Bend’s next car wash could take up residence at the spot where Cracker Barrel Restaurant fans used to dine

(Update: adding video and comment from businesses)

BEND, Ore, (KTVZ) -- The site of Bend's former Cracker Barrel Restaurant, located in Robal Road Village, next to Chick-fil-A, MOD Pizza, Chipotle and Mud Bay, among other businesses, may become the city's next car wash location.

Surf Thru Express Carwash currently has three locations in Central Oregon, two in Bend, one in Redmond. The property has a drive-through, directly next to the former Cracker Barrel, but the line is often long, according to neighboring businesses.

Angela Chisum, the owner of Trailhead Liquor, said, "Well, I'm concerned. On a warm summer day, the Chick-Fil-A line's up out of the streets, and I don't know if adding a really traffic-heavy car wash is the right move.”

Nick Statsas, the owner of Kefi Fast Fresh Mediterranean, said, "The entrance to Chick-Fil-A, if that's going tobe the same entrance for the car wash, that's going to probably cause some issues.”

Bend's Cracker Barrel closed last March, four years after it opened, having struggled since the pandemic and its restrictions hit, costing nearly 30 workers their jobs. The last two in the Portland area closed at the same time.

Despite Cracker Barrel remaining vacant for nearly a year, businesses say the parking lot is consistently full. Chisum said, "This can be a really, really busy parking lot, and people do get frustrated that they can't find a spot often on really busy days."

Statsas said, "This parking lot is not the best. People complain about it often."

City officials told KTVZ a pre-application for the car wash has been submitted, however that does not mean plans are set in stone. As customers wait for what's to come, some remain optimistic and confident that a car wash could work.

Kristie, a local resident, said, "Based on the way that the parking flow is and the fact that they don't have this back entrance here and exit, I think if it was laid out correctly that it would work well to have a car wash right there. It seems like a good location. There's a lot of traffic."