Charlotte Areas Cars and Coffee Event- Cancelled Indefinitely

Silly me, I thought I could help foster and grow the car crazed culture that is present here in Charlotte, but the immature actions by what was at first a select few but now what is adopted to many has ended our Cars and Coffee event indefinitely. Cars and Coffee Charlotte is no more!


I have run the range in the last 24 hrs of extreme anger and sadness because six plus years of hard work and effort is going down the drain. I can't tell you the countless hours, money and effort that was put in to build something wonderful from the ground up for the Car Culture in Charlotte to be ruined by a few that use their head as only a mere hatrack!


I have tried it all from posting the rules numerous times, hanging up signage, creating a police presence, getting others to help spread the word but nothing seems to help. I love cars and the people that love cars but under the current circumstances someone is going to get hurt or killed and I can't have that on my watch. I hate to see something that I have been working so hard to create come to an end but before someone gets seriously injured or killed I'm done! Sometimes you don't know how good you have it until it is gone and I believe Charlotte will realize this in a short time. The time, effort and great expense that this has taken was done out of pure joy for cars and those that surround them but it is getting too taxing and too dangerous to really enjoy


I'm am very grateful for Mattie's and the NC Music Factory's hospitality over the years but as you can see, no good deed goes unpunished and there is no reason that their businesses should not be jeopardized for some of our foolishness. Not only are the actions of a select few going to ruin it for those that behaved themselves and really enjoyed the event but it is going to hurt some small business owners as well.


I'm very grateful for the experiences that Cars and Coffee has given me and for the great friends that I have made out of it but all good things must come to an end and Cars and Coffee Charlotte is no more!


Best wishes,
Michael

Charlotte Area- Cars and Coffee at the NC Music Factory- Sat March 8th!
Charlotte Area Cars and Coffee - Uptown Charlotte

Skipping the 1st Saturday due to the Parking lot being used for the CIAA tournament.


Mattie's Diner / NC Music Factory Uptown Village-Main Lot
1000 NC Music Factory Blvd, Charlotte NC 28206

Saturday March 8th, 2014

7:30am until!


The numerous emails, phone calls and texts that I received this past month about how much C&C means to those in Charlotte has prompted us to look at what was right with the event and what could be developmental areas to improve this great gathering. It was a scary thought for all those involved that the poor judgement by a select few could endanger everyone and ruin such a great event. Mattie and the NC Music Factory management through much thought has decided to give us one more chance with some mandatory changes in the event.

At this size and scope there are not many places that can or will accommodate this type of event, so many changes are going to be asked of us in order to keep the event here. I am restating the rules here on this forum but I know that a lot of individuals that come do not see these each month so for those of you that do please spread the word and help us keep this event going and growing here at the NC Music Factory.

Here are the rules:
-Absolutely no burnouts or horse play in the lot or the roads out front. It is irresponsible and safety is a huge concern for us. This is a one strike rule!. Violators will be asked not to return and the mater will be turned over to the CMPD/Sheriff's Dept.
-The Uptown division of the Mecklenburg police department is well aware of our event and will patrol the area. Speeding and unlawful behavior will not be tolerated on the public road out front or on the NC Music Factory's property. 911 will be called if antics prevail and the CMPD will respond!

-No vendors will be allowed to set up tables, booths or tents. As before you can hand out fliers if you wish but no signage or structures allowed.
-Trailers, box trucks and haulers will be asked to use lot #2 for parking, spaces are at a premium and these vehicles take up too much space and maneuvering them around is too high a risk for accidents.
-We need to leave the facilities better than we find them on each visit. NC Music Factory is letting us use this facility free of charge so we need to respect it, there are trash cans throughout the property please do please do not litter.
-Parking nearest to the Diner is reserved for regular restaurant patrons. We have the other 662 spaces!


Changes:
-there will be uniformed officers stationed at two points on the property, with one being in the turn lane of the frontage road. We hope this will deter any burnouts, rapid rates of speed and general idiotic moves leaving the parking lot.
-We are asking the bystanders that stand in front of the dinner to disperse, if those leaving don't have an audience of on lookers and video cameras it will greatly decrease the incidents that are possible. There is plenty of room in the parking look to take pictures and see the cars up close.
-Removing the on lookers at the entrance also will reduce the chances of anyone getting hurt by a vehicle that looses control.

***We will be selling a Charlotte Area Cars and Coffee T-Shirt with all the proceeds going to pay the fees for the deputies that will be on duty at each event as well as additional signage needed. I think instead of taking donations a T-Shirt that we can create and sell to generate funds to have the event be self-sufficient is best. We hope to have these ready for the 1st event but it may be the second event.


I am very grateful for all those that reached out and offered to help reinstate this event as well as those that gave ideas that would make this event safer.

Hope to see you Saturday and thank you for helping this event I stay safe and in place for years to come!

Charlotte Area- Cars and Coffee at the NC Music Factory- Sat June 7th!
Charlotte Area Cars and Coffee - Uptown Charlotte

Mattie's Diner / NC Music Factory Uptown Village-Main Lot
1000 NC Music Factory Blvd, Charlotte NC 28206

Saturday June 7th, 2014
7:30am until !


Please excuse the late post! I hope that after 6+ years these postings are not what draws people out! However tomorrow's weather is going to be ideal for our event! I know there are a few other area car events that may draw your attention but we would love to see you before you take off there. The 1st of the month is here again and time for our gathering of Cars and Coffee at the NC music factory! Last month it was refreshing to see such a large turnout and everyone seems to be on their best behavior! I want to take a second to thank both Foreign Cars International for their generous donation that paid for the Sheriff's Deputies (once again) that helped control the crowd and for Peter N. at Automotive International for his generous donation of the signage that reminds us all of the privilege that it is to be guest at the NC Music factory. Also thank you to the NC Music Factory and Mattie's for giving us another chance to show how great this event is and how mature this crowd can be. Without the support we would not have such a grand event. Just to restate the rules for those that may have missed it or those that just need a reminder.

Here are the rules:

-Absolutely no burnouts or horse play in the lot or the roads out front. It is irresponsible and safety is a huge concern for us. This is a one strike rule!. Violators will be asked not to return and the mater will be turned over to the CMPD/Sheriff's Dept.
-The Uptown division of the Mecklenburg police department is well aware of our event and will patrol the area. Speeding and unlawful behavior will not be tolerated on the public road out front or on the NC Music Factory's property. 911 will be called if antics prevail and the CMPD will respond!

-No vendors will be allowed to set up tables, booths or tents. As before you can hand out fliers if you wish but no signage or structures allowed.
-Trailers, box trucks and haulers will be asked to use lot #2 for parking, spaces are at a premium and these vehicles take up too much space and maneuvering them around is too high a risk for accidents.
-We need to leave the facilities better than we find them on each visit. NC Music Factory is letting us use this facility free of charge so we need to respect it, there are trash cans throughout the property please do please do not litter.
-Parking nearest to the Diner is reserved for regular restaurant patrons. We have the other 662 spaces!

Charlotte Area- Cars and Coffee at the NC Music Factory- Saturday, August 2nd!
Charlotte Area Cars and Coffee - Uptown Charlotte

Mattie's Diner / NC Music Factory Uptown Village-Main Lot
1000 NC Music Factory Blvd, Charlotte NC 28206

Saturday August 2nd, 2014
7:30am until !


Please excuse the late post! I hope that after 6+ years these postings are not what draws people out! However tomorrow's weather is going to be ideal for our event! I know there are a few other area car events that may draw your attention but we would love to see you before you take off there. The 1st of the month is here again and time for our gathering of Cars and Coffee at the NC music factory! Last month it was refreshing to see such a large turnout and everyone seems to be on their best behavior! I want to take a second to thank both Foreign Cars International for their generous donation that paid for the Sheriff's Deputies (once again) that helped control the crowd and for Peter N. at Automotive International for his generous donation of the signage that reminds us all of the privilege that it is to be guest at the NC Music factory. Also thank you to the NC Music Factory and Mattie's for giving us another chance to show how great this event is and how mature this crowd can be. Without the support we would not have such a grand event. Just to restate the rules for those that may have missed it or those that just need a reminder.

Here are the rules:

-Absolutely no burnouts or horse play in the lot or the roads out front. It is irresponsible and safety is a huge concern for us. This is a one strike rule!. Violators will be asked not to return and the mater will be turned over to the CMPD/Sheriff's Dept.
-The Uptown division of the Mecklenburg police department is well aware of our event and will patrol the area. Speeding and unlawful behavior will not be tolerated on the public road out front or on the NC Music Factory's property. 911 will be called if antics prevail and the CMPD will respond!

-No vendors will be allowed to set up tables, booths or tents. As before you can hand out fliers if you wish but no signage or structures allowed.
-Trailers, box trucks and haulers will be asked to use lot #2 for parking, spaces are at a premium and these vehicles take up too much space and maneuvering them around is too high a risk for accidents.
-We need to leave the facilities better than we find them on each visit. NC Music Factory is letting us use this facility free of charge so we need to respect it, there are trash cans throughout the property please do please do not litter.
-Parking nearest to the Diner is reserved for regular restaurant patrons. We have the other 662 spaces!

Charlotte Area- Cars and Coffee at the NC Music Factory- Sat Oct 4th!
Charlotte Area Cars and Coffee - Uptown Charlotte

Mattie's Diner / NC Music Factory Uptown Village-Main Lot
1000 NC Music Factory Blvd, Charlotte NC 28206

Saturday Oct 4th, 2014

7:30am until!

***2014 Commemorative Cars and Coffee T-Shirts are on sale! $20 each and all proceeds go to pay for our Sheriff Deputies! ***

The fall is here and it is a wonderful time to get out and enjoy some great sights and sounds of our rides! Cars and Coffee has enjoyed its greatest stretch the last three months with record turnouts (averaging 500+ vehicles) and everyone has behaved themselves which has been great! We want to continue this streak and we believe a big factor has been the addition of our off duty Sheriff's Deputies that are helping keep all of us safe. As you can imagine this type of security does not come cheap. In the past we have had gracious benefactors in the from of Foreign Cars International, NC Music Factory, Mattie's Diner and Automotive International that have really stepped up to support us, but I envision going forward being self supportive.

We have commissioned a commemorative T-Shirt to be made to showcase the Charlotte Area Cars and Coffee to be sold and all proceeds go to pay for the Sheriff's Duties going forward. I made a limited run of shirts that will sell for $20 each. We will be located behind Mattie's to sell the shirts (cash only please), if a T-Shirt does not fit your needs a donation would be appreciated to keep our great event going and to keep it safe. The shirts were make by a local graphic artist, Billy Stephens and the colors are suppose to mimic the "Return of the Buzz" city theme that is sweeping over Charlotte. I hope you enjoy them as well as pick one up for yourself or a gift for a friend or family member. Remember the proceeds go to keep our event in tact and safe! I will only be there for a limited time in the morning, leaving around 8:30, but I will be back in November. We will have a Square payment for those the have a card only but for now CASH is king!

Mattie's Diner / NC Music Factory Uptown Village-Main Lot
1000 NC Music Factory Blvd, Charlotte NC 28206

Saturday Dec 13th, 2014
7:30am until!

***2014 Commemorative Cars and Coffee T-Shirts are on sale! $20 each and all proceeds go to pay for our Sheriff Deputies! ***

This is for the rain date in Dec, so now the event will take place on Sat Dec 13th. Weather looks to be awesome! It is hard to believe but here we are in Dec of 2014 and we are closing out our 7th in existence! We continue to grow and gain a reputation for a fun family outing and a place where like minded individuals can get their car fix each month. It has been another wonderful year of exciting vehicles and fast friends. I want to thank each and every one of you for your contributions for showing up and keeping such a great event going strong. We want to continue this streak and we believe a big factor has been the addition of our off duty Sheriff's Deputies that are helping keep all of us safe. As you can imagine this type of security does not come cheap. In the past we have had gracious benefactors in the from of Foreign Cars International, NC Music Factory, Mattie's Diner and Automotive International that have really stepped up to support us, but I envision going forward being self supportive.

We have commissioned a commemorative T-Shirt to be made to showcase the Charlotte Area Cars and Coffee to be sold and all proceeds go to pay for the Sheriff's Duties going forward. I made a limited run of shirts that will sell for $20 each. We will be located behind Mattie's to sell the shirts, will have a Square device to take credit cards and debit cards this time! I greatly appreciate those that have purchased a T-Shirt or given a donation every little bit helps, but we are well shy of our goal of being self funded and I have a hell of a lot of t-shirts lefts!!! if a T-Shirt does not fit your needs a donation would be appreciated to keep our great event going and to keep it safe. The shirts were make by a local graphic artist, Billy Stephens and the colors are suppose to mimic the "Return of the Buzz" city theme that is sweeping over Charlotte. I hope you enjoy them as well as pick one up for yourself or a gift for a friend or family member. Remember the proceeds go to keep our event in tact and safe! I will only be there for a limited time in the morning, leaving around 8:30, but I will be back in November. We will have a Square payment for those the have a card only but for now CASH is king!