SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The Cars and Coffee gatherings are attracting a couple of thousand people to the Shulte Subaru lot on South Minnesota Avenue. Last Saturday morning, organizers said more than 700 owners had shined up their cars and found a parking spot.
Adam Winter brought his 2017 Dodge Challenger scat pack, a fun, bright yellow car that is hard to miss.
“Just a wide variety everything from classics to modern day, it’s free I mean it’s a wonderful program that Schulte puts on here for the community,” said Winter.
A few feet away, classic car owner Tom Olsen doubled down. He brought his 1956 Chevy two-door Wagon and his prized 69 Chevelle SS-396.
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“I bought this Chevelle brand new when I was still in the Army after coming home from Vietnam, so there is a lot of special meaning to that car. And the 56 Chevy Wagon is very similar to one I owned back around 1964, 1965 that I raced back in those days,” said Olsen.
Mike and Sara Schulte love these mornings and the chance to see some great cars. Schulte rescued the gathering a few years ago.
“Cars and Coffee has been around for a long time in Sioux Falls, but it was just at a little bank parking lot. It had 30 to 40 cars, and one of our employees came to us and said that they were going to quit doing it. And Sarah and I looked at each other, and you know what? Let’s not only do it, but we’ll turn it into a really big event,” said Mike Schulte.
And they did; now it’s evolved into once a monthly gathering for adults and kids.
“It’s free, and fun, and family-friendly. You can bring your pets and your children. There’s a bouncy house, there are tents set up to support the local community,” said Sarah Schulte.
A breakfast buffet, doughnuts, and more are available for free.
Cars and Coffee is more than just classic cars. People can get up close to some very expensive Italian supercars like Ferraris, Maseratis, and Lamborghinis.
But you will find everyday drivers too. Joseph Feuerhelm of Brandon always wanted a Mercedes convertible and recently made it happen.
“A lot of people buy cars like this, and they don’t drive them, you know, they just take them around and show them. But this is a driver for us. We are doing all the driving we could possibly do,” said Feuerhelm.
It’s not every day you see a 2003 Mercury Marauder. Mark Keiser owns this 170-mile-an-hour wolf in sheep’s clothing.
“I wanted a Kenny Brown car. I worked with Kenny Brown in Indianapolis, and he was able to build the car out to my specifications,” said Keiser. “So I’ve got a supercharger, I’ve had the motor rebuilt, Art Carr transmission, 4-10 years, and quite a lot of other upgrades that make the car a lot more fun to drive.”
The show is a natural fit for Schulte because the dealership has long taken an interest in restoring classic and collector cars.
“Cars are art, cars are part of our life, and we just love classic cars. We’ve owned a business in town called Schulte Restoration for 30 years, where we restore old cars and broker old cars and classic cars, and exotic cars. So us, we just love the car part of it,” said Schulte.
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“It is, my whole life, and I wouldn’t do anything else,” said Schulte.
Many of the hundreds who came to show their cars may very well feel the same.There is something about 4 wheels, a motor, and a coat of paint that brings people together.
“A lot of the guys from my generation that were doing this thing from my generation are kind of getting out of the hobby because of there age and it’s good to see that there is a younger generation coming along with the same interest in the hobby even though it is maybe a different style of car,” said Olsen.
Young or older, it’s all about cars, conversation, and, ultimately, connections.
“Clint, those are an amazing collection of cars. Thank you for coming,” said Schulte.
The Schultes also invited non-profits to the event to drum up support for their causes.The next event is scheduled for July 13th.
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