Issue link: http://digital.nexsitepublishing.com/i/118654
Griot's GaraGe tech session Article by Jeff bowlby, Photos by MichAel swAle, DiAne Koontz, brent Jones, bill Kobs The Holidays came and went in a flash: I still find myself belatedly wishing friends, clients and vendors a Happy New Year and it's already February. My holiday hangover lingers with two unresolved issues: The decorative lighting still needs to be taken down from the eves and the ever-present nagging of a failed promise to my youngest son of a field trip to Griot's Garage Flagship Store to check out their new digs and acquire some stuff for him to exercise his passion for perfecting the finishes on his "new" R-32. Then Santa delivered a late gift: The announcement in the Porsche Spiel of an upcoming tech-ed session at Griot's new garage and world HQ in Tacoma. Without hesitation, the reservation for my first Porsche Club event was in the bag. Son Jay and I eagerly anticipated meeting new folks of common interest and a few old friends, seeing some very exciting cars, checking out Griot's new flagship store and perhaps learning a trick or two about keeping our cars in tip-top shape. homecoming for us both. We met in Andre's driveway then got on the road. Having dodged a few crafty State Troopers and endured particularly foul weather, both Porsches and occupants arrived at our destination precisely on time. Longtime friend and fellow club member "Holy Smokes" rolled off my lips as we Andre' Cunningham agreed to caravan to drove in the circular entrance to what was Tacoma with us. We both grew up in Tacoma, once a Coca Cola bottling plant. I immediso in a modest way, this was something of a ately experienced a flashback; remembering 18 March 2011 the excitement of a tour of this same building as a young Boy Scout many (too many) decades ago. Coca Cola had long since abandoned the facility and our occasional trips to T-town over the last several years yielded an unfortunate sight: The building, which sported a marvelous brick façade and fabulous fenestrations, had fallen into disrepair and neglect. What was once a well-kept and proud landmark of distinctive architecture had become a wilting commercial-sized caricature of a haunted house; surrounded by tall weeds, chain link fencing and razor ribbon. Well, things were clearly different this day. Griot's principal and 25 year PCA veteran Richard Griot rescued the facility and turned it into a car lover's paradise. Staying true to the building by preserving as many original features as possible, the new "coke" plant now has ample parking with huge gaps between parking spaces, a large outdoor picnic area, giant glazed overhead doors to let in the light, a detailers dream shop, vast cafeteria with tool boxes as kitchen cabinets, a customer friendly retail area and then there was the showroom…just a few notable and perfectly maintained vintage