In 1983, we began the journey we’re still on today. After forty years, the core of who we are hasn’t wavered: Splash is a local Arkansas business that’s remained family-owned since the start. Under the leadership of our board, Paul Stagg, CEO Matt Stagg, and Natalie Tschepikow, Splash has been a leading example of how to cultivate a people-first culture.
From coin-operated air machines built in a garage to twenty-seven locations across Arkansas.
Paul and his partner founded Air Check Systems (ACS), building coin-operated, self-serve air machines out of their garage. They began installing them in convenience stores, and the business grew to over 300 machines in Arkansas and surrounding states.
Paul and his company purchased and remodeled two old self-serve car washes in North Little Rock. He oversaw the ongoing operations, including collecting, cleaning, and maintaining both washes.
Paul built the first “Splash” in Clinton, AR for his brother. It consisted of one automatic wash bay and three self-serve wash bays. His company, Arkansas Carwash Systems would go on to provide service to 50 more similar wash facilities in smaller towns across the state.
Recognizing a trend in other areas of the country, Paul’s company created a franchise known as Boomerang Carwash and built its first location in Oklahoma City, OK. This company would go on to build more than 20 express washes over the next four years.
After growing up around car washes most of his life, Paul’s son, Matt, finished graduate school and joined the company as CFO. He began to make improvements in financial reporting and metrics for the company.
Paul sold his ownership in Boomerang Car Wash to an investor group and decided to focus on his four Splash locations in Central Arkansas. His daughter, Natalie, joined the company full-time as the Director of HR & Administration.
The company acquired five more locations in Conway, Greenbrier, Clinton, and Morrilton. Two of these locations included car wash tunnels, and all of them including self-serve bays with touchless automatics.
After fine-tuning the flex serve model and touring the best car washes in Europe, Splash began planning to implement these best practices from Europe in a new car wash location in Rogers. After returning, Splash began selling Unlimited Wash Passes and sold one older location in Conway.
Preparing for growth, Splash added Jeff Turk as Director of Projects. Another older car wash was sold and an operating oil change was purchased on Landers Rd. in Benton.
After a season of planning and preparation, two new Splash locations were opened. A 14,000 sq ft carwash, interior cleaning, and oil change facility opens in Rogers, followed by another similar 11,000 sq ft facility in Benton.
With more growth on the horizon, Splash added Griffin Kuhn as Director of Operations. Splash focused heavily on building out our marketing efforts and investing in our people and company culture. The Leadership Team traveled to Europe for the International Carwash Show and visits some of the best car washes in the world.
More key members were added to the Home Office Support Staff in the Human Resources, Marketing, Accounting, and IT departments. Splash also broke ground on Chenal Parkway in west Little Rock, a wash tunnel with free vacuums and express interior cleaning under one roof. The same year, our first ground-up build of a stand-alone 10-Minute Oil Change facility was completed, opening nearby in West Little Rock.
To kick off the year, two additional oil change facilities open in Cabot and Maumelle. In March, a wash tunnel with free vacuums opened in Cabot, followed by the acquisition of two Fort Smith car wash facilities in June. Just a few months later, Splash opened the largest car wash in Arkansas, serving the Maumelle community. This facility offers free indoor vacuums, express interior cleaning, an indoor park, and an indoor wash tunnel. To end a busy year of growth, a car wash tunnel with free vacuums was opened in Russellville just before Christmas.
After a full year opening seven new locations in 2023, the Splash team slows down and aims to refocus on the twenty-six operating locations across the state. Splash forms a Board of Directors, led by CEO, Paul Stagg. With this transition, Jeff Turk is promoted to President.
Splash enters its second generation of family leadership as Matt Stagg is appointed Chief Executive Officer and founder Paul Stagg transitions from CEO to Chairman of the Board. The Board consists of Paul, Matt, and Natalie Stagg Tschepikow. The transition marks a significant milestone as Splash remains a 100 percent family-owned and operated Arkansas business committed to investing in its team members, locations, customers, and communities for generations to come.