Cars and Coffee

The nose of a silver car peeked around the corner of the parking deck, and Barry Koss said, “There’s a Ferrari.”

“That’s a four-five-eight (458). It’s a Spider,” his son, Colby, added.

Colby, a Shades Mountain Christian student has joined his dad at Birmingham Cars and Coffee almost every Saturday morning for more than a year. The Koss family lives in Regent Forest, and unless Barry is working he and Colby cross town to come to the event in Homewood as part of their routine. 

Barry calls himself an enthusiast when it comes to cars. He has a 1990s Nissan 350-Z he’s been modifying for years. He mangled the engine on a track day last year, so until it’s fixed he and Colby bring the family truck.

Just because the duo isn’t showing off, doesn’t mean they can’t have a good time.

“The people,” Barry said. “That’s why we come out. There are so few places to meet and spend time with other enthusiasts. We try and have lunch with a different group every week.”

Cars and Coffee was brought to Birmingham by a pair of Volkswagon owners in 2012. Andrew Bowers, a McCalla resident, and Dave McKee, who lived in California at the time, met in an online forum. McKee said their first meeting brought in 11 cars. In February, they had more than 125. 

The public is welcome at the gatherings, which are held every Saturday at the parking deck at Colonial Brookwood Village in Homewood from 8:30-10:30 a.m.

The meet has specific rules including no revving, speeding, burnouts, loud music, policing passersby or littering. 

“For everyone that rolls up, we ask them to have respect for the property,” McKee said. “And I mean actual respect because we want this to continue.”

For more, visit facebook.com/BhmCarsCoffee.