Prospect Auto Spa has been in operation since the late 1950s. In 2004, Gary Barresse and Cynthia O’Connor bought the business from Hubert and Rosie Zada, who had been running it with their family for over 20 years.
Barresse’s background is in manufacturing. Before owning Prospect Auto Spa & Detail, he worked as an engineer and plant manager. After Sept. 11, 2001, he was laid off from his job and began looking for something else to do.
Around the same time, O’Connor was in a similar position of looking for a new career. Barresse and O’Connor had helped their sons with Boy Scouts together. With their lives in a same standstill position, a partnership was born.
Now Barresse is running operations for Prospect Auto Spa & Detail, and O’Connor manages the financial aspect of the business.
“I’ve always been a kind of car nut,” Barresse said, “a clean car nut.”
Prospect Auto Spa & Detail is open daily and offers full service detailing, interior detailing, exterior detailing and car washing. They also offer an Express Wax—a quick wax for cars in good condition that just need a fresh coat.
“In the last five years or so, I’ve seen a lot of car washes switching to express exterior detailing,” Barresse said. “We haven’t made the switch, because I think that in this area, people are looking for the full service.”
Barresse said that detailing and waxing your car is important during the winter months.
“In foul weather, you want to keep the brine and rock salt off of your car,” he said.
According to Barresse, in order to keep a car looking good, the key is regular washing.
“Some people bring their car in once a week,” he said. “A car should be washed at least once every two weeks—that’s the minimum.”
Barresse said that the best part of his job is the combination of the equipment, his hourly employees and customer interactions.
“I get the best of all three worlds,” he said.
The customers play an important role at Barresse and O’Connor’s business.
“If someone has a problem, all they have to do is speak up, and we’ll take care of it,” Barresse said. “We’re all about customer service.”
Prospect Auto Spa and Detail also offer accessories such as mats, wipers, steering wheel covers, air fresheners and more. Like the services at Prospect Auto Spa, the accessories are aimed to spruce up your car and make it look nicer.
“We sell a lot of accessories because we have them priced for value,” Barresse said.
Value is a key component to all aspects of the business at Prospect Auto Spa & Detail.
“We offer a value for our car wash,” Barresse said. “We strive to do as good, if not better, than our competition.”
Prospect Auto Spa is located at 1463 Prospect Street in Ewing. For more information, call (609) 883-1042.
Gary Barresse co-owns Prospect Auto Spa. (Staff photo by Kait Kelly.)
