Bryan Guillot’s uncle got him into carwashing, so it’s only right that he pull the rest of his family in, too.

In 1970, Bryan Guillot Sr., a graduate of Southwestern Louisiana Institute, was working as a manger of a small utility system in Louisiana. “It was nothing but headaches,” Guillot recalled of the position, and Guillot was eager for a path out.

Guillot had an uncle in the carwash business who told him self-serve carwashing was a great way to make a living in a small community. Back then, Guillot was living in a small town, Vacherie, population 5,000, and carwashing seemed like as good idea as any at the time.

“With self-service, it was kind of like getting away from the stress of every day,” Guillot explained.

Carwash beginnings
After two years of carwashing in Vacherie, Guillot was ready to build another wash. At the time, he was buying equipment from R. D. Bozeman, owner of Bozeman Distributors. Bozeman was looking to get out of the business, so Guillot again made the decision that it was just as good idea as any at the time, and purchased the company.

Over the next few years, Guillot continued to work as a distributor and to build six more self-serve carwashes for his own business. His experience supplying chemicals and equipment to other self-serve carwashes gave him a unique edge as an owner, although the humble Guillot refuses to toot his own horn.

What he will admit is his uncanny ability to rope in his family among his customers and business partners.

His son, Bryan Jr., was “digging pits at 10-years old,” Guillot said. Keith Guillot, the baby of the family, “had it a little easier,” and was sent off to Louisiana State University to earn his bachelor’s degree before joining the family business. Guillot even managed to rope in his son-in-law Eric Weimer.

And it’s not just his sons and son-in-law that he has roped into the business, Guillot said he has brothers-in-law and other relatives washing cars across Louisiana. “The wives complain that at the family functions all we talk about is carwashing,” Guillot said with a chuckle.

A slow retirement
Three years ago, Guillot sold Bozeman Distributors to his sons and son-in-law. The business sells self-service and touchless automatics, as well as parts and services to the self-serve carwash industry in Louisiana. Guillot still maintains a stake in 12 carwashes across Louisiana, a total of 39 self-serve bays and five automatic bays.

For now, Guillot is weaning himself off of the industry to spend more time with his wife, Jackie, his six children and his 12 grandchildren. These days, he mostly just takes “care of the changers and meets the ‘boys’ [his sons and son-in-law] for lunch.” He also stays active in regional industry associations, the Southeastern Car Wash Association, as well as the Southwestern Car Wash Association.

“I never wanted to sit on a board, but I do like to attend the meetings,” he said.

His sons say his contributions to the industry are innumerable and what he has taught them cannot be measured. Son-in-law Weimer said he has been instrumental in pulling family members into the business. Weimer himself is one of his strongest examples. As a manager of a chain drug store, Weimer was tired of putting in long hours. So Guillot offered him a job at Bozeman. A few years later, Weimer bought some used self-services and renovated them for himself.

Keith Guillot owns three self-service carwashes, and Bryan Jr. is involved with one self-serve and two express exterior carwashes.

For 36 years of service, and for roping in a tidal wave of other talent to the industry, PC&D honors Bryan Guillot Sr. as our Self-serve Carwash Operator of the Year!


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Professional Carwashing & Detailing Magazine