Fargo’s first Silverstar Car Wash to open soon; more in the works, including at site of former Happy Joe’s
The first of a slew of Silverstar Car Wash locations set to hit the Fargo area is slated to open soon.
The first car wash, located at 4475 Calico Drive S., will open Tuesday, April 19, Silverstar regional manager Marty Donat told The Forum.
The Calico Drive S. location will be the first Silverstar Car Wash in the metro area. The Sioux Falls, S.D.-based company has 11 locations in Sioux Falls and six in the Sioux City, Iowa, area.
Silverstar first revealed its intentions to move into Fargo in August 2021, announcing three locations at the time . Back then, Silverstar had unveiled plans for a second location at 2900 52nd Ave. S. and a third at 2120 Sheyenne St. in West Fargo.
The three car washes won’t be the end of Silverstar’s growth in Fargo, however, as the company aims to bring more car washes to other high-traffic roadways in the city. Three more car washes will bring Silverstar’s tally to six in the metro area, with washes underway on University Drive, 13th Avenue South and Veterans Boulevard. The University Drive location will take the place of Happy Joe’s, the beloved pizza restaurant which closed abruptly in November 2021 .
Donat explained that the six washes were always in the cards for Silverstar. It’s all part of a plan to ensure the brand’s presence is felt throughout the city. “When we come into a market, we want to be a part of the market as well. We’re not going to go somewhere and just build one location,” he said. “We’re going to go to a market where we can put up multiple locations, employ multiple people and be a part of the community for the long-term.”
Donat expects that four of Silverstar’s six planned car washes will open in 2022. In addition to the Calico Drive South location, he projected the 52nd Avenue South wash will open in early- or mid-June, while the Sheyenne Street one will open in July. “We’ll have four open this year and the other two open pretty early in 2023,” Donat summarized.
Swinging for the fences
Donat said Silverstar Car Wash is coming to Fargo hoping to make a splash in what’s been a hotly-growing market.
The six locations will put Silverstar among the largest car wash chains in the area. Another popular brand, Custom Express Car Wash , has three metro area locations currently open, with a fourth coming to Moorhead this spring and the possibility of more on the horizon.
In an effort to make a good impression, Donat said Silverstar will be running various special offers come Tuesday. For its first two weeks in business, Silverstar will offer free washes to customers. Additionally, new members of Silverstar’s unlimited wash pass program will get their first month for only $1.
Proceeds from Silverstar’s second week of operations will be donated to The K9 Crew , a local charity which offers dog training to help children’s personal development. The charity was selected by Heaven Hamling, a guard for the North Dakota State women’s basketball team who signed an endorsement deal with Silverstar last year.
Donat said Silverstar plans to do the same when the rest of its six Fargo area locations open as well.
Silverstar offers a range of different washes, which cost between $10 and $18. Prices for their unlimited wash passes range from $14.95 per month to $34.95 per month. The passes are portable as well, meaning members can use their passes at Silverstar locations outside of Fargo, Donat noted.
All of Silverstar’s locations offer free vacuums, free towels, compressed air for blowing out keyholes and door jams and mat shampooing machines. Also available is a ceramics coating which Donat said is used to protect vehicles’ powder coating.
Donat estimated that all Silverstar locations will employ between 12 and 15 people. “I would say when we have our sixth one open, we’re going to be close to employing 60 to 80 people with all the management and baseline team members and so forth,” he said.
Overall, Donat is optimistic that Silverstar will make a strong first impression in Fargo. He anticipates hundreds of cars to pass through in the car wash’s opening weeks. “I think it’s going to be amazing,” he replied when asked to gauge his expectations for the opening. “We want to hit a home run here.”
Business profile
What: Silverstar Car Wash
Where: 4475 Calico Drive S., with five more locations planned for the area
Online: silverstarcarwashes.com
Contact: 701-491-9350
Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from April 1 to Oct. 1, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the winter