Car Wash, Coffee Shop Proposed at Plaza Garibaldi

The owner of the Barn Car Wash on Squire Road has a new proposal for the former Plaza Garibaldi on the Parkway – a plan that includes a coffee shop, retail and two car wash bays.

Joe Coppola has filed for special permits with the City and has a hearing before the City Council on June 22 for the plan.

“It’s been vacant for two years and we had a tenant that started off good for 14 or 15 years,” he said. “The ownership changed and it went downhill. It took us two years to evict them and we tried to rent it to other tenants, but all that came in were night clubs and food operators that weren’t qualified. It’s been a problem for the City and neighbors a long time and this development won’t be a problem. It will be upgraded and landscaped and run by me and my employees.”

Coppola said the coffee shop portion of the development will contain a drive-thru and he has no tenant yet, but has talked with Dunkin Donuts, Honey Dew and even Kane’s. The front retail portion could be a convenience store, a dental clinic, an urgent care facility or any other type of similar retail space.

The most intriguing piece, however, is the two-bay car wash that will be under the Barn Car Wash name.

Coppola said it would be an automated car wash, but not a conveyer type of wash like on Squire Road.

More than anything, he said he wanted to let the neighborhood know that it won’t be a hang out.

“If you look at the plans, one will notice that there are no vacuum cleaners, no vending machines, no trash cans and no islands – nor will there be,” he said. “I want it to be a convenience where people would buy a coffee, wash their car and be on their way. It’s not going to be a hang out where people would pull up and blast their radios.”

In addition to the fast food special permit and the car wash special permit, Coppola will also be looking for a permit to use the billboard sign on top of the existing building.