With the property sitting dormant for more than two years, demolition and land clearing work on the site where the International House of Pancakes restaurant sat for years is nearly complete, making way for a second Tidal Wave Auto Spa car wash in Statesboro.

The car wash is expected to be complete later this year. IHOP's parent company, Dine Brands, sold the property in January 2022 for approximately $2 million.

Tidal Wave was founded in 1999 by Scott and Hope Blackstock in Thomaston. The company now operates more than 145 car wash locations in 21 states. 

Tidal Wave took over the W4 Express Car Wash on Fair Road in February 2022. Initially, the company was planning to build a car wash in the Eagles Corner Shopping Center behind Publix. In the wake of Tidal Wave's decision to build elsewhere, no other plans for that site have been announced.

The closing of the Statesboro IHOP was part of Dine Brands' strategy of closing underperforming stores, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which hit the restaurant industry hard.