SUMMER KICKOFF AT THE SHOP CLUB
WORDS AND PHOTOS - VINNIE NGUYEN
There are times when planning events, you have a vision of how you want things to go and what type of vibe or energy you’re wanting to event to have. Partnering with Garrett Nelson and The Shop Club in Seattle, we envisioned an event where our automotive community would be able to come, hang out and discover a new space for them to call their own. We didn't have many expectations for the event, but we knew that we wanted great food, great music, and for our community to come together. And though it was going to be in the format of a car meet and social, Garrett and I knew that we wanted it to be different. So on June 24th, we hosted our summer kickoff and without a doubt, you guys helped make the event nothing short of a success!
One of our goals of this event was to expose people to The Shop. There were so many people who came up to tell us that they didn’t even know that The Shop existed or that we had something like this in our backyard. They were excited to have discovered the space and all that it offers. The Shop is many things. It’s a place for socializing, service, dining, DIY, classes, auto sales and storage, all under one roof. Most importantly, The Shop is a place for our community.
To help convey that message, we reached out to some friends to have their cars on display inside The Shop. This was truly special because this gave everyone a chance to not only see some of the collection that The Shop has, but they were able to see fellow community members inside of a space that is meant to be for all of us.
Cooper Boudia of C’s Customizing front and center with his Acura Integra.
I was so stoked that Andrew Vun was able to bring out out his dope Toyota 4Runner!
You know we had to have Thomas Hatcher bring out everyone’s favorite BBC (Big Black Chevy).
Our vendors played a major role for the event. Keeping us well fed through the night, Exotix Snacks killed it with their dishes, their char siu and adobo dishes were to die for. For dessert, Lil’ Dipper provided us with their tasty dipped cones to keep us cool. We know some of you guys were feeling their cones, we saw you! For drinks, Best Day Brewing provided us with their awesome non-alcoholic beers for the community to enjoy (it was my first ever non-alcholic beer and it was gooood) and The Derby, The Shop’s in-house restaurant, provided us with cocktails and drinks to loosen us up a bit.
You can’t have a summer kickoff without great music. Our friend Ajay Berry aka DJ Berry was spinning all night and maaaan, he got the vibes right! You saw everyone dancing and having a good time with one another, it was a sight to see.
Bardahl Manufacturing, a local company who specializes in lubricants, oils, and additives came to give out swag and they even brought out one of their Al Young racing cars!
We had some new shirts for the event, so if you weren’t able to make it out, cop yours before they all sell out!
Overall, it was a great evening with old friends and new ones. It was a night to remember and this event wouldn’t have been as successful without you all. We thank you all for coming out and having a great time with us. We appreciate all of the support!
And to those who missed out, don’t worry, this won’t be the last time. We’ll run this back.
Michael and Emily rolling out at the end of the event in his clean JZX100.
Brian rolling out with his JZX100, one of our personal faves.
Tristan and his R32, always looking menacing.
