Buddy’s Car Wash is an outcome-driven, community-focused car wash in Calera, Alabama, dedicated to delivering a bright, safe, and modern experience for every customer. Determined to revitalize an aging 2002 site and overcome decades of neglect, industry veterans Marcus and Buddy Kittrell set out to transform a three-bay self-serve car wash into a vibrant, 24/7 commercial destination. Central to that vision is a fully upgraded, high-performance lighting system featuring G&G’s ColorWash® PLUS and EDGE perimeter lighting. Engineered to withstand harsh, wet car wash environments while offering vibrant RGBW color customization, G&G’s dynamic illumination has turned Buddy’s into an eye-catching landmark that captures community attention day and night.

LOCATION: Calera, Alabama
DISTRIBUTING PARTNER: Kleen-Rite Corp.
MARKET/APPLICATION: Self Serve Car Wash

Business Impacts

From $3K to $10K

Monthly Revenue

+233%

6 Month Revenue Growth

One Day

Lighting Installation

24/7 Visual

Marketing Presence

The Challenge

When industry veterans Marcus and Buddy Kittrell acquired a neglected three-bay self-serve car wash in Calera, Alabama, they faced a common industry challenge: revitalizing an outdated facility built 2002 and left largely untouched for more than two decades. With the site generating around $3,000 in monthly revenue, the aging appearance and lack of visual appeal made it difficult to attract new customers or stand out in a competitive market. Beyond updating the equipment and overall facility, the owners needed a way to create a strong visual identity that would increase curb appeal, capture attention day and night, and transform the customer experience. They recognized that lighting could serve as more than illumination, it could be a powerful marketing tool to drive traffic, increase brand recognition, and encourage repeat business. After researching lighting options available to the car wash industry, they realized that they needed a system that could not only withstand the harsh environment of the car wash, but something that could be easily controlled to keep their site refreshed during holidays and events and make them stand out in an area where traffic had fallen blind to the site’s existence prior to their ownership.

The Solution

To achieve their vision, the Kittrell’s partnered with G&G Industrial Lighting to implement the ColorWash® PLUS lighting system inside the wash bays and EDGE perimeter lighting around the exterior of the facility. More than utility lighting, the system transformed the car wash into a highly visible destination, enhancing curb appeal, safety, visibility, and the overall customer experience. Built specifically for car wash environments, the waterproof, corrosion- resistant LED fixtures that make up the ColorWash® system can withstand constant exposure to the moisture, direct spray and chemicals in a self-serve car wash. The dedicated white channel integrates with the wash equipment, automatically transitioning from vibrant color displays to to 20,000 lumens of bright white illumination when vehicles enter the wash bay, providing the visibility needed during cleaning. G&G simplified the installation process with a custom lighting design and plug-and-play integration that the electrical contractor completed in just one day. The intuitive ColorWash® app allows the Buddy’s team to fully control and customize their lighting sequences for all of their sites from anywhere.

The Results

The results were immediate and measurable. Following a full site renovation that included G&G’s ColorWash® PLUS and EDGE lighting, monthly revenue increased from $3,000 to $10,000, a 233% increase within six months of reopening. The Kittrells credit G&G’s dynamic lighting as a key contributor to the transformation, helping generate community awareness before opening, attract customers from day one, and turn the facility into a highly visible 24/7 marketing asset. The project also earned overwhelmingly positive community feedback, with zero neighbor complaints and recognition from the Mayor of Calera for helping revitalize a once-overlooked commercial corridor.