Splash Car Wash, New Haven

In 1981, lifelong Greenwich residents Mark Curtis and Chris Fisher traded in their business suits for sudsy sponges when they purchased Greenwich Car Wash. 13 years later, they renamed their business Splash to coincide with an innovative idea developed by the duo: wash the cars by hand while also using a conveyor to keep them moving rather than trying to coax them forward with candy. That approach was a huge hit, and soon, Splash began spinning off into additional locations.

Today, more than 18 Splash locations are peppered across the East Coast. What started as a humble two-man operation has grown into a franchise that employs more than 500 people and washes more than a million cars per year. At each location, cars receive the ultimate in pampering thanks to a list of services that includes hand washes, express washes, detailings, and oil changes. Despite such impressive growth, though, Splash remains true to its community-driven roots, working with more than 400 charitable organizations on an annual basis.