Celebrity Car Wash
8641 Woodward Ave.
Detroit
November 11, 2026
“STILL STANDING.”
Celebrity Car Wash, the city’s greatest existential art project that just happens to be a functional car wash, is back. So are its inspirational signs that greet thousands of drivers cruising down Woodward Avenue every day.
The messages are sometimes religious (“RELEASE IT IN PRAYER”). Sometimes, they dive into pop culture (“WAKANDA FOREVER”). Other times, they’re breaking news (“RIP KOBE”). They’re almost always motivational in some way (“YOU ARE ENOUGH”).
It’s a type of marketing for sure, but I prefer to consider it one of the best art projects the city has ever seen. No contemporary art museum, however, could house something of this magnitude. It’s beyond the reach of any artist to capture something this simple, real, and affecting.
After a small fire forced the business to close in March, Detroiters have been wondering about the fate of the car wash. According to owner Julian Hill, who has owned the business for 25 years, the closure had less to do with the fire and more to do with getting everything settled with the insurance claim.
Last week, it reopened its drive-through car wash to the public. It’s already buzzing with business.
Its return message to the public?
“STILL STANDING.”
It’s one of dozens of messages the business has posted on its old-school marquee sign. Why does a car wash feel the need to be an emotional anchor for Detroiters, guiding them through difficult moments with signs that read “JOURNEY OF DESTINY” or “STORMS DON’T LAST”?
For Hill, it’s simple.
“We all have to remember to keep standing. To keep moving. Despite setbacks and disagreements or despite hard times, you have to keep standing,” Hill tells me. “The idea is that we are all going through those things. Especially with the economy and politics, people feel alone. People feel isolated. We try to communicate things with the sign to let people know that you’re not alone.”
It makes me wonder why more businesses don’t focus less on traditional advertising and more on something larger. I want to spend money getting my car washed at Celebrity not because it’s the best in the world (4.2 out of 5 stars across 310 reviews on Google), but because this car wash makes me feel something.
It’s “Chicken Soup for the Soul,” Detroit style.
I’m not alone. There’s an entire Instagram page dedicated to documenting the messages of Celebrity Car Wash. The bio reads: “(unofficial) wisdoms from your favorite soft cloth.”
Hill says the neighborhood is happy to see Celebrity Car Wash back in business.
“All walks of life are just so happy that we’re back open. We didn’t really understand the impact of the signs at first, but it does cross party lines and gets right down to humanity,” says Hill. “We just feel fortunate to be a part of the community and be a part of so much love. That’s what is so ingratiating when you feel that from so many people. It makes you have a big smile and a warm feeling in your chest.”
If you’re having a down day, cruise by Celebrity Car Wash. It’ll give you that warm feeling in your chest, too, on a level that too few contemporary art installations ever could.
Follow Midbrow Detroit on social media:
Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, X.
