plastic bristle brushes in favor of high-tech, hybrid-blend cloths and
high-pressure water cleaning. These washing systems produce a shine superior to
hand washing but with minimal risk of scratches. Elephant was among the first
car washes in the country to make the switch to cloth. Very little of the wash
is actually done by hand only those areas which are difficult to reach by
machine. Around 90 percent of the wash is automatic, and each car is towel dried
at the finish. Elephant is one of the few "full-service" car washes in the area.
Customers can have their cars washed and waxed, the interiors vacuumed and the
carpets shampooed. Automobile owners get a professionally cleaned vehicle
without going through the time and expense of having it detailed.
People might think that operating a car wash would be difficult in rainy
Seattle. After all, most car washes shut down on rainy days. Not Elephant Car
Wash. In soggy Puget Sound a car wash that only operated on sunny days would
quickly go out of business. Customers still come to Elephant to have their cars
cleaned, even on wet days. Elephant offers interior cleaning as well as
exterior, so it has plenty of business, whatever the weather.
Elephant's reputation for service extends far beyond Puget Sound. Celebrities,
sports figures, high-ranking public officials, foreign diplomats, and candidates
vying for political office all have their cars professionally washed at Elephant
Car Wash whenever they are in Seattle. Even United States presidents have had
their limousines washed at Elephant, a process
that requires a security clearance for Elephant Car Wash, and concludes with FBI
agents checking under the cars with mirrors.
Elephant Car Wash's relationship with Seattle and Puget Sound extends beyond
just providing great service at a good price. Elephant owners and employees are
also concerned about protecting the local environment, especially the waterways.
For many years Elephant Car Washes have reclaimed the water they use; this
conserves water and also reduces the risk of pollutants making their way into
streams, rivers or Puget Sound itself. Elephant Car Washes are very active in
the
Puget Sound Car Wash
Association and do extensive work with the Charity Car Wash Program, a program
designed to minimize waterway pollution from charity car washes.
Elephant Car Wash has always been a leader in advances in the car wash industry.
Computers now operate the washes, the pH factor of the dirt build-up on cars is
analyzed and the soap solution is adjusted accordingly. Cleaning equipment is
replaced about every three years to ensure that Elephant has the best and most
modern equipment available. Environmental issues are also a factor in how
vehicles are cleaned and how wastewater is reclaimed at Elephant. Close
attention to these details, along with a genuine commitment to good service, has
kept Puget Sound customers loyal. Elephant Car Wash owners know that customers
come hack, and frequently even redeem Elephant discount coupons that have been
at the bottom of someone's sock drawer for decades. Elephant always honors its
coupons, even when the coupon is older than many of the employees.
It's not only the customers who are loyal to Elephant Car Wash many employees
have been with Elephant Car Wash for years, moving up through the ranks. Their
knowledge extends to include every aspect of the business, and that is a large
part of Elephant's success. Employee longevity, unusual in the high-turnover car
wash industry, is attributed to the fact that the employees and owners make the
business fun. Every employee is carefully trained to provide the high-quality
service
customers expect from Elephant Car Wash.
The pink, neon elephant that has been featured in movies and music videos
may be whimsical, but Elephant Car Wash is serious about cleaning vehicles and
protecting the local environment. Those who know the elephant also know
Elephant's reputation for service, which has earned the company "Best Car Wash
in Seattle" by readers of Seattle Weekly magazine consistently since the poll
began. Expertise, dedication and attention to detail are as much trademarks of
Elephant Car Wash
as the pink elephant. These qualities have assured Elephant's continuing success
in Puget Sound and beyond.
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