Mountain Lakes Autowash expands with innovation
West Milford. A local car wash is expanding and bringing a new product to market. The family-owned business has been around for more than 16 years in Hewitt.
| 28 Jan 2020 | 03:34
Hilary Esposito holds up the "Established Business" certificate from the Economic Development Commission. She is joined by the staff of Mountain Lakes Autowash in Hewitt. (
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With a passion for the family-owned local auto wash and express lube business they opened almost 16 years ago, Peter and Hilary Esposito, the husband and wife team behind Hewitt’s successful Mountain Lakes Autowash, hope to expand the auto wash, and recently reported that ECO-PLUG™ product sales are healthy.
The West Milford Messenger first reported on the ECO-PLUG™ product in June 2019.
Peter Esposito invented the ECO-PLUG™ system eight years ago when he saw that oil pan drain plugs were either improperly installed or would fall out.
After wrestling with a solution, he eventually devised a better way to plug oil during the oil change process.
The result was a thread-less magnetic oil plug that permanently fixes the potential for oil leaks.
The ECO-PLUG™ is available at Walmart and will be available by spring in AutoZone stores, says Hilary Esposito.
An oil leak can cost drivers up to a thousand dollars to fix, but the ECO-PLUG™ costs less than twenty dollars.
The Esposito’s, while excited about getting their product into the market, are equally excited about the new stores opening at the Hewitt Shopping Center.
“Since 2015 when the old A&P left, our business and others in the area have struggled. Now things are picking up with Tractor Supply and the Dollar Store moving in,” Hilary Esposito said.
Mountain Lakes Autowash shows its support for West Milford Township by sponsoring the West Milford “Clean Community” sign on Greenwood Lake Turnpike (located on the way to West Milford coming from Ringwood), as well as hosting fundraisers for various local youth activities like cheer leading and softball.
Both Esposito’s feel the new grocery store and two other retail businesses that will soon replace the old A&P will boost business; they currently expect to hire new people.
In November, newly elected West Milford Township Mayor Michele Dale announced with Mark Lane the owner of the West Milford Shopping Plaza in Hewitt that the Highlands Market by Shop Well will occupy the old A&P space.
The new grocery store tenant will be the anchor tenant occupying seventy-five percent of A&P’s space.
Two other tenants will be letting the remaining space.
All four of the Esposito children have worked in their parents business growing up so it is a true family-owned and operated local business.
The West Milford Economic Development Commission recently awarded Mountain Lakes Autowash the “Established Business Award.”
“Our employees truly appreciated the honor.” Hilary Esposito said.
(Editor's Note: Claudia Logan is a member of the township's Economic Development Commission)