About Sudzie Auto Wash, Maine's Premiere Car Wash and Detail

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The Massengill Family History of Car Washing

In 1949 John P. Massengill III's maternal grandparents, Vance Orlie and Elaine Johnson Burgess, built the first car wash on the northwest side of Chicago. Named Minute-Man Auto Wash, it was erected at 6028 N. Cicero Ave. on a portion of the Johnson family farm, where John's grandmother was born in 1895. Her grandfather had purchased the land, which extended along the west side of Cicero Ave. from Caldwell almost to Devon, from the government in the late 1840s.

The Minute-Man soon became a family venture. During their teen-age years John's mother, Diana Burgess, and her sister took turns cashiering on Saturdays. Vance operated the Minute-Man until 1954, when the family sold the building. The name was changed to Edens Car Wash.

In 1961, Diana married John Preston Massengill, Jr. Following Vance's death in 1965, the family began to consider buying back the car wash to maintain their continuous frontage along Cicero Avenue. They did so in 1967, Elaine began working as cashier, a job she continued doing until February 1982, when she permanently retired at the age of 87.

Shortly after Elaine retired, John's parents (John and Diana) purchased Edens Car Wash from his Grandmother and ran the business together. In 1989, John's father passed away and John's mother took over the business. John's wife Christine assisted Diana in many ways during the early 1990's to operate the business. In 2000, Edens Car Wash washed its last car and Diana sold the property to a local developer and retired.

In 2004, John and Christine decided to carry on the family tradition of a family auto wash business and opened Sudzie Autowash in Scarborough, Maine.