Internal Tool · First Site Decision
A data-driven comparison of three candidate locations in the Daphne–Foley–Mobile, AL corridor. Scored on traffic, demographics, retail density, and competitive landscape.
Location Analysis
Data Comparison
| #1 Site Daphne — Eastern Shore Baldwin County, AL | #2 Site Foley — US-98 Corridor South Baldwin County, AL | #3 Site West Mobile — Airport Blvd Mobile County, AL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🚗 Traffic & Access | |||
| AADT (vehicles/day) | 31,000 vpd | 28,000 vpd | 42,000 vpd |
| Traffic Score | 22/25 | 20/25 | 25/25 |
| Traffic Notes | US-98 corridor carries ~31,000 vehicles/day past Eastern Shore Centre. Direct access from I-10 (Exit 35A) 3 miles north funnels regional traffic. Peak commute traffic from Mobile bay-tunnel workers. | US-98 carries ~28,000 AADT year-round with seasonal surge to 40,000+ in summer (Gulf Shores tourist corridor). Tanger Outlets drives 4M+ visitors/year. High tourist traffic = lower membership conversion vs. locals. | Airport Blvd is one of the highest-traffic arterials in the entire Mobile metro at ~42,000 AADT. Direct I-65 (Exit 3) interchange. Best raw traffic count of the three locations. Volume creates walk-in wash revenue even without strong memberships. |
| 👥 Demographics | |||
| Population (3-mile radius) | 46,000 | 32,000 | 68,000 |
| Population (5-mile radius) | 85,000 | 55,000 | 118,000 |
| Median Household Income |
$76,400
|
$58,200
|
$62,800
|
| Vehicle Ownership Rate | 96.2% of households | 95.1% of households | 94.8% of households |
| Demo Score | 23/25 | 18/25 | 19/25 |
| 🏬 Commercial & Retail Density | |||
| Major Anchors Nearby | Eastern Shore Centre (Belk, Dick's, Target)Publix SupermarketChick-fil-ALowe's Home ImprovementBest Buy | Tanger Outlets (100+ stores)OWA Parks & ResortBass Pro ShopsWalmart SupercenterAutoNation Ford/Toyota | Bel Air Mall (regional)Costco WholesaleWalmart SupercenterHome DepotUniversity of South Alabama |
| Land Cost (est. $/sqft) | $12.50/sqft
limited availability
|
$9.50/sqft
good availability
|
$16.00/sqft
scarce availability
|
| Commercial Score | 22/25 | 21/25 | 20/25 |
| ⚔️ Competitive Landscape | |||
| Car Washes Within 5 Mi | 3 competitors | 2 competitors | 6 competitors |
| Competitors |
· Autobell Car Wash (US-98) · Sparkle Express (County Road 64) · Daphne Car Wash
|
· Foley Car Wash (US-98) · Kwik Kar (attached to gas station)
|
· Tidal Wave Auto Spa (Airport Blvd) · Mister Car Wash (Cottage Hill) · Autobell (Airport Blvd) · Auto Laundry (Schillinger) · Magnolia Car Wash · Gas station washes
|
| Competitive Score | 18/25 | 22/25 | 10/25 |
| 📈 Growth & Trajectory | |||
| Growth Trend | fast | fast | slow |
| Growth Notes | Baldwin County fastest-growing county in AL. Daphne grew 28% 2010-2020. Thousands of new homes in River Oaks, Timbercreek subdivisions. Population trajectory excellent. | South Baldwin County growing rapidly. Gulf Shores/Orange Beach tourism economy expanding. New residential development in Foley and surrounding areas. OWA resort expansion brings permanent jobs. | Mobile city growth is slower than Baldwin County. Some outmigration to suburbs. Established market with mature commercial development. Lower upside vs. growth markets in Baldwin County. |
| ⭐ Final Score | |||
| OVERALL SCORE |
85
/100
|
81
/100
|
74
/100
|
| Recommendation | TOP PICK. Highest income, strongest retail density, fastest growth. Premium membership pricing ($30-40/mo) supported by demographics. First-mover advantage vs. modern express format still available. | STRONG #2. Lowest competition and land cost. Tourist volume is a double-edged sword — great summer revenue, but membership model harder to build. Consider Foley as Location #2 after Daphne proves the model. | THIRD CHOICE. Best raw traffic count but most competitive market. Tidal Wave + Mister Car Wash already own the express segment. High land cost and low competitive differentiation make this the riskiest bet. Revisit as Location #3 once brand established. |
How We Score