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64-year-old Pronto Car Wash center to become Big Dan’s
The Pronto Car Wash and Quik Lube center that has served the community for over 60 years will now be taken over by a chain.
The center, built in 1958 at 220 34th St. N., will now carry the name Big Dan’s.
The Georgia-based, family-run Big Dan’s Car Wash company operates over 20 express car washes.
This week, Big Dan’s received a special exemption approval to convert the 1.6-acre Pronto car wash, detailing center and express lube.
“We met the owner who has been running it for over a decade and said he was ready to sell it,” Jay Shadday, president of Big Dan’s Car Wash, said to the St. Pete Catalyst.
“We are able to reuse the existing business and it has a great layout. It was a very strategic acquisition. When we site-search, we look at the population and density, on 34th Street, we felt there was a strong enough population to support the center and competition.”
Pronto’s last day in business will be April 12.
Shadday said Big Dan’s will demolish the oil change center and self-serve car wash bay. The company will keep the tunnel and vintage signage.
“This is a landmark in St. Pete. We want to try to retain the classic character. It will still look like a new building, but it will not be a typical Big Dan’s location,” Shadday said.
Circa 1960s postcard image of the Pronto Car Wash.
The demolition of some of the structures will allow the new owners to reconfigure the traffic flow and offer 27 vacuum spaces with free amenities. The demolition and renovations are expected to start by the end of May or early June. The business expects the car wash to open in the fall and may hire between 20 to 30 employees.
Earlier this year, Big Dan’s also acquired Buddy’s Car Wash in Tampa and Pinellas Park.
The Florida market is a key component of Big Dan’s strategic growth plan and is part of the brand’s $100 million Phase I expansion plan.
Shadday said Big Dan’s looks at opportunities to contribute to the communities it has a presence in. For instance, Big Dan’s works with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Northwest Georgia.
The news of Big Dan’s opening local centers comes on the heels of the big boom of car washes in the United States. Multiple economic forecasts show the retail sector is rapidly growing due to multiple factors such as an increased amount of vehicle owners and the convenience and quality service car washes provide.
Another car wash chain, Woodie’s Wash Shack, also has multiple car wash sites in the works for Tampa Bay, including a site in Palm Harbor that’s currently occupied by an Italian restaurant.
Thelma Cuthbertson
January 2, 2023at5:08 pm
Will you rehire the old staff back? I’ve been looking for the older gentleman who did the detailing. I think they called him J.T. If anyone know how to locate him pls give him my email address
Nummi Richard
December 8, 2022at5:12 pm
Oops, Mariner Car Wash on 4th just closed too! That’s it folks, no more full serves left.
Earlene Pittman
May 31, 2022at11:57 am
OMG I didn’t no Pronto was gone until I past by and seen it all fenced in.Im sure gonna miss them. They were awesome. They made your car look like brand new. With all the polishes. I just don’t like that self service vaccum ing. Gotta find another full service that did a awesome job like pronto did. But I doubt it’s no other out there.
Tim Curtiss
May 11, 2022at9:02 pm
Veronica Brezina, don’t miss out on the bigger story here. Readers, if you lost money on Pronto prepaid gifts cards, please reply to this story. During the 20 years I used Pronto, they offered a loyalty program to earn free car washes and also sold many gift cards, especially at Mothers Day and Fathers Day. Their closing day was never disclosed with sufficient notice to customers, which means there are many like me who are stuck with unfulfilled washes. My gift card has approximately $150 worth remaining, and Pronto management has never responded to my request for a refund. So, Veronica, since you are in contact with Big Dans, maybe you could ask the Shaddays if they acquired Pronto’s financial liabilities with the purchase or if they budgeted for good will towards those who they would like to retain as customers. Or, let’s contact the former owners, Marcus and Jennifer Greene, to see what it would take for them to do the right thing for their loyal customers who gave them money for services never rendered. Doesn’t sound legal and it is certainly not moral. Quoting Pronto’s response to a recent BBB complaint: “Pronto is committed to providing quality service and values its customers and it is committed to fair and ethical business practices which Is supported by it’s over 60 years of being in operation.” Seems like the kind of company that would do the ethical thing given the $3,000,000 they made on the sale, doesn’t it?
Danny E White
April 10, 2022at3:58 pm
What a shame! I’ve used Pronto since the 70’s; first with my mom’s cars and then my own. They were and continued to be for years the premier full-service car wash in St. Petersburg, offering superb washes, waxes, vacuuming and detailing. They even had gas pumps for a time as I recall. You could see some really fancy rides at that place… kind of like a ‘see and be seen’ hangout! I have used Woody’s Wash Shack as a last resort since they opened in the Skyway Marina District, preferring full-service vs. a DIY drive thru tunnel and self-serve vacuum and cosmetic stations. Woody’s charges ~$25 bucks for their best wash, and then you have to self-serve your windows and interior. Pronto took care of it all for about that same price! Pronto will be sorely missed by many… that is for sure!
R Skillman
April 10, 2022at7:31 am
Mariner Car Wash on 4th St N offers full service
DebV
April 10, 2022at7:28 am
Agreed. We’ve been using Pronto for our oil changes as well for the past 9 years. They are just blocks away. Guess the car is going to be ridiculously dirty now. We’ve specifically used Pronto because it was NOT self serve.
Carole Smith
April 9, 2022at5:36 pm
Is Big Dan’s like the other car washes, with self-vacuum only? If so, please advise where older residents, who are not physically capable of vacuuming out our own cars, can go to get the sand, etc out of our cars? Sending a big THANK YOU to the previous owner who created a valued service.