Community invited to milestone celebration this Saturday, Oct. 4 with food, fun, prizes
When Folsom’s Jon Tilford first clocked in at Folsom Glenn Car Wash as a 16-year-old high school student, he thought it would be a temporary job. Nearly three decades later, that same teenager is now the managing partner, leading a staff of 60 employees and carrying forward a business that has become part of the fabric of Folsom. Now, Tilford and his crew are preparing to celebrate a 30-year milestone for the local business, and the entire community is invited to take part.
This Saturday, Oct. 4, Folsom Glenn Car Wash will host its anniversary celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Guests can enjoy free food, a dunk tank, raffles, and a spin-to-win prize wheel with discounts and giveaways. Every 100th customer will be entered into a drawing for a free month subscription, turning the day into both a party and a thank-you to the city that has supported the car wash since 1995.“We want to honor everybody and take care of them,” Tilford said. “That’s what this celebration is about.”
The milestone event reflects the unique journey of both the business and the people behind it. Tilford’s career began with washing cars after school, never imagining he would one day be running the operation. “I was 16 years old going to high school… no idea it was gonna turn into a career, but, I mean, it’s pretty awesome,” he said. By the time he was 19, the original owners promoted him into management. “They promoted me to a management position when I was only 19 years old. They took a big risk on that.” That trust helped shape how Tilford approaches leadership today—by investing in people and giving them opportunities to grow.
He’s not the only one who has made a career at Folsom Glenn. The car wash is filled with stories of loyalty that stretch back decades. A cashier has been greeting customers for nearly 29 years, and several crew members have worked alongside Tilford for more than two decades. “Couple crew workers that have been here since I started twenty-seven years ago,” he said. It’s a point of pride in an industry known for constant turnover. “We all treat each other like a big family, and that’s kinda why we’ve been, I think, the success because of that.”
That family feel extends into the culture Tilford has fostered. Employees receive medical, dental, and 401(k) benefits, but also enjoy weekly Friday barbecues that bring everyone together. “I’m out there barbecuing in the back for the guys and providing lunch and having a good time,” Tilford explained. For him, running the car wash has always been about more than customers and cars. “I’m also providing for 60 people’s families and their kids.”
When Tilford first started, Folsom Glenn was the only car wash in town, and getting a professional wash was still considered something of a luxury. “Back then, the car wash industry was a little different… it was kind of a luxury to get your car washed. Now it’s kind of a necessity,” he said. At the time, there wasn’t a quick wash at every gas station or a tunnel wash on every corner.
Today, the industry is dominated by express washes, many of which have cut back on employees in favor of automation. Tilford has resisted that shift, keeping Folsom Glenn a full-service operation. “It’s hard to find a full-service car wash because they’ve all converted over to express… we tried to stay true to who we are.” That means customers step out while a team of employees does the work, and the difference is clear. Some prefer it because they dislike the claustrophobic ride-through tunnel. Others come back for the personal touch, where license plate recognition allows the cashier to greet them by name. “As soon as you’ve been here once… the cashier enters the name. So the next time you come in… pops up your name. So we try and greet people by name the whole time they’re there.”
The experience, Tilford says, feels more like a community hangout than a business. “A lot of people said we’re more like a barber shop than a car wash—everybody knows to hang out with their people.”
Even while holding onto that neighborhood atmosphere, Folsom Glenn has never stopped innovating. The business is Blue Coral Green-certified, meaning it uses environmentally safe chemicals and an advanced water recycling system. “We use reverse osmosis and a full recycling system for the water, which has now become standard across the car wash industry,” Tilford explained. At Folsom Glenn, water from each wash is captured, routed through underground settling tanks to remove sediments, balanced for pH, and reused. The process saves about three times the amount of water compared to a driveway wash and prevents polluted runoff from entering local rivers and streams. Shade structures have been added for staff comfort, and equipment is updated regularly to meet modern standards. “Trying to stay up on what’s new in the industry—always change on the equipment.”
Another major change has been the rise of subscriptions. About 30 percent of customers now use monthly wash plans, which has become a game-changer for the business. “Now everything’s gone to a subscription base. A lot of my customers are, you know, paying for monthly subscriptions. It’s huge for us,” Tilford said. The plans keep customers coming in more often, and while that means less revenue per wash, it also creates steady cash flow and consistent work for employees.
Marketing has also evolved. Tilford has embraced social media as a way to reach a new generation of customers. “Recently, we’ve been doing really a lot better just by social media stuff… just finally this year started investing in,” he said. The effort has already paid off. “This guy the other day literally said, oh, I saw you on Instagram. I was like, wow.”
All of it—the loyalty of staff, the dedication to customers, the environmental responsibility, the fundraising for schools and sports teams—has built Folsom Glenn into more than just a business. For thirty years, it has been part of the everyday fabric of Folsom. Tilford sees the future as open-ended, knowing the property’s value and city redevelopment plans could one day change things, but for now his commitment remains firm. “I don’t know what the future holds. As long as I’m in this town, I’ll probably be here,” he said.
Saturday’s celebration is a chance to look back at that legacy while also looking ahead. For Tilford, it’s not just about marking an anniversary, it’s about thanking the employees who have become family, the customers who are greeted by name, and the community that has supported the car wash for three decades. “We want to honor everybody and take care of them,” he said.
As Folsom Glenn Car Wash turns 30, it’s clear that the story isn’t only about clean cars. It’s about people, community, and a local business that has continued to shine by staying true to its values.
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