Three-Year-Old Car Wash Catering to Customers' Vehicles

As the old adage goes, "you get what you pay for."

, 9816 S. Kedzie Ave., definitely subscribes to that slogan. In Evergreen Park for the past three years, the business believes in taking the time to really wash its customers' cars by hand, instead of using a conventional car-washing machine.

"We care about your vehicle," Mauricio Mora, co-owner and general manager, said. "People, with the economy, are looking for a cheap carwash where the drive-through is a couple bucks. That's not good, because the cheap washes scratch car paint. We recommend washing cars by hand."

In fact, that is the only way Mora and his employees wash their customers' cars, he said.
"It's much better," he said.

It's important to Mora that his customers get a quality car wash, even at their cheapest wash option of $8. He doesn't want customers to feel that they are going to receive a cheap but quick wash; instead, he wants them to know their cars will be thoroughly washed, even if it takes a few minutes.

"We don't run you out the door," Mora said. "It's a nice carwash. The point is to bring you back."

Mora decided to open Brothers up after working for a different car wash company for 13 years, he said. Working for himself is "much better" than not, he said.

"It was good, finally opening up my own place," Mora said.

Not only does Brothers offer car washes from $8 to $23, customers can also have their vehicles' engines cleaned, have their car detailed or have the interiors shampooed, Mora said.

With the weather finally warming up, Brothers is seeing more customers coming in for the detailing work, Mora said.

"This time of year is the right time for detailing," Mora said. "With winter (over), you need to get a full detail to protect the paint from the sun."

While more customers are trickling in now that sunny days are more frequent—"When people see the sun out, they say, 'Oh, I have to go get a car wash'—winter is actually one the busier seasons for the shop," Mora said.

"Winter is better than summer, with the salt on the vehicles, people wash (cars) more frequently," he said.

Mora said Brothers' best customer tends to be local senior citizens from the Mount Greenwood, Beverly and Oak Lawn neighborhoods, including retired police and firemen. In addition to offering senior citizens a discount, the shop also frequently advertises to groups such as students from St. Xavier, police officers and often hold discount days.

"We want more business," Mora said. "(Business is) very good but it could be better. ...The economy isn't good and it hurts everybody. We try to advertise, we try to do deals for every day of the week."

Mora said he would like to expand Brothers to more locations down the line, if the economy improves enough to make that happen. Right now, he's focused on making sure Evergreen Park residents are aware of the business.

"Now with the economy and gas prices so high, people don't wash cars like they used to," Mora said.

As members of the and supporters of Evergreen Park schools and the police department—Brothers washes their vehicles for them—Mora said he hopes local residents come see the quality the small business is capable of.

"We don't try to impress from the outside," Mora said. "This is a small business and we need support from the people, especially in Evergreen Park."

For more information about the services offered at Brothers, give them a call at 708-422-8755.