We visited Blue Rocket Car Wash in the heart of the California summer, with temperatures soaring well above 100 degrees F. Despite the intense heat and blazing sun, the Blue Rocket team was enthusiastic and ready to help every single customer. With an attendant greeting people, multiple team members prepping cars, and consistent monitoring of the vacuum stations for issues, they had everything covered.
Blue Rocket is a clean, attractive express tunnel in the small city of Ridgecrest, CA. It features a friction brush tunnel, eye-catching branding, and a great vacuum arch setup. Plus, comfortable, modern waiting area for customers who have the Blue Rocket team clean their car for them. The enterprise is owned by Braulio Alvarez and business partner Brian Guiniling. Alvarez oversees the daily operations of the wash and is regularly on-site as an active participant with his team. We were able to chat with him and learn a little bit about his time in the car wash industry.
Alvarez’s Start in Car Washing
In the very early 90s, a young Alvarez was looking for his first real job. While walking past a full-service car wash, he noticed that the cleaning process required a lot of employees. He thought it might be worth it to take a shot and see if they were hiring. He approached an employee, who pointed him towards a gentleman who Alvarez thought was a manager but was actually the owner of the wash. Perhaps sensing some eagerness in Alvarez, the owner hired him on the spot, and he started immediately. He was given a company shirt, along with his first duty of washing the towels being used by the crew.
Gaining Experience and Opening Blue Rocket Car Wash
Alvarez progressed through other positions at a couple different car washes in the Bakersfield area, learning more and more about the industry as he went along. In 2002, two of his former bosses joined forces to open an express wash. Alvarez was recruited to help manage the new facility. That wash was eventually sold to Mister Car Wash in 2017, and Alvarez stayed on with them until 2019. He and Guiniling, a fellow employee at Mister, became business partners and opened Blue Rocket.
Blue Rocket Car Wash a Valuable Part of the Ridgecrest Community
Blue Rocket is mindful of the value of being part of their community. For every top wash package sold, they donate $3 to a local charity. Blue Rocket members pay a small $3 fee each time they visit, and that all goes to charity as well! They also know how to bring some lighthearted fun to the community. During the COVID pandemic, Blue Rocket recognized that a lot of people in the area were looking for something safe and entertaining to do. They used it as an opportunity to start their Tunnel of Terror, decorating their tunnel in spooky decorations for some Halloween amusement.
During our visit, Alvarez’s experience shined while he moved around the property. He didn’t hesitate to empty a trash can, hang up a fallen vac hose, or act as a greeter if the attendant was busy helping elsewhere. That kind of engagement clearly sets the tone for a crew that is respectful and hardworking, yet also relaxed and comfortable.
Alvarez ended our discussion by imparting his simple philosophy about running the car wash:
“After quite a few years of doing this, I’ve realized in the process doing it this long, that I get to work with a lot of different people. You bond with people – employees and customers. There is joy in that. With employees, I see it this way: you take care of them and they’ll care of the customers. If employees are happy, it will reflect and show with customers.”
