For Gabe Holt and his partner Alex Lopez, acquiring enough room for the commercial footprint of Magic City Car Wash would take some time. “We needed to purchase and develop five lots. Two of them on the east side and three residential lots on the west side” of the Magic City Car Wash location, and then the next step would be finding the right car wash with the right technology, and for Holt and Lopez it would be well over a year of looking at other car washes in other cities. Trips took them as far away as Florida, but one trip to Magic City Car Wash leaves you impressed with this new, modern facility built specifically to wash cars 12 months a year.


On the north side of the car wash customers will notice the line of vacuum cleaner hoses, pretty common to today’s car wash venue. But there is a lot more than first meets the eye. On the post ahead of you are two unique features; a tilted surface with a large alligator clip designed to hold your mats while you vacuum or wipe them down. Also on the pole is a hose that gives you compressed air to blow out soap residue from around mirrors and headlights. But the real difference begins when you pull the vacuum tool out of its holder and realize that this is what a vacuum designed to for a car wash should be.


Located conveniently around the facility are towel carts. “Yeah, we have clean, microfiber towels and complimentary Windex for our customers. Really, we want them to have the complete car wash experience, and most people are comfortable with wiping down the exterior and interior of their own car.”


To start your tip through Magic City Car Wash you can choose one of two lanes to begin your experience. Large signs promote a monthly “Wash Pass” system. “That part of the wash is completely controlled by sensors that read your license plate. If you have purchased a monthly pass, and there are four options to match your preference, the sensor will raise the gate and you are on your way” says Holt.


Now a car wash used to be a dark, dreary tunnel, but you can forget that memory as multiple LED lights and signs guide you through. “If we just run a car through without any prep at all, it takes about two minutes” according to Holt. “But the prep works is really what makes our carwash different. It may take a few minutes to knock off the mud or bugs, but it is certainly worth it when your car comes out clean.”


With Magic City Car Wash being located on the base of North Hill, “we definitely cater to the Minot Air Force Base personnel. We have a 10% Military Discount” and recently Magic City Car Wash has provided complimentary car washed to Airmen Against Drunk Drivers voluntary drivers.

“The military clientele are so courteous and we love having them use our wash. And helping out AADD is just being a good neighbor and helping them out”

-Gabe Holt


Magic City Car Wash is open from 8 AM to 9 PM daily, seven days a week. I guarantee you that your first trip through will convince you that this is certainly not, “Your Grandfather’s Car Wash.”