12.19.24
Driving Local Success: How Andy’s Car Wash Blends Tradition, Innovation, and Community Spirit
Andy’s Car Wash finds itself a small business in a big world these days, and it is nimbly navigating that world through a combination of social media and community involvement.
Niki Anderson is co-owner of Andy’s with her husband Ben, who is the grandson of the business’s namesake, James Forrest “Andy” Anderson, who established the first Andy’s in 1971, in Bluffton. He eventually opened location in Decatur before consolidating the operation in Columbia City. Niki and Ben have been the owners for the last eight years.
In a recent interview, Niki described a highly competitive business environment for car washes in smaller communities. So, while Ben manages to day-to-day operation on Frontage Road, near where state roads 9 and 109 intersect with U.S.-30, she keeps the Andy’s Car Wash name in front of passersby and neighbors alike.
Andy’s offers exterior and interior cleaning services from an experienced staff of 12, while offering customer specials and military and senior discounts.
“I’m passionate about local business,” she says. “I’ve become involved with the Whitley County Chamber of Commerce and Columbia City Connect, among other organizations, because that’s how you give back to the community that supports you. We live locally, have three daughters, and are active donors and a participant in county celebrations. These things are fun — and they’re important.”
Andy’s also has a robust presence on Facebook and Instagram, where Niki has curated content that includes film and advertisement dating to the Andy’s founding a half-century ago. She also has received valuable strategic advice and support through her association with NIIC Entrepreneurship Coach Angela Harrison.
“I can’t tell you how valuable my conversations with her have been,” Niki says. “She has helped me draw a ‘map’ in my mind for where the business is headed, we brainstorm a lot, and I find that I’m really active after a phone call with her, putting new ideas into action.”
