With Kalloway’s Restaurant and Pub no more, local cruisers are in need of a place to park and display their vintage vehicles for all to see and enjoy this summer.
Fortunately, downtown Oxford is ready, willing and able to welcome them with open arms and give local businesses a much-needed shot in the arm.
Beginning May 5 and ending October 15, the village will play host to ‘Cruise-in Downtown Oxford? every Tuesday from 5 p.m. until dusk.
‘Cars are definitely a big draw,? said DDA Chairman Mark Young, owner of a 1973 Dodge Charger and 1970 Cornette RT convertible. ‘Kalloway’s always did it somewhat successfully (with its Tuesday night car cruise), and I think we can just grow on that.?
Right now, the plan is for classic car owners to display their vintage machines in the parking lots of the Oxford United Methodist Church and possibly the former James Lumber property along E. Burdick St.
‘It’s so up in the air,? Young said. ‘We have to wait and see how many cars we’re going to attract.?
The DDA parking lot just east of Mill St. could also be utilized for the weekly show, if necessary.
‘If it gets big enough, it appears at this point that the police and (village) council are definitely on board with the idea of closing off Burdick Street,? Young said. ‘We have not made that decision yet because we’re waiting to see how many cars actually come wheeling in here.?
‘Council’s been very supportive of the whole idea and they’re willing to accommodate this as much as possible,? he noted.
To help get the event rolling, the DDA has provided $2,500 in ‘seed money,? but Young indicated much more will be needed to cover marketing costs and the expense of having a deejay every week. The deejay alone will cost $3,500 for the season.
‘We’re still looking to see if we can get some of the businesses on board to sponsor it,? he said. ‘Our biggest stumbling block is trying to make it somewhat self-sufficient. We’re still trying to figure out the business plan to pay for it.?
According to Young, a few restaurants are already on board with the idea of issuing a 15 percent discount card, good at any participating eatery, to those who bring a vintage vehicle to the cruise.
‘The restaurants hopefully are going to benefit the most out of this,? he said.
The DDA also looking into the possibility of conducting 50/50 raffles and visitor’s raffles to give away cash and prizes.
Overall, Young is optimistic about the event and its potential positive impact on downtown businesses.
‘If (the cruisers are) made to feel welcome and they like the environment they’re in, it’s only going to grow,? he said. ‘There’s a whole lot of cars out there.?
For more information about Cruise-in Downtown Oxford please contact DDA Director Madonna VanFossen at (248) 770-8587.
To learn more please visit www.cruisinoxford.com.