Comfort Food and Classic Cars: New “Ford’s Garage” Restaurant To Open In Charlotte
Written by Mallory Moreno
Charlotte is getting ready to welcome a new prohibition-style restaurant – Ford’s Garage. FSR Magazine reports that the Fort Meyers-based chain plans to bring seven of its vintage car garage-themed restaurants to the area.
“Ford Motor Co. has quite a rich history as one of America’s most important manufacturing companies,” Steve Shelmon, brand president of Ford’s Garage told the publication. “That history also translates to a pretty cool dining experience, as it turns out, and we’re excited to be bringing that experience to Charlotte.”
Charlotteans will feel like they’ve just stepped into a 1920’s service station. Aside from the actual Model Ts and Model As that float above the bar itself, the details inside the restaurant are what bring the whole experience together. Servers can be spotted wearing blue mechanic shirts. Silverware is rolled up in shop clothes that serve as napkins. The restrooms remain on-brand as well as the sinks are made from tires and fuel pump nozzles. The Detriot Free Press compares the restaurant to the Hard Rock Cafe but for “automotive junkies.”
The bar features its F-150 beer list which means, 150 types of beer including 40 on tap from local microbreweries. The food menu highlights burgers that are cleverly titled such as the “Model A,” the “Jiffy Burger” and the “High-Octane Burger.” Salads, sandwiches, and comfort food options — including a mac n cheese bar — can also be found on the menu.
The original Ford’s Garage was founded in 2012 near Henry Ford’s winter home in Fort Myers, Florida after four entrepreneurs decided to create a dining experience inspired by the automaker. At first, there was no affiliation to Ford. However, it wasn’t long before Ford’s legal team stepped in. In 2014, the franchise owners and Ford agreed to embrace the restaurant idea together. Two years later, a licensing agreement was signed.
You don’t have to be to someone obsessed with classic cars to enjoy eating at Ford’s Garage, although having an appetite for good old-fashioned burgers and craft beer does help. “It’s a very broad market that we attract into Ford’s Garage,” Shlemon says. “It’s not pretentious. It’s come-as-you-are. It’s got a great vibe and energy. The food is fantastic all the way across the board. But you’ve got a very comfortable, inviting environment that’s unique to the casual dining space.”
Ford’s Garage’s expansion into Charlotte is part of the restaurant’s bigger initiative to open 15 more franchises by 2023. After that, the Tampa Bay Times reports the franchise intends to add 10 to15 new restaurants per year. There is no word yet on when development in the Charlotte area will begin.
