Case Study: Flash Wash

Flash Wash is a family-friendly, customer-driven car wash in Vancouver, Washington known for its commitment to creating a welcoming, enjoyable experience for every visitor. Determined to transform a once dark, uninviting tunnel into an environment that excites customers rather than intimidates them, the team set out to reimagine the wash from the ground up. Central to that vision is a fully upgraded, high-performance lighting system powered by G&G. With vivid, street-visible illumination engineered to thrive in the Pacific Northwest’s wet, demanding conditions, Flash Wash has turned its tunnel and storefront into bold visual landmarks that draw in families, elevate the brand, and energize the customer journey. What began as a simple improvement quickly evolved into a defining element of the Flash Wash identity – fueling dramatic traffic growth, higher-tier membership adoption, and a powerful return on investment in a highly competitive market.

LOCATION: Vancouver, WA
DISTRIBUTING PARTNER: Sonny’s The Car Wash Factory
MARKET/APPLICATION Car: Wash & Detail

 

Challenge

When Flash Wash began planning its renovation, the tunnel’s dark, uninviting atmosphere held back the customer experience and limited the wash’s ability to stand out in a competitive market. Families – especially those with young children – often found the tunnel intimidating, and the lack of visual appeal offered little reason to choose Flash Wash over nearby alternatives. At the same time, the Pacific Northwest’s wet, submergible conditions made it difficult to find a lighting system that could survive long-term, as previous fixtures consistently underperformed in harsh environments. The team needed more than just brighter lights; they needed a durable, high-impact solution that could elevate the brand, enhance visibility from the street, and transform a routine wash into an engaging, memorable moment for every customer.

“The setup and layout were far more seamless than anything we’d used before. We didn’t have to bring anyone on-site to walk us through it—we could handle everything ourselves and get answers to any questions virtually. ”

Alexa, General Manager

Flash Wash Gallery

Solution

Flash Wash partnered with G&G to bring a brighter, safer, and more engaging vision of their tunnel to life using the ColorWash lighting system. Built specifically for the harsh, water-intense environments common in the Pacific Northwest, ColorWash delivers high-output illumination through a seamless, chemical-resistant copolyester shell with an IP67+ waterproof rating providing the durability and performance that previous lighting solutions could never achieve. These low-profile fixtures are engineered to thrive in submergible conditions, ensuring consistent, long-lasting visibility no matter how wet the wash becomes.

With G&G’s plug-and-play layout, Flash Wash was able to install the system quickly and confidently, supported only by virtual guidance when needed. The tunnel transformation was so impactful and street-visible that the team expanded the lighting to the storefront and pay station, turning the entire property into a bright, eye-catching landmark. Today, ColorWash not only enhances safety and visibility – it elevates the brand, draws new customers from the road, and creates a dynamic experience that keeps families excited to return.

Result

G&G’s ColorWash has become a defining element of the Flash Wash brand, reshaping both the customer experience and the business’s bottom line. Since upgrading the tunnel and storefront lighting, Flash Wash has seen daily traffic surge by 25 percent, while higher-tier memberships have more than doubled—driving a nearly 90 percent increase in membership revenue. Overall monthly revenue has climbed 35 percent, and the lighting system paid for itself in just over two months. What began as a visual upgrade has become a powerful engine for customer engagement, visibility, and brand loyalty. With a durable, low-maintenance system built for the region’s wet conditions, Flash Wash has transformed a once-dim tunnel into a vibrant, high-impact showpiece that continues to attract new customers and deliver an exceptional return on investment year-round.

After upgrading to ColorWash:

  • Daily traffic surged 25%.
  • Higher-tier memberships doubled, boosting membership revenue by ~90%.
  • Monthly revenue soared 35%.
  • Payback period: ~2.41 months.
  • Annual ROI: +397%.