CAR WASH

Loveland, Louisville locations offer safe pandemic fun

Each night through Saturday, the Speedy Sparkle Car wash in Loveland will transform into a “Tunnel of Terror.”

Manager Stephen Littlefield and his crew have transformed the car wash at 2664 Buchanan Ave. into a haunted house of sorts, with music, fog, strobe lights and some unexpected frights.

“It’s a two-for-one,” he said. “Get the ash off your car, and scare the kids.”

Car wash facilities transforming their automatic bays into haunted tunnels is a national trend, said Littlefield and Iona Kearney, marketing manager.

“Car washes around the countr y do this,” said Littlefield. “I’ve never seen one around here, but if you go to Youtube, you’ll see a lot of haunted car wash tunnels.”

Speedy Sparkle decided this was the year to join the movement. The Loveland and Louisville locations are offering haunted tunnels, and Kearney said she knows of just one other in the state, located in the Denver metro area.

The Loveland location will be open ever y night at 7-9 p.m. through Halloween for a car wash and what Littlefield hopes will be a fun Halloween experience.

For $20, participants will get a car wash, a haunted jaunt and a prepackaged bag of candy without ever leaving their vehicles. Those who belong to the unlimited monthly wash program — and those with a special coupon printed in the Reporter-herald — can enjoy the experience for free.

Kearney said she recommends children be at least age 8 to participate, but for younger children, “we’re going to leave that up to the parent.” But, she warned, it will be scary.

And during the pandemic, when activities are scarce, Kear

ney said, it will be a safe way to celebrate the holiday.

“We thought this was the perfect year to try it because of COVID,” Kearney said. “It’s going to be fun, and safe.”

The Speedy Sparkle Car Wash in Louisville opened its haunted tunnel last Saturday and has had a line of cars waiting to participate each night, Kearney said. Loveland’s opened Wednesday, with spiders and ghouls decorating the outside of the car wash and unexpected frights and delights inside.

“Ever yone that has come through is smiling,” said Kearney. “We have people calling out of their cars, ‘five stars.’ The kids are loving it up.”

Added Littlefield, “We’re just trying to get them out having fun.”

PHOTOS BY JENNY SPARKS / Loveland Reporter-herald Laura Marsh, a Speedy Sparkle car wash employee, adjusts a huge spider above the car wash entrance as co-worker Tone Archuleta holds the ladder Wednesday as they set up for a haunted tunnel at the car wash in Loveland.

Speedy Sparkle car wash manager Stephen Littlefield sports his plague doctor costume as ghosts and spiders decorate the outside of the car wash Wednesday in Loveland. The business is offering a haunted tunnel to help people celebrate Halloween safely at the car wash in Loveland.