Cars, Coffee & Community

Story and photos by Kaitlin Hill 

Every Saturday, just before daybreak, the manicured lawns and tree-lined streets of Great Falls, Virginia, reverberate as hundreds of cars, classic to exotic, make their way to the village center for display. Katie’s Cars & Coffee, an event initiated by a handful of local vintage car lovers, has grown into a small-town spectacle enjoyed by auto aficionados, coffee lovers, families and even dogs.

Katie’s first Cars & Coffee was eight years ago. Bob Morris, a coffee shop regular, wanted to recreate an auto event he’d attended during a trip to California, and he brought the idea of a 7 a.m. show before Katie’s Coffee House owner, Mike Kearney, who admits he was a little skeptical at first. He remembers his initial response as, “Seven in the morning, are you crazy?” He continues, “I thought, ‘Is this just him, or will people actually come?’”

Peter Garahan and Jeff Olson, who joined Morris on that first Saturday, remember the exhibition’s early days as well. Garahan recalls, “The first Saturday we did it, I think we had nine cars.” In time, the humble gathering of classic cars, “just started to grow and grow,” says Garahan. “After a couple of months it was about 50 cars,” says Olson. “Then you woke up, and it was 100 cars.”

These days, Katie’s hosts so many automobiles that there are multiple shifts in a single morning. “The first cars are in around five in the morning,” says Kearney. “The main group is usually in around 6:00 a.m. The morning group leaves around 8 o’clock, and another group is here at 7:30 a.m. waiting to take the 8 o’clock spots. On a good weather day, we’re usually good for 500 to 600 cars.” Over time, the sheer magnitude of vehicles pushed the show into neighboring merchants’ lots in addition to Katie’s long stretch of asphalt.

With increasing numbers came a larger variety of makes, models and participants. Garahan describes the mix of automobiles as, “a potpourri of all things.” While strolling the parking lot, sipping Katie’s coffee and nibbling on a fresh baked treat, you might find anything from a classic baby blue 1964 Jaguar E-Type to a brand-new jet black 600LT McLaren. On one particular Saturday, crowds gathered around a 1973 customized Farm Truck called a “Rat Rod” adorned with a toy mink popping out of a pipe. Just a few spaces down, car fans circled a race-worn 1965 Triumph Spitfire complete with drivers in original racing suits and a dog named Bentley sporting his own racing goggles.

As for the car owners, they’ve changed too. The event that started with locals now includes cars from up and down the East Coast. Kearney says, “People check into hotels here when they are bringing their cars from Delaware or the Carolinas.” Over the past eight years, the event’s audience has transformed as well. The early morning show that once only appealed to “guys who own cars and want to talk about cars,” as one participant put it, is now a comunity and family affair. Old friends catch up over hot drinks and open hoods. Young couples pushing strollers or walking dogs stop to ask owners about gleaming models that catch their eye. And teens roam freely, posting on social media frequently, probably picking out their dream machine and sharing it with friends. The whole parking lot seems to buzz.

As Kearney says, “When you walk through there’s just a lot of energy. Everybody is excited, and it’s only 7:15 in the morning.” However, for Kearney, popularity hasn’t come without concern. He says, “We have to be very careful. There have been many [other] cars and coffee events that have been shut down. Shut down because of noise, because of irresponsible drivers.”

Respecting the community he’s been a part of for 37 years is his top priority. He continues, “This is such a special event; why ruin it?” Though there are other Cars and Coffee events in the area, including Sunday mornings in Fairfax at the Fairfax Circle Shopping Center, every third Saturday in Winchester at Truban Motor Companies, and Middleburg’s upcoming Hunt Country Classic on October 7, Katie’s is definitely unique. Its large scale and impressive collection are contrasted by a friendly, small-town fair feel. One event regular described this Saturday morning tradition as, “It’s like religion, like Sunday Church for car freaks.”

Car fanatic or not, spend 10 minutes at Katie’s, and you’ll be hooked too. The rainbow-colored cars that sit shining in the early morning sun are only half of the appeal. Hot coffee, fresh pastries and a powerful sense of
community make the early morning wake up well worth it. ML

This article first appeared in the August 2018 Issue.