Ford’s Garages: Eateries Serve Up Side of Nostalgia
If you eat, drink, and sleep Fords—especially the eat ’n drink parts—we’ve found the place for you. A gourmet burger ’n beer joint called Ford’s Garage.
It also should be home to all those backyard mechanics who’ve cut their hands removing stainless steel radiator hose clamps and wiped grease and oil from those hands with a shop rag.
The catch—and there’s always a catch—is that this “garage’’ is in Fort Myers, Florida.
Right now, the fledgling chain has three locations surrounding Red Sox fans’ winter digs: in downtown Ft. Myers, the Miromar Outlets Mall near Fenway South, and in Cape Coral near the home base of former Red Sox Mike Greenwell.
Ford’s Garage is a place where those shop rags now serve as the napkins, the clamps as the napkin rings. Overall, 1920’s nostalgia rules.
Most of a Model T Ford car hangs over the bar (motorized wheels turning slowly), and gas pump nozzles serve as all the joint’s door handles. The nozzles also are the faucets in the restroom sinks, which are set into actual rubber tires.
“The owners wanted a local theme for the restaurant,’’ says John Calupca, “garage manager’’ of the original Fort Myers location.
Ford was an obvious choice for the restaurants because “this area is famous for the Henry Ford and Thomas Edison winter estates, so using a Ford theme was a natural,’’ says Calupca.
Of course, using a Ford theme was bound to catch Ford’s attention, especially after the group applied unsuccessfully for a trademark as Ford’s Garage Ventures LLC.
Ford took notice in several ways, but it was Michigan-based snowbirds—some of whom are Ford employees past and present—who get credit for helping the chain accomplish a formal licensing connection with Ford.
“We all know the Fort Myers area is a beautiful vacation spot, especially if you’re spending your winters in Detroit,’’ says Betsy McKelvey, marketing manager for Global Ford Licensing. “Ford employees came back and told us how much they liked the restaurant,’’ she says. “Ford has 10,000 trademarks and more than 400 outside licensing agreements, but we’ve never had one with a full-time restaurant. Even my brother sent me a photo of the napkin ring.’’
“I got to work one day and saw a message that Ford had called,’’ restaurant co-founder Mike McGuigan told the Fort Myers New-Press in July, 2014. “I called back expecting a cease-and-desist order; instead, it was the licensing department. “They said, ‘We love what you guys are doing, and we think we can work together.’’’
Today, McKelvey says, “it’s a great way to build our brand, for people to experience this first-hand. We loved the way they’ve (Ford’s Garage) approached it and their attention to detail. It’s been a really positive experience.’’
That attention is shown in the leather-wrapped menu holders, the mechanic-type uniforms worn by the staff, and the mechanic’s clipboard that holds your bill. Fortunately, meal charges are significantly less than one of today’s auto-repair charges.
Some notables from the menu: Start Your Engines (appetizers), Burger selections (the Model A, Ford’s Signature, American Standard), the Low Carb-uretor, the T-Bird (turkey patty), Tuna Me Up, and Sweet Rides (desserts). There’s also a large selection of craft beers on tap.
We’re hardly in the restaurant reviewing business, but both Mrs. G and I give a thumbs-up to the Ford’s Signature Burger, which also comes with the restaurant’s name branded into the top of the bun.
Ford’s Garage is building two more locations in SW Florida and has plans to expand to Ford country in Michigan.
Ford Garage’s McGuigan confirms that the group is actively seeking locations and partners for Michigan locations.
After that? “There’s a whole country out there,’’ he says, but we’re trying to plan our strategy to make sure it’s done right. I’ve been in the restaurant business for 25 years with a dozen different themes. This one is the best by far.’’
For those snowbirds hoping Massachusetts might be on the Ford’s Garage expansion road map, it might take a while. “You can tell them that we’ll likely be looking at the East Coast before the West Coast,’’ he says.
Etc.
Next Saturday (May 9), Herb Chambers is promising that spring will be here as he hosts his second Cars ‘N Coffee of the season. This will be at Herb Chambers Audi-Porsche of Burlington at 62 Cambridge St. and runs from 7-10 a.m. If that’s too early or not in your area, there’s another Cars ‘N Coffee that morning, this one at Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline from 8-11 a.m. For those looking for a full show, hit Rockingham Park from 10-3 p.m., where the Golden Oldies Show will run from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. … The MG logo, now Chinese-owned, was seen on a compact crossover at the Shanghai Auto Show last month. That’s a far cry from the storied MG two-seaters like the TD, TF and MGA and MGBs.
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