Clean-up hitter: Real estate veteran targets car wash industry disruption

Amid a pandemic when people are loath to touch one another and even everyday objects without liberal doses of hand sanitizer, Don Phillips’ decision to open a high-tech chain of automatic car washes that operate using electronic devices similar to a SunPass could be serendipitous.

Phillips — a veteran property developer who specializes in multifamily, office and retail projects — is the managing director of Woodie’s Wash Shack. So far, he’s opened one location, at 5601 66th St. N. in St. Petersburg, an investment of more than $6 million. He's also secured 11 additional sites in Florida and, with five car washes in development via a business partner in Tennessee, aspires to turn the concept into a national brand.