We had a couple of reporters come out and visit with a number of attendies at the May event. Decent turn out I would say considering it was a three day weekend and many were out of town.Cars and coffee jump start morningsAuto enthusiasts get together monthly at Starbucks in Keizer
By Jillian Daley • Statesman Journal • June 13, 2010
Take some hot Starbucks java, add community members sweet on their autos, and you've got Wayne Ackermann's Keizer Cars and Coffee.
Auto enthusiasts socialize and gawk at a diverse array of cars the last Saturday of each month, May to September, near the Starbucks in Keizer Station. All cars are welcome — from long, low-set Ferraris to chrome-accented classic Fords.
That kind of four-wheeled diversity just doesn't happen at most car shows — and some of the vehicles are truly rare, said Ackermann, who kick-started the event in 2008.
He brings by his 2001 Panoz Esperante, an American-made, Italian-designed sportscar. Only 234 Panoz Esperantes have been made, and there are just three in Oregon.
Jason Anderson, an event organizer, so far has roared into the Keizer event in a Swedish-built, 1970 Saab 96 and a British-made 1963 Triumph TR3. Anderson usually drives cars in stock at his Salem-based business Blue Oval Ranch, which specializes in Ford and Mercury classic cars, parts and appraisals.
Anderson said another perk is the event takes just two hours out of a Saturday morning. He's married with four children, and Ackermann is married with one child.
"We can't take a whole day off on the weekend because our family time is really important," Anderson said.
Cars and Coffee costs nothing to attend, offering families an affordable activity in a rough economy, Ackermann said.
The event has been popular lately — with 40 cars in May, he said. That packs the Starbucks parking lot but is still minute compared with the Los Angeles event that inspired his own.
"They hold it every weekend out there, and there are literally 1,000 cars that show up," Ackermann said.
Siting Cars and Coffee at a mall adjacent to Interstate 5 has been great for attendance, Ackermann said. It's easy to find and is well-located for the major Mid-Valley cities.
jdaley@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6714
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