Bixby Knolls Car Wash celebrates its 35th year as a community icon Owners reflect on success in business and marriage

When Sheldon and Shell Grossman got married in 1978, they made a pact that running a business together would never come in the way of their relationship. For the past three decades, the couple has kept that promise, while their full-service car wash has become a staple in the local community.
“We each put out the negative thoughts that might be detrimental to being in business together, and then we put out the positive things that would come from it,” said Sheldon, now 81. “And you know what? We’ve never had any problems at all! We work well together.”
With a motto of “clean car, fast service and personality,” Bixby Knolls Car Wash & Detail Center has withstood the test of time. Now celebrating 35 years in business at 577 E. Wardlow Rd. in Long Beach, the car wash, with its bright logo of a red cartoon car and bubbles, sits in a prime spot, considered the “gateway” to Bixby Knolls. The business is hosting a free anniversary celebration on Sept. 14 at 4pm, providing music and entertainment, food from local vendors, clowns, giveaways, games, prizes and a free photo booth.
The operation was first built by Exxon Corporation as part of a string of car washes the oil company owned in the greater Los Angeles area during the 1970s. Sheldon, who owned several other car washes at the time, purchased the business after the oil company was running it at a loss, he said. “They knew how to pump gas, but not [run] car washes,” he said.
Sheldon took over the establishment during a time when Long Beach was known for its many car dealerships along Long Beach Boulevard, and hoards of Volkswagen “Beetles” would roll into the lot, Sheldon recalled. “People used to ask me what I do particularly at the car wash ! ‘Well, I do rear windows on Volkswagen bugs,’ I’d tell people, and I’d get a laugh once in a while.”

After buying the car wash, Sheldon met Shell at a business party in Huntington Beach through a mutual friend. Discovering they had more in common than just the spelling of their names, they decided to tie the knot and are now celebrating their 34th wedding anniversary. Becoming business partners, however, wasn’t an easy decision.
“As things progressed [Sheldon] asked me to work and help out, and it evolved where we ended up working together,” Shell said. “We did a lot of serious work prior to that because we didn’t want to do anything to hurt our relationship.”
As a former registered nurse, Shell brought her expertise in public relations to the company, training employees in customer service, which she said has become one of the company’s strong suits.
For most customers, the car wash, which offers full-service, self-service and detail options, is convenient. But treating customers with “dignity and courtesy” is what keeps them coming back, Shell said. “Looking customers in the eyes when you greet them and smiling is important,” she said. “My mission statement is to consistently exceed our customer’s expectations.”
The Grossmans have also been well thought of by their employees— some of whom have been on board for decades. The business owners even take their staff out for a dinner gathering each year to show their appreciation.
The company’s general manager, Ramon Paz, originally from Honduras, has been with the company for 33 years, first working as a vacuum/detail worker. “You can have the most beautiful car wash in the world, but if the service is no good, then customers won’t come,” said Paz, who received the “2011 Manager of the Year” award from the Western Car Wash Association. “We take care of the customers like our family.”

While Shell brought experience in customer relations, Sheldon brought his vast industry knowledge, which has ultimately helped the company grow to become one of the longest running car washes in the greater Los Angeles area, he said. As a car-wash owner since 1966, Sheldon has regularly attended car-wash conventions, while serving as board of director for prestigious industry organizations, including the California Car Wash Association, the Western Car Wash Association and the International Car Wash Association.
Most car washes today use a “brush type system” or a rubberized concept to save money, but the Bixby Knolls Car Wash is one of the few operations that still use a “brushless system,” whereby employees wash them by hand so that vehicles don’t get scratched or marked, Sheldon said. “It seems the more and more car washes go to a brush system, the more advantage I have,” he said.
The company has also added the latest technology to their establishment, currently featuring water-saving, electricity-saving and green elements in their full-service and coin-operated facilities. The car wash also uses cleaning agents and spray waxes that are environmentally friendly, according to a statement by the company.
While the industry has changed, being involved in the community— whether it’s through the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association, local philanthropic groups or the Signal Hill Chamber of Commerce— has helped keep business booming, Shell added. After the operation was turned over to someone else to run for a few years, the Grossmans came back in 2008 and were welcomed with open arms, she said. “We consider ourselves a community car wash,” Shell said. “We really ! are the community and are for the community.”