Car Wash
From Lake Michigan Coast to Coast
International car wash franchise, Tommy’s Express, is expanding its footprint in Wisconsin with the opening of its latest location in Portage. This is the ninth location in the state as the brand prepares to break ground on half a dozen more locations and convert several existing car washes.
“We talked about it and felt that Tommy’s Express is something we could really use in Wisconsin,” said Elise Liegel, a local franchise partner in Portage. “When the community started hearing that we were planning to build in the area, there was just so much support.”
Liegel is part of S&L Companies; a franchise group headquartered in Portage that owns more than 130 Culver’s locations and continues to add additional locations. S&L is not alone in developing Tommy’s Express in Wisconsin; it is joined by Stratton Management, which operates the most Tommy’s Express locations in Wisconsin, and by Kilian Management, headquartered in West Bend, operator of four Tommy’s Express locations. The Tommy’s Express brand is committed to bringing the best car wash experience to communities in the Badger State.
“When I look at what Tommy’s provides me, it’s the support…learning from them is the only way I learned the car wash business,” said Steve Kilian, owner of Kilian Management Services.
With the Portage opening marking Tommy’s Express’s ninth location in Wisconsin, the brand is already setting its sights on further growth. Additional locations are slated to open in Beaver Dam, Hartford, Sussex, Grafton, Baraboo, and Oshkosh.
“We are deeply committed to expanding our footprint in Wisconsin,” said Alex Lemmen, CEO of Tommy’s Express. “We feel we have the right franchise partners to continue growing in the state, and we’re looking for more opportunities to build our team in the Badger State.”
Building on the momentum, the brand plans to expand in Q3 through conversions in the southeastern corner of the state. Four existing Rocket Wash locations — all currently operating as Totally Tommy car wash tunnels — in Racine, Mount Pleasant, Kenosha, and on HWY 50 are expected to be converted into Tommy’s Express franchises. A fifth location will open in Pleasant Prairie soon, and a sixth will open in Racine sometime next year. This will further accelerate the brand’s growth and underscore its commitment to attracting the right franchise partners.
Rocket Wash is a Racine-based car wash founded in 2017 by Michael and Jim Willkomm, whose family has been rooted in Southeast Wisconsin for more than 75 years through their distribution of Mobil products.
Between the four groups developing in Wisconsin, Tommy’s Express will have 30 locations in the state by 2028, with continued development momentum to follow.