Q: I live on Howard Drive, in North Mankato. There is a self service car wash on the corner of Howard and Haughton Drive that has been in disrepair for many years. I have contacted the city about this problem but nothing seems to improve.
There hasn’t been a name on the place for at least five years, the building is painted badly, there are trees growing on the roof and lately, it looks like several or all of the bays don’t work. The city workers actually mowed the lawn this past week, mid-July.
Could the community get an update on what is going on with this piece of property? It really is an eyesore in its current state and either needs to be brought up to code or shutdown. The neighborhood is so nice with the softball and soccer fields in the area bringing in tourists, why is this allowed to look like this?
A: The glory days of self-serve car washes in general seem to have passed in the Mankato area. The facilities, where vehicle owners plug in a few quarters or swipe a credit card in return for a few minutes of high-pressure water, could once be found within a couple of miles of most neighborhoods.
Once-busy car washes on Monks Avenue near Minnesota State, along Highway 169 near Hiniker Pond and off of Third Avenue have shut down. A couple of others remain but often look increasingly scruffy, and the online reviews are not particularly glowing.
The Howard Drive Car Wash, for instance, receives an occasional positive review on Google. But most customers in recent months and years have been giving it a single star out of five. Someone identifying as “Howard Drive Car Wash North Mankato (Owner)” occasionally responds to concerns and complaints but appears to be getting increasingly cranky with negative reactions from customers.
Here’s an example of the owner’s response to a review that described the car wash as being “in bad shape” and specifically noting the lack of soap during the soap cycle: “I wish there was a service that allowed me to leave you a review of your character since it looks like you leave quite a few reviews for others even though you yourself are part of the problem.”
To another review advising people not to patronize the business, the owner wrote: “I thank local law enforcement for the vandalism, burglary, illegal dumping, drug problems, damage to property and their lack of ability to protect and serve the community.”
And to a person complaining about the overhead doors and the inability to pay with quarters: “The doors are that way because people are not smart enough to drive through a door without hitting it, cards are the payment option due to all the clowns breaking in … .”
Customers are not the only ones noticing the condition of the Howard Drive Car Wash. It has gotten the attention of the city of North Mankato, too, which was born out by the presence of municipal employees mowing the grass. That lawn maintenance, by the way, is not a freebie.
“As per City Code, the city is cutting the grass due to the fact the owner is neglecting that responsibility as a property owner,” said North Mankato Community Development Director Mike Fischer. “Any cost for that service is the responsibility of the property owner.”
Other problems with the property, including with the structure itself, are also being documented.
“The city is assessing the condition of the building to determine and document any city or building code violations,” Fischer said. “Once that assessment is complete and if violations are found, the property owner will be notified and have the opportunity to address the conditions. If violations are found which the property owner does not address, the city will begin legal proceedings to bring the property into compliance.”
Contact Ask Us at The Free Press, 418 S. Second St., Mankato, MN 56001. Call Mark Fischenich at 344-6321 or email your question to mfischenich@mankatofreepress.com; put Ask Us in the subject line.