Key’s Cafe on Highway 58 in Chatan has started offering light car maintenance.

Usually when an entrepreneur opens a car service business, the first thing he or she adds is a small coffee shot to keep the customers happy while they wait for their vehicle to be serviced.

Key’s Cafe is a small coffee shop that serves breakfast, light lunch sets and coffee, tea and sweets all day in Chatan on Highway 58 across from Camp Foster, and they’ve done the same exactly the other way around. First came the coffee shop, and now they have opened a car wash and service on their back yard.

Customers can choose from four car wash programs plus a complete cleaning package.

Mind you, you can grab a cup of hot coffee from an automatic dispenser at any service station, but it’s from a plastic or Styrofoam cup, nothing for a coffee aficionado!

But at Key’s, yes! If you have a little free time and want to get your car cleaned, just sit back in the café and enjoy your cup of steaming hot coffee from a real ceramic cup, and let the café’s garage staff to clean the your ride from inside out. They will wash, vacuum and clean the car thoroughly, including applying tire wax, while you have your coffee, read a book or newspaper or chat with your company, as any civilized person should.

The garage services include changing windscreen wipers, engine oil, battery, window tinting and more. Headlight cleaning and body glass coating are some of their specialties, too. Of course, you insist you can do all works above by yourself in their garage, after purchasing the items, but that would beat the purpose, really.

A selection of accessories, oils and waxes are offered from the shelves, and customers can do all work if they so choose.

As you know Okinawa is a very nice place but winds are usually strong and ocean is nearby, so it’s easy for your vehicle to start rusting in the salty wind, and typhoons make it worse. Air dust is a serious issue like last week’s PM.2.5 warning from China, and changing the air filter in the car is a recommended service. So you see how important it is to clean your vehicle often on this island.

Naomi Kinjo, the owner of the Café and Bright Factory garage says. “I see most of men like to maintain or keep clean their own vehicle, but they also should have time for family or partner. That’s why I thought it would be a good idea to make a space for all of them. With us the men can toil in the garage if they wish while the ladies can stay in the cafe and enjoy tasty coffee and sweets. Or of course both can stay in the cafe and chat while the car gets cleaned.”

The cafe offers freshly brewed coffee and light meals.

The cafe is offering very high-grade coffee and light dishes that have become very popular especially among their female customers. “The café is a good place for groups to chat away, no car necessary,” Kinjo smiles.

Kinjo has plenty of other ideas, too. “Bright Factory offers prepaid cards for ¥1,500 with ¥2,000 value. How about that for a Christmas or birthday gift? And we have prepaid cards available at the Key’s Cafe too. We offer wall space in the cafe to exhibit individual art works,” Naomi explains, adding, “I love art work very much and want to support artists and let them exhibit their art in my café. If there’s someone who wants to show his or her art, just ask me.”

Key’s Cafe and Bright Factory are open 9:00 ~ 22:00 every day, except the car wash closes at 7 p.m. because of machine noise could cause issues with neighbors. Bright Factory charges ¥300 for shampoo washing of a car, shampoo washing and waxing costs ¥500, shampoo washing with water repellent coating is ¥700 and bubble washing and water repellent coating is only ¥900.

A cleaning set that includes body washing, interior cleaning, vacuuming, tire waxing costs ¥1500 for a sedan and ¥2000 for a van. Bright Factory gives away 10 free shampoo washing tickets to Japan Update readers. Contact us on our facebook page for more.

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