A retail property anchored by a car wash and a future fast-food restaurant has changed hands in Murrieta for nearly $7 million, according to real estate brokers involved in the transaction.
The property, located at the intersection of California Oaks Road and Jackson Avenue, sold for $6.9 million. The site includes two separate pad locations on just under two acres — one occupied by Quick Quack Car Wash and the other leased to Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, which plans to build a restaurant at the location.
Real estate representatives said the sale closed before construction began on the Popeyes building, though the restaurant chain has already secured a long-term lease for the space.
The buyer was identified as a private investor completing a 1031 exchange, a tax-deferred investment strategy often used in commercial real estate. The seller was a private developer based in Orange County.
The Quick Quack Car Wash currently operating at the site is tied to a 20-year triple-net ground lease, with roughly 17 years remaining. Under this type of lease, the tenant is responsible for most property costs, including maintenance, insurance and taxes. The agreement also includes scheduled rent increases every five years.
The planned Popeyes restaurant will occupy a 1,983-square-foot building once construction begins. The fast-food chain also signed a 20-year triple-net lease that includes rent adjustments at five-year intervals.
Although the restaurant has not yet been built, the tenant is already paying rent under the lease terms.
Quick Quack Car Wash operates hundreds of locations across several states and has become one of the nation’s largest express car wash chains. Industry analysts say the express car wash sector has been expanding rapidly in recent years due to strong profit margins and steady customer demand.
The Popeyes location will be operated by Milton Group Inc., a major franchise operator that manages dozens of Popeyes restaurants throughout California and Nevada. The company has served the Murrieta area for more than two decades and plans to relocate from a nearby site to the new location.
The property sits along one of Murrieta’s busiest commercial corridors. Traffic counts at the intersection exceed 50,000 vehicles per day, and the site is located less than half a mile from Interstate 15, which carries roughly 150,000 vehicles daily.
Because of the strong visibility and nearby freeway access, commercial brokers say the area continues to attract retail and restaurant investment as Murrieta’s population grows.
