Spotlight on Tommy’s Express Car Wash – Built by Hickory, Designed to Shine
Nestled right on Hwy 127 in Viewmont, Tommy’s Express Car Wash in Hickory isn’t just a national name—it’s a local story. In our latest episode of the Hickory Algorithm, we sat down with Matt Grimm, the owner of Tommy’s Express Car Wash in Viewmont, to talk about what makes this car wash stand out from the crowd—and why Hickory was the perfect place to build it.
Matt’s journey into the car wash industry began with a passion for systems, service, and sustainability. After experiencing Tommy’s Express firsthand in another city, he knew he had found a brand that delivered consistency and quality. But instead of simply bringing in a franchise, Matt brought in local contractors to build it—literally—from the ground up. From All County Plumbing and Advanced Electrical to Foothills Glass and Picture Perfect Landscaping, the project became a showcase of Hickory’s homegrown talent.
One of the things that really sets Tommy’s Express apart is the water reclamation system. As Matt explains on the podcast, the advanced system reclaims up to 90% of the water used, running it through gravity separators, ozone treatment, and a rotating bed biofilm reactor. Not only does this reduce water waste, but it ensures that every car comes out spotless while being environmentally responsible.
The conversation also dug into what it means to build a team in today’s workforce. Tommy’s Express focuses on hiring individuals who want to grow with the business—offering a structured onboarding process, team development opportunities, and a work culture centered on consistency and pride in service.
From the ribbon cutting to the raffle supporting Safe Harbor of NC, everything about this launch has been community-driven. And while the technology may be cutting edge, the foundation of this business is built on local people, real relationships, and pride in quality.
Whether you’re dealing with the Pollening or just want your car to shine like new, Tommy’s Express is ready, and so is Hickory.
📆 3 Day Community Spotlight for Tommy’s Express
May 22–24 | Viewmont | Hwy 127
The wheels are spinning—literally! 🚘💥
We’re celebrating big with a 3-day Grand Opening event packed with local celebrities, mascots, school fundraisers, and giveaways—all while supporting a cause close to home: Safe Harbor of North Carolina.
Here’s what’s happening across all three days:
🎡 Spin the Wheel giveaways loaded with prizes from local businesses
🔥 Enter to win a Blackstone Grill + $50 gift card from RaisingRootsFarm.com – over $500 in value!
🎟️ Raffle tickets are just $1 – and Tommy’s Express members get 3 tickets for the price of 2 💛 100% of raffle proceeds go to SafeHarborNC.org – a Christ-centered community supporting women on the path to rebuild, renew, and recover
🎤 Daily Highlights Include:
🎙️ Hal Rowe from WHKY
🦞 Conrad from the Hickory Crawdads
🍿 Tastebud Popcorn
🎓 Viewmont Elementary School Staff fundraiser
🎀 Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
🎁 Prize Sponsors Include:
⛳️ Tour Truck Golf
☕️ Happy Sips: Specialty Drinks and Coffee
🐓 Chick-fil-A Viewmont
🎓 Lenoir-Rhyne University
🦞 Hickory Crawdads
🫚 Raising Roots Farm
🍗 Hangry Joe’s Chicken
🎙️ WHKY
Follow along on their Facebook HERE to keep track of all things Tommy’s Express Car Wash in the next 3 days!
🧐 What makes Tommy’s Express Car Wash different? 🧐
Besides, Giving Back?
Water Savings and Environmental Impact versus Traditional Car Washes
When it comes to water usage, Tommy’s Express outperforms traditional car wash systems by a wide margin. A modern Tommy’s Express tunnel uses on average only ~28 gallons of water per vehicle . For comparison, other typical automated tunnel car washes use around 46+ gallons per car. Older or less efficient car washes (and especially do-it-yourself driveway washing) are even more water-intensive, for example, washing a car at home with a garden hose can use over 100 gallons (the U.S. EPA estimates around 116 gallons on average). This means Tommy’s Express uses a fraction of the water that a driveway wash would, and significantly less than even most professional competitors.
The secret to this efficiency is the recycling system and targeted water use. Because up to 90% of each wash’s water is reclaimed and reused on-site, Tommy’s needs very little new water for each car, just enough to top up the system and for final rinsing. By one franchise estimate, Tommy’s locations consume 60% less fresh (city) water than washing at home would require . Over thousands of washes, this represents a huge conservation of local water resources. During droughts or in water-restricted areas, this efficient model is especially valuable. In fact, water agencies and environmental groups often recommend using professional car washes like Tommy’s instead of home washing, since the pros use less water and handle wastewater properly.
In terms of water pollution and treatment, the differences are also significant. When you wash a car on the street or driveway, the dirty, soapy water (with oil, road salt, and chemicals) typically flows into storm drains and straight into local waterways untreated, which can harm ecosystems. Traditional car washes that lack proper drainage or reclamation might also send wash water into storm runoff. Tommy’s Express, by contrast, contains and treats all its wash water. The reclaim system removes sediments and contaminants on-site, and any leftover water is sent to a wastewater treatment plant via the sanitary sewer. This means zero direct runoff of pollutants into the environment from the car wash. The environmental benefit is substantial, preventing algae blooms and protecting aquatic life by keeping soap and grime out of rivers and lakes.
*information pulled from Tommy’s Express Website - Click on Giving back above*
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