Elyria native and Marine finds future in sparkling cars

ELYRIA — As his business continues to thrive and expand, one Elyria native CARES about his former hometown and all of the communities Sgt. Clean Car Wash serves. Brian Krusz, 42, a Marine and co-founder of Sgt. Clean Car Wash, uses the acronym CARES — candor, adaptability, respect, engagement, stewardship — to represent the values of his business. After graduating from Elyria Catholic High School in 1998, Krusz served eight years in the Marines, meeting his wife, Melissa, while working as a Marine recruiter in Wayne and Holmes counties. The couple married and Krusz settled into a job in commercial banking. Then, 2008 happened — Krusz was laid off and trying to figure out what was next. A firm believer that knowledge is power, he went back to school, enrolling at Kent State University, where he earned a degree in business management. In 2013, he opened what is now Sgt. Clean Car Wash in Strongsville with Andrew Bendik Jr., who moved to California in 2020 to pursue other opportunities. Business partner Ken Brott joined the team about eight years ago. "We ran the car wash in Strongsville for one year as New Image Car Wash," he said. "The building was this turquoise and pink. We had a contest to rename the car wash and had 2,100 entries. Sgt. Clean was the winner." Along with the new name came a new look and Sgt. Clean was (re)born. Today, the chain boasts 12 locations around Northeast Ohio with three additional locations set to open in the fall. Krusz is looking to open three to five more car washes in 2024. "The locations we have found are very complimentary," Krusz said. "We want to stay in close proximity for our maintenance department, while still spreading out." Headquartered in Uniontown, the business currently employs 150 people with a projected 200 employees by the end of the year and more to join as the business expands. The grandson of John and Dolores Kruszewski of Ma Krusz's potato pancakes, Krusz partially attributes his success to life lessons he learned from his grandfather. "My grandfather was an entrepreneur," Krusz said. "From the time I was 8 years old, I was in that food truck peeling potatoes and making pancakes and I would watch him and emulate him." And it was those silent lessons that taught him. "Work-ethic, hustle, drive, leadership — all of the different things in life you need," Krusz said. "At the time, I didn't realize what I was getting. It has helped me throughout my life. When I went through boot camp — and Marine boot camp is known to be the hardest and toughest — I thought back to those 16-hour days in grandpa's truck and thought, 'This is nothing.'" He's partially joking, he admits. Along with a strong work ethic, Krusz credits his grandfather with teaching him about giving back. A question John Kruszewski commonly would ask was, "Have you paid your community rent?" It's a question the younger Krusz takes seriously in answering. "I believe in putting your money where your mouth is," he said. "I believe in reciprocity." A member of the Rotary and Optimist clubs, Krusz contributes regularly to the communities the car washes serve, particularly the school districts. While his grandfather died before Sgt. Clean opened, Krusz's grandma was around to see her grandson's success. "She would tell me all of the time that she was very proud and that Grandpa is looking down and is proud," Krusz said. The veteran-owned Sgt. Clean also offers discounts to active-duty military and veterans and with free car washes on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. A single car wash starts at $10 and increases based on the services desired. A monthly membership, which offers unlimited car washes, starts at $26.97 per month and increases based on the services desired. If Krusz could offer any new entrepreneurs advice, it would be to put their head down and "drive as hard as you can," he said. "Lead with your heart and figure out what you are passionate about and do that every day," he said. "Success is happiness. For me, that's family and watching team members that we've had 10, seven or five years get married and have kids. My grandpa always said no one is ever going to write your obituary with your bank account. Drive with your heart, not your wallet." There are Sgt. Clean locations in Cuyahoga Falls, Green, Lakewood, Massillon, Medina, North Olmsted, Parma, Streetsboro, Strongsville and Westlake. Future locations include Brook Park, North Canton and Shaker Heights. Contact Christina Jolliffe at ctnews@chroniclet.com.