Event Coverage How to start and old car "Car & Coffee"

Dawg, would you drive to Buffalo for it?

 

If ya want to help the local mom and pop, just have it open. $$$$$ doesn’t care about cutoff dates. And keeping the stuff you don’t like out is hard in an open parking lot.
The cool part about cruise ins and the morning gatherings is the non car show vibe.
Setting perimeters = car show.
If ya want it exclusively for the stuff you like then just gather with folks you know with rides you like, then have them do the same.
After about a half dozen events, everything with wheels will show up. Then ya have to start all over.

 

A local group that I belong to does a cars and coffee in a parking lot where there is a pretty good and popular coffee stand out on one side. It usually starts at 7 and ends at 9 before the stores in the 4 store shopping center get busy. In the summer it is quite often the gathering point for groups headed out to a show somewhere in the area.
That event is totally open and you might see anything from a Brass T to a new Corvette with the just bought it tag in the window show up. No fees or anything else just folks getting together for Coffee and car talk and show and tell. They do have stickers and now did an order of T shirts, caps and hoodies but many of the regulars belong to long standing clubs in the area.

 

I suggest you get in touch with the people who put on "the gearhead " gathering in Maple lake. Not far away, and I would bet the local businesses would be happy with it all.

 

Sure. When you get it set up if you need workers let me know.

 

Been there many times
great donuts and coffee and cars

 

Our coffee run, 1st Sunday in month

 

Donut Derelicts

 

We really need to fire that back up this next year. I found it pretty easy to get people to show up and the laid back no big deal if you can't make it attitude made it more fun.

 

If it was called Pastry and Plymouths, I could dive up to spectate.

 

Do they allow your kind in Buffalo?

 

"Do they allow your kind in Buffalo?" Good point.There's a car guy South of Buffalo you may know.He has what appears to be a sizable area for his R/C airplanes. The sign out front says "All are Welcome". Usually that type of signage means a understanding women is on the property.Heck,I bet he wouldn't even need to talk with her about a gathering.

 

Well in that case buddy, you're in!

 

I’m not a coffee drinker. Most donut places have ok donuts, but it’s rare to find really good ones. But a breakfast burrito from a sketchy liquor store? That’s a challenge I could go for.

 

That’s a shame. You going to buy the place to keep from starving?

 

My suggestion would be to find a small Mall where there is usually far more parking than customers.....and MULTIPLE food venues. They have one here that is on the second saturday and usually runs from about 4PM till dark. Everyone shows up and parks and wanders around. Some of them eat at the surrounding fast food and sports bars available. Any customers they get from the show are customers they would not have gotten otherwise. No prizes. Used to have music by the sponsoring club but think they quit hosting........don't know if its still official and hosted or not, but lots of people show up and visit.

Personally I'm not into getting up early anymore and prefer noonish or later, but I know some people still get up at the crack of dawn and like it. Not that I don't get up long before noon,...........just not at the crack of dawn. Got up before daylight my whole life.......no need to now.

 

There is a small group of car guys in my town that meet about 10 every Saturday at a local donut shop. All the cars and pickups are sort of old (late 60’s as the newest). I think they just started it by word of mouth. I have been a few times.

 

Only one old pickup (60 Chevy) there on this rainy morning but lots of pickups of car guys there.

 

Not everything has to be "organized" with a title. Just do it. If you and 1 or 3 of your pals like a spot, just meet for breakfast or whatever and tell the owners you might have a coffee to go and hang out for a bit outside. Do a post about it on some site like IG or FB, and of course don't forget your pals here. Over less time than you think, if you post "...and gotta tell ya Hank and Louise make 1 helluva southern omelet..." or whatever. Makin sense? The best gatherings have no organized structure. When I street raced we all just knew where to go. Same/Same. Sadly it seems "cruising" is some hangout and a lawn chair now and usually breaks up when the street lights come on. Gotta fix that too. Don't worry about the late models or tuners showing up, teach them. Show em that big ol white car once in a while (still white isn't it?). You'll be surprised how fast it catches on. Show up in the Corvair and tell a youthful tuner the story of your road trip vs shoo them away. The torch passes if you carry it in the 1st place. Who agrees?

 

That's how ours played out.

 

Haha...the group I mentioned above also happens to be the old street race crowd that organized things the same way...

 

Why, what happened?

 

On a road trip in 1984, we made an impromptu stop to watch the circle track races at Porterville, CA. I had a burrito from the concession stand. That was the last burrito I ever ate. I was horrendously sick for the next 2 days. A breakfast burrito from a sketchy liquor store... no way, never!

 

Sounds like a good plan. I don't have time to head up an organization. Just set a regular date, show up with a car, get it started, and let it happen. If an important race or something that I want to attend happens on the same day, the cars & coffee won't need me there. Just show up and hang out.

The restaurant owner is all for it. He is not familiar with cars & coffee events, but he says to get it started, he'll offer free coffee for those that participate. I'm not sure how he would differentiate between participants and the general public, I don't think he has thought it through. Maybe just put a big coffee pot on a table in the entry vestibule?

Here is a picture of the site, it looks like plenty of parking space to me.

 

Which leaves your problem....starvation!

 

Have no fear ... you can heat food on a manifold!

 

Joel, looks like a great venue to me. I would drive from Lakeville to support it or help. Just a thought here but what about the 'Tonka drive inn on sat/sun mornings?