When Walmart shuttered its grocery store in a Maumelle, Arkansas shopping plaza, people were certain that a “regular” retail occupant would take its place. After all, who wouldn’t want to cash in on the grocery gold mine?
Maybe a vast Big Box retailer or another grocery store, right? But, plot twist! The space was filled by a surprise contender: an indoor car wash. Because, apparently, nothing says “retail opportunity” like suds and stains!
Splash Car Wash, an Arkansas-based chain with approximately 30 locations, snatched up the former Walmart’s vast 35,000 square feet of pure, unadulterated retail nostalgia. They then hired A Plus Design Group Architecture to perform some indoor voodoo on the space, resulting in a “European” style car wash. Picture this: two glamorous enclosed wash tunnels, dazzling LED lights as bright as a high school prom, vacuum stations galore, and even a kid’s play area—because who doesn’t want their children splashing around while their car gets a spa day?
Now, Splash Car Wash proudly occupies the former Walmart building. Talk about a retail glow-up!
So, how on Earth did a grocery store become a car wash? The Walmart Neighborhood Market opened in 2008, only to meet a rather ignominious fate in 2016, as part of a grand closure strategy involving 269 locations. Walmart made it clear: selling the property to a competitor was off the table. Why? Because the last thing they wanted was you choosing kale over the convenience of shopping two miles away at their Supercenter.
True to form, Walmart sold the Maumelle property for $2.2 million, probably complete with a fancy deed restriction preventing anyone from opening a grocery store again. Because who needs competition when you can have a ‘no-fun’ policy? The Arkansas developers then attempted to sell to a select group of retailers that would never dream of crossing Walmart. After some fruitless years of waiting, they finally sold the building to Splash for $2.5 million in 2021. Expecting tacos or a pizza joint? Nope, just a car wash! Rest easy, folks—no grocery aisles will come back to haunt Walmart’s Supercenter dreams.
Interestingly, this is not a unique phenomenon. Across the nation, former “Big Box” retail spaces are getting lavish makeovers into car washes. New Jersey’s Valet Auto Wash takes the cake, transforming a handful of former Toys “R” Us stores into water-washing masterpieces. Just think: a childhood playground now serves a purpose! Because what screams “nostalgia” louder than munching on toys while washing minivans?
This surprising use of a former Walmart—once a vibrant grocery arena—while seemingly absurd, exemplifies the fact that modern-day, high-quality retail spaces are essentially like Swiss Army knives. They are multi-functional as long as the right money-making scheme is in place. So don’t be shocked when other former retail giants morph into the next unconventional treasure in your neighborhood. Who knows? Maybe your old favorite haunt will be revitalized as a yoga studio, a cat café, or a 24/7 potato bar. Now that’s a business model with staying power!
