Who wants to do a garage co-op in the O.C.?

[Bill Schenker]

I'm getting tired of the gas and time it takes me to get to my car in Glendora and my rig in Irwindale living here in Corona del Mar.

I'm a member of a "co-op" of car guys in Glendora, the Hobby Shop, and I'd love to see if it could be done in the O.C. Apparently, rental space for something like this would be about $1.00/ft in Costa Mesa - a potentially good "center" of the O.C. We would pool tools and look for a place where we could store our rigs as well (outside). I would think that a lift would be needed too.

Seems to me it could be done for about $200-$300/mo./per person.

Any interest?

Bill

[John Coffey]

Check with the city before plunking money down. You may be better off looking in Stanton, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, etc. A lot of cities are trying to eliminate or zone out automotive related businesses.

[Bill Schenker]

Check with the city before plunking money down. You may be better off looking in Stanton, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, etc. A lot of cities are trying to eliminate or zone out automotive related businesses.

O.K., will do; but would this be considered a "business"?

[Bob Beamesderfer]

Check with the city before plunking money down. You may be better off looking in Stanton, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, etc. A lot of cities are trying to eliminate or zone out automotive related businesses.

O.K., will do; but would this be considered a "business"?

It's a private club, not a retail business. Right? ;)

[Reijo Silvennoinen]

The Hobby Shop where Bill currently keeps his car is quite slick....a bunch of rodders got together and formed a "Not-for-profit" club - register the club with the gov't I believe......and have been there quite a long time....includes air plumbed throughout, power, drill presses, paint booth, tools galore, tire changing machine, body working tools (to bend sheet metal etc.), etc. etc. etc......TV, fridge, alarm, outside hoist, storage for quite a few vehicles etc.

What else, Bill?

Oh, yeah, an area for bench racing...

Reijo

[Steve Ekstrand]

When Stacey and I founded the California Philharmonic Orchestra and Foundation as a not-for-profit and started hosting 3500 people at the Arboretum on Saturday nights, the Arcadia police and Fire Marshal's, didn't really care if I was making a profit or not.

[Bob Beamesderfer]

When Stacey and I founded the California Philharmonic Orchestra and Foundation as a not-for-profit and started hosting 3500 people at the Arboretum on Saturday nights, the Arcadia police and Fire Marshal's, didn't really care if I was making a profit or not.

The Arboretum Web site says they're still doing this:

During the Summer The Arboretum hosts the California Philharmonic Concerts on the Green. On these days The Arboretum will close at 3:30 pm.
Please see The CalPhil Website for more information.

[Steve Ekstrand]

Oh yeah, we never got shutdown. The concert series has been very successful. And now we're at the Disney too though not as highly subscribed as the Arboretum series.

The point was, the bureaucratic hurdles were tough. We had the county on board hardcore to get somebody to develop concerts at the Arboretum again. We had the Mayor of Arcadia in our founding circle of friends. We had lots of in's with the city, fire, and police. Yet every concert on the first years schedule was under threat of being shutdown. And we have the fire marshal on site for every Arboretum concert. And he's in constant contact with our op people. And near constant threat, though the relationship is very good now.

But I'm not sure once they find you if they care much whether its non-profit or not.

[Kurt Rahn]

That was you, huh? We've been doing those concerts since the second year. They're great.

BTW, all you need to do to be non-profit is not make a significant profit, but that's easily handled by paying out in salaries and expenses whatever extra is there.

[Bob Beamesderfer]

That was you, huh? We've been doing those concerts since the second year. They're great.

BTW, all you need to do to be non-profit is not make a significant profit, but that's easily handled by paying out in salaries and expenses whatever extra is there.

With a non-profit club like Bill's talking about, the dues go mostly for rent and utilities. Some of it goes toward other stuff. Nobody's paid any wages.

Steve, there wouldn't be anything going on other than people working on cars on private property. It's not like having a big car meet or show with the public invited. Have you ever been to LWC's shop where Bill's car lives? You wouldn't know it was there driving by.

[Steve Ekstrand]

I love the idea. I've been to LWC a couple of times.

Just warning that a non-profit is not the panacea. If anything it just gives you a good excuse for why you don't have a business license and conditional use permit.

My point is really be mindful of where you pick. Corona Del Mar will find you. Hunt you down and seize your cars.

I had a 1200 sq ft shop in Burbank for my toys when i was in college. I rented out two car storage spots to rich dudes with porsches. That paid the basic rent and left with 2/3rds the space. I got hassled by Burbank for chemical storage, gasoline storage, solvent storage, paint can storage, ammo storage.... Whatever they could find.

[Bob Beamesderfer]

I had a 1200 sq ft shop in Burbank for my toys when i was in college. I rented out two car storage spots to rich dudes with porsches. That paid the basic rent and left with 2/3rds the space. I got hassled by Burbank for chemical storage, gasoline storage, solvent storage, paint can storage, ammo storage.... Whatever they could find.

Guess if you're organization isn't called NBC or Paramount ...

[Sebastian Rios]

There was a guy at the last event handing out flyers for a service like that. I guess you pay a monthly fee and have access to lifts (maybe tools, not sure) it seemed like a good idea. Only problem for you Bill is that it was in Fontana or San Bernardino.

[Steve Ekstrand]

It was fine for like two years. Then I would imagine the realtor listing the adjacent building for sale started complaining. I say that because he started giving my the eye and complaining about the parking of cars visiting and whenever we had the trailer there loading or unloading a car.

You can stay under the radar for a long time, but there just aren't any guarantees. And once you're a target, you're going to face grief. I was a good neighbor with great relationships with the business around me. The realtor didn't care, he was just an ass.

So, try to stay in industrial areas in industry friendly cities. Rents probably cheaper anyway. And you're better off with a real industrial building with heavy duty and secure doors and windows.

[Bob Beamesderfer]

So, try to stay in industrial areas in industry friendly cities. Rents probably cheaper anyway. And you're better off with a real industrial building with heavy duty and secure doors and windows.

Absolutely. You want a place that you can anchor a lift or two, compressor tank and anything else that needs it without getting crap about drilling into the floor.

[John Coffey]

Vehicle storage will be the biggest problem because light industrial properties with a yard are more difficult to find. You will need to fence the yard and make sure the vehicles are out of sight. Theft from a yard is a huge issue and its amazing what the thieves can cart away.

You don't need any street front property and stay away from anything that's near a residential or commercial area. Each city and the landlord will want to know who is ultimately responsible for the club (one person). Be prepared to provide personal guarantees above and beyond what any non-for-profit charter says. I don't know of a light industrial landlord anywhere that will allow a lease without a personal guarantee, regardless of the organization (corporate, LLC, 501(C), etc.)

[Bill Schenker]

Bump.

[Zak Gutmann]

Here in Orange, there are a lot of car shops so the city is probably pretty easy going about that. We're located in a new-ish industrial park that has a couple units open I believe. The issue is that all cars would have to be parked inside each night. I'd get on board with something like this.

[Steve Eguina]

Bill I would have an interest. My biggest concern would be security. One thing about Costa Mesa is it is safer than some other area's.

Thanks Steve

[Bob Beamesderfer]

Bill I would have an interest. My biggest concern would be security. One thing about Costa Mesa is it is safer than some other area's.

Thanks Steve

I would stay away from Stanton, west Anaheim, Garden Grove, east Orange [more than a mile east of 55] and most of Santa Ana.

[Bill Schenker]

Bump.

[George Schilling]

I need to lease or buy an office/warehouse in the Long Beach/Signal Hill area. If there is any interest in doing this in this area (405 freeway between the 605 and 7), I would consider a building larger than what I need and devote space for this. It would be right within 2 miles of the 405.

[Jeff Shyu]

I need to lease or buy an office/warehouse in the Long Beach/Signal Hill area. If there is any interest in doing this in this area (405 freeway between the 605 and 7), I would consider a building larger than what I need and devote space for this. It would be right within 2 miles of the 405.

sounds like a perfect place for marshall to stash this motorcycle that's sitting in my garage..

[Aaron Goldsmith]

interested..

[Steve Lepper]

Here in Orange, there are a lot of car shops so the city is probably pretty easy going about that. We're located in a new-ish industrial park that has a couple units open I believe. The issue is that all cars would have to be parked inside each night. I'd get on board with something like this.

I'll second that dealing with the City of Orange is easy. My shop has been here nearly four years.

If you guys are serious about this, I'm looking to move to a larger shop, and it would be easy to look for two adjacient units. I'll still be in Orange, but moving from my current location at Tustin/22 freeway to somewhere more West and North (think Katella/Batavia.) Since I already have premits/licenses/alarm/etc. here in the city, it would be easy to set up. From my experience, you'd need at least 4 committed people to get started.