Car wash services as well as the optional steam and smokescreen sterilization services are particularly popular these days. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, March 24 (Korea Bizwire) — As drive-through services to deal with the coronavirus rise in popularity, more people are bringing their cars to car washes and disinfection facilities, which are now enjoying a surprise boom in business.
Cho Yeong-min, the owner of a car wash in Daegu, the southeastern city hit hardest by the coronavirus outbreak, has recently been working from 6 a.m. to midnight every day.
He said that car wash services as well as the optional steam and smokescreen sterilization services are particularly popular these days.
He said that the business is more profitable than in the pre-virus era, a stark contrast compared to other small businesses in Daegu and the North Gyeongsang Province that have either shut down or suffered losses of 70 to 80 percent of sales.
Cho Min-woo, another car wash business owner in Daegu, is experiencing an increase in workload.
At his shop, a whiteboard where he had written down the list of tasks to complete was completely full. Many customers coming to his establishment were more interested in keeping their cars clean than getting a new gloss.
At the initial phase of the coronavirus outbreak, Cho’s business also suffered from the severe lack of customers.
As drive-through services are being introduced not only at medical centers, but also libraries and seafood vendors, Cho’s business is also getting busier than ever.
“I can only rest during lunch time, then it’s all work,” Cho said.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
