10/02/2026
When I was about 16 years old, I started working at Fill & Wash on Gratiot. And when I say I started at the bottom, I mean the BOTTOM. I was drying vehicles and emptying “the pit.” If you know, you know!
From there, I worked my way up, prepping vehicles, shift manager, assistant manager, and eventually I was given my own store to manage on Dearborn Street. I did all of that in just a couple short years.
Working at a car wash back in the “good ole’ days” was an absolute blast. Talking with customers, playing jokes on each other, making lifelong memories…and maybe, just MAYBE, there was a little partying on the job from time to time.
I have nothing but great memories from those years.
Fast-forward a few decades…
Theresa Miller, along with her brothers Aaron and Adam Coty, purchased the old Fill & Wash property and tore the old wash down to build a much-needed, modern car wash.
When I heard the old place was coming down, I reached out to Theresa with what I figured was a LONG SHOT request:
“Any chance I can have the old Fill & Wash road sign to hang in my barn?”
Without even batting an eye, she told me I could have BOTH SIDES!
Then she says, “Do you want the Marathon gas station signs too?”
Ummm…YES!!!
As demolition got closer, I was struggling to get the equipment lined up to take everything down. Theresa called me and said she would have the construction company remove the signs and safely store them until I could get there.
Seriously…who does that anymore?
A couple days later, I had them all in my possession.
I cannot WAIT to build frames for the Fill & Wash signs, add LED lighting and hang a little piece of my younger years in my barn.
And because of Theresa’s generosity, I was even able to give one of the Marathon signs to my good friend and fellow car guy, Lowell Carmer. Lowell apparently doesn't believe in procrastination because he wasted NO TIME getting his hung next to his barn!
Today, I stopped in to see the crew at Elite Car Wash for their OPENING DAY.
They were running a TON of vehicles through, and for those wondering, vans with ladder racks and duallys are welcome!
This was the BEST touchless car wash I have ever been through.
Apparently I liked it enough because I drove in to check the place out and somehow drove back out signed up for the monthly wash program.
If you're in the area, stop in and give them a try. Your first month is HALF OFF!
Thank you for your generosity, for going way above and beyond to save a piece of my past, and most importantly, for just being a damn good human being.
Congratulations to Theresa, Aaron, Adam and the entire Elite Car Wash crew on opening day!
I hope you guys make as many great memories there as we did back in the Fill & Wash days.
Although…maybe with a little less partying on the job.
Dave Wieland
Broker/Owner
REMAX New Image
