History of Jax
High-Quality Cleaning & Exceptional Service Since 1953
A Clean Start That Made History
Jax Kar Wash has been a Michigan car wash staple since the early days of the industry.
Founder Jack Milen opened his first car wash in Detroit in 1950, operating 24 hours a day for just $1.
In 1953, Jax Kar Wash officially opened at 6 Mile and Meyers, followed by additional locations in Birmingham and across Metro Detroit.
As a family-owned car wash, Jax has grown to multiple locations while staying committed to quality service and community involvement, proudly supporting Michigan charities for generations.
Styles Evolve, Excellence Doesn’t.
Our look has changed over the years—our commitment has not.
1953
1983
1995
2004
2010
Present
1953
1983
1995
2004
2010
Present
Customers First—Always
From day one, Jack built Jax on a simple belief: put the customer first and take care of your people. That commitment shows in our long-tenured team members, some with over 35 years at Jax.
Today, with multiple generations of family leadership and our partnership with TRP Capital Partners, Jax continues to grow—bringing the same trusted service to even more locations.
A Legacy Lives On
We lost Jack in 2003, but his legacy and wisdom lives on in all of us at Jax.
In 1998, the Milen’s sold the company to a national chain that only cared about a profit and taking the company public — that never happened and in June of 2001, Bruce Milen bought back the company. It is now led by Bruce & son Jason Milen, as well as a valuable team of General Managers and location Managers.
We are lucky to have such a great team, including our Customer Service Reps, Service Advisors, and line Team Members.
