The work we do stems from passion, not just a passion for cleaning boats, cars, and airplanes. but a passion to give people a better life experience. This kind of passion doesn't happen overnight.

For Carolina Detail Co., it all started in 2012. Andrew Van Kirk had just moved back to the Charlotte, NC area with his wife and two young daughters. Working in sales and hospitality meant he had a flexible schedule, and when a close friend needed some part-time help detailing cars at Streetside Classics, he jumped right in.  Getting a chance to work so closely on these dream cars sparked an interest in the tradecraft of detailing. By 2015, Andrew went full-time and partnered with his friend, helping to build a luxury detailing experience for the Lake Norman area of Charlotte. Then in 2017 (and two more daughters later!) he opened his own location east of Charlotte, which is still in operation today.

In 2018, Andrew reached out to another friend (Andrew has lots of friends, just ask his friends!) who was then running a mobile detailing business in the Charleston area, Daniel Island Detailing. What started as a conversation about boat detailing turned into an opportunity to buy the business. In September of that year, Andrew and his lead detailer began commuting to Charleston to meet the clients and begin the process of taking over. In January 2019, Andrew, with his wife and four daughters, moved to Charleston to run the business.

During the pandemic, the Carolinda Detail Company team (yes, many jokes of the ‘CDC’) implemented cleaning measures that helped to sterilize vehicle interiors. This, along with touchless payments and online scheduling, helped to grow the company through the crazy times. 

In early 2023, they moved into a newly built commercial facility located conveniently off of I-526 near Top Golf and the Tanger outlets. With this new location, they began offering car storage and concierge services, along with their already robust service menu. 

As the company continues to expand, with a new location coming in 2025, the team is working on balancing growth with excellence and customer experience. It isn't about how “clean” we get things, it's about how we get things clean.  Because we're not just cleaning things for our customers… We're detailing a vehicle that will pick up a loved one who has been deployed for far too long, or ceramic coating the first boat a client buys after selling a business they’ve worked on for years. Whatever the experience, we get to play a small part in that.