Business Owners

Hosting a car show or cruise at your location is not only good for the show, but good for your business as well. There will be a noticeable increase in revenue. If your business is a restaurant you are bound to get more sales as the folks who bring their car to display do not want to leave to go to another eatery as they want to save their space. When the hunger pangs come, they'll eat at your place. The visitors will eat at your place as they most likely will not want to walk all the way back to their car to leave for somewhere else. 

If you own an automotive related business, it only makes sense to offer up your lot to a show. With a show, your parking lot is full of your potential customers. Car owners are seldom satisfied and always on the lookout for something else to add to their car. Sometimes, they might just come in to escape the heat. You would then have a bunch of motorheads mingling in your store ready to upgrade or enhance.

Not a restaurant or speed shop? No problem. You now have a group of people who might not ordinarily come to your place. You would have a lot full of new customers. Offer up a show special to entice them in and you are sure to get them in your shop to generate new business.

Though I am not financial expert, I am sure there is a clever way to write off the use of your lot. You could, I suppose, offer a plan to take a portion of the sales or entrance fees and donate it to a charitable organization. That is a simple way to get a decent tax break. That is money in your company's coffers!

Show Organizers

Having your event at a huge lot can serve up many advantages. If the lot is at a restaurant you needn't bother with the hassle of finding food vendors for the convenience of your patrons. For their comfort, you have no need to secure restroom facilities. (In my opinion, the latter is more important than food or drink) You also bring in extra help as business owners may utilize their workforce to help out. Food, drink, restrooms and man power. Half your work is already done!

The parking lot is also purpose built! Having a show at a park or grassy field is chock full of problems. The ground will be muddy after a rain, it is an uneven surface and to access the grassy areas there are sometime curbs to contend with. Just try to convince a low-and-slow '51 Mercury Led Sled to drive over a curb to park in the damp grass. Parks are for picnic baskets and family reunions. Parking lots are specifically designed to have a lot of parked cars. Even that last sentence validates my point. A lot of parked cars. Parking Lot!

The Area Rides Network

The Network plan is not going to change much at all. The goal was to use it as a means to help the automotive community help itself. The way it helps will change. It will primarily be a directory of local vendors, organizers, business owners and the like. With these listings it will be a one-stop resource for the creation of car events in the St. Louis area. The biggest change will be my focus and attention on its progress. The site has lain fallow for quite sometime only getting small tweaks here and there over the past six years. Before the end of the 2012 season the site will be fully operational just in time for the start of 2013 show planning. 

If you would like a listing please contact me with any questions or suggestions.