Chillin in a Flood Zone

Never in the recorded history of man has anyone ever been quoted as saying, “Yippee! We’re in a flood zone.” The one exception to that statement is if you’re snoozing in one of the luxurious recliners, or enjoying a cup of coffee and friendly conversation, in the lobby/waiting room of Flood Zone Car Wash at 1450 Justin Rd. in Lewisville.

The name hasn’t always been the same, but the physical building and its location hasn’t budged in 25 years. And it’s always been a car wash.

“I got into the car wash business in 2016,” said owner/operator Jason Flood. “I enjoy meeting people and I’ve always been interested in cars, so this makes the perfect combination for me.

“I knew the place needed some fixing up but there’s just so much paint and other surface treatments you can add before reaching the point where you have no choice but to go deeper. I decided we needed a name change and a complete rebirth.

“I had multiple goals. I wanted a clean, comfortable, inviting atmosphere where people could come, sit, relax, drink coffee, visit, or even nap. You wouldn’t believe how much snoring goes on in those recliners I bought!

“But I also wanted it to go beyond cosmetics. I wanted to give my customers cleaner vehicles, and an overall better product with faster delivery. I streamlined their choices, making it even easier for them to decide what service they want and how to place the order.

“I refer to our menu as the McDonald’s style menu. You order a number one, a number two, or a number three, and so on. The costs decrease as you go down. There’s even a quickie in-and-out on the menu.”
Flood made some expensive remodel decisions. He walked through the tunnel, the literal heartbeat of a car wash, and determined that re-patching the patches wasn’t going to work. He needed to do more if he wanted to serve his reputation and his customers.

“I decided to put in an entirely new tunnel,” he said. After that, it naturally followed that he would add a couple of bells and whistles. For instance, a towel drying machine is a car wash luxury item. “Flood Zone has one,” Flood said proudly. “A car doesn’t leave here until it’s clean and dry.

“The customer never lifts a finger during the process. We’re one of three full-service car washes left in the entire area and, as a matter of fact, we don’t allow anyone to vacuum or anything else on their own vehicles.”
Flood’s planning for the remodel was 20-months in the making. Finally, when he was sure about everything, he contacted The Wash Group to schedule tunnel installation. He was on target for the perfect “rebirth” for Flood Zone, set for November 11, Veterans’ Day.

“I have tremendous respect for veterans,” Flood said. “They’re the reasons I can have a car wash and the reasons you can come and use it. Veterans, teachers, and first responders always receive a 10-percent discount with us.

“We had a local fire crew here on Veteran’s Day, and a veteran’s combat group raised the flag for the first time under the new name. We were proud of what we did on opening day and we’re proud of what Flood Zone has become.”

Flood believes one of his most important advantages is his low employee turnover rate. “Margo Ruiz has run the place for years,” he said, “and some of the customers pop in just to say hello to her. I pay my people a bit better than the other car washes, which helps to keep everyone in place. To me, turnover is a negative factor, regardless of what kind of business you’re running.”

While they can’t fit into the tunnel, Flood Zone also takes in RVs and boats, in addition to offering a mobile service.

Approximately 900 cars per month inched their way through Flood Zone’s tunnel before Jason took over the business. Since then, and even before his epic improvements, the number escalated to approximately 3,000 per month.

So, as noted earlier, this is one flood zone you don’t want to avoid. Just wade right in, and come out with a clean car or truck, and maybe a new friend or two.