Wilke's Speedy Wash is set to open by March 1 at the latest and could be ready to go within the next couple of weeks, at the site of the old Glacier Bay Car Wash, next door to Walmart.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Hannah Ingram, a 23-year-old car wash owner based in Tennessee. It has been edited for length and clarity. In high school, I read a book by ...