Special Automotive Event - Griot Joins Board Of America's Car Museum

PHOTO CAPTION: A 1959 Chrysler 300 E, part of the LeMay - America's Car Museum (ACM) collection, served as the "cover model" for Griot's Garage handbook no. 300. Griot's Garage is the Official Car Care Products provider for ACM, and Griot's Garage founder Richard Griot has joined the board of directors for the new museum, which will open in Tacoma, Wash. next year. (Photo courtesy Griot's Garage)

TACOMA, July 14, 2011: Griot’s Garage, a Tacoma company dedicated to “Having fun in your garage!®” has signed a five-year renewal to support LeMay – America’s Car Museum (ACM), including naming Griot’s Garage as the Official Car Care Products of ACM. Additionally, Richard Griot, who founded Griot’s Garage in 1988, has been named to the ACM board of directors.

Griot, who owns a number of vintage race cars including Formula One and CanAm race cars, operates his retail store, car care school and events center company just a few miles from the nine-acre museum campus.

“We’ve been able to watch the museum literally be built from the ground up,” said Griot. “Like our company, the museum is about enthusiasts and their love for the automobile – there is a lot of synergy between our organizations. I’m thrilled that only Griot’s Garage car care will be used on the ACM car collection”

The ACM sponsorship agreement also includes the Griot’s Garage renewal of its Concours Club-level sponsorship agreement for the next five years.

“With his successful business and beautiful car collection, Richard Griot is living the car guy’s dream,” said David Madeira, president and CEO of ACM, which will hold its grand opening in May 2012. “He will bring a businessman’s and enthusiast’s perspective to our board.

“For ‘car guys,’ a trip to the Griot’s Garage retail store and event center is like a trip to the candy store. Griot’s Garage and ACM are devoted to honoring and preserving cars of all makes and models, whether new or old. Griot’s Garage is a perfect partner for the Museum.”

The 165,000-sq.-ft., four-story museum , situated 30 miles south of Seattle, is dedicated to preserving more than a century of automotive history, with a mission to be at the heart of the world’s car culture. The museum will feature cars of all shapes and sizes, from Chryslers to Packards, and Pontiacs to LeSalles.

Griot’s Garage began in 1988 in Richard Griot’s garage – literally – and was described by AutoWeek as “the car-guy catalog and website that sells everything from high-end tools to floor paints and car care products.” The company, which provides automotive and premium car care products to auto enthusiasts, has grown to include a 100,000-square-foot production and distribution facility in Indianapolis.