Gentlemen,
Funny, my son Charley is not sentimental at all. Perhaps that will change when he gets older. I seem to have an overdose of that quality and as I age it causes more pain than pleasure. Most of our long-term members have gathered with me here in Arizona at Don and Charlie's. A landmark Scottsdale restaurant that has been operating for 38 years. I was a 25-year-old kid and general manager of Bud Beck Pontiac-GMC Trucks when I met Don. He was 36 years old and had come in to buy a new Pontiac Bonneville. A couple days later I stopped by his restaurant for dinner, had a great experience, and have been a regular ever since. I have no idea how many Ford GT Forum events we've had there over the last 15 years but it's been a bunch. Every time I drove a Ford GT to D&C's the valet parking crew would have me leave it right by the front door. For those who haven't been there the restaurant contains 2 million dollars worth of sports memorabilia, most of the staff has worked there for decades, and the food is incredible. Everyone there treats me like family. Now, nearly 4 decades later, my good friend Don is 74 and wants to retire. A hotel chain has made him a great offer and the restaurant will be torn down to make way for a high-rise hotel. In one week, on April 10, Peggy and I will have dinner there for the last time and then the doors will close for good. I'm an old man now and I don't like change, especially this one. Not quite sure where we'll hold our AZ Ford GT events in the future. What I can say is that I'm really going to miss that place. God bless my friend Don, it's been 38 great years.
Chip
Funny, my son Charley is not sentimental at all. Perhaps that will change when he gets older. I seem to have an overdose of that quality and as I age it causes more pain than pleasure. Most of our long-term members have gathered with me here in Arizona at Don and Charlie's. A landmark Scottsdale restaurant that has been operating for 38 years. I was a 25-year-old kid and general manager of Bud Beck Pontiac-GMC Trucks when I met Don. He was 36 years old and had come in to buy a new Pontiac Bonneville. A couple days later I stopped by his restaurant for dinner, had a great experience, and have been a regular ever since. I have no idea how many Ford GT Forum events we've had there over the last 15 years but it's been a bunch. Every time I drove a Ford GT to D&C's the valet parking crew would have me leave it right by the front door. For those who haven't been there the restaurant contains 2 million dollars worth of sports memorabilia, most of the staff has worked there for decades, and the food is incredible. Everyone there treats me like family. Now, nearly 4 decades later, my good friend Don is 74 and wants to retire. A hotel chain has made him a great offer and the restaurant will be torn down to make way for a high-rise hotel. In one week, on April 10, Peggy and I will have dinner there for the last time and then the doors will close for good. I'm an old man now and I don't like change, especially this one. Not quite sure where we'll hold our AZ Ford GT events in the future. What I can say is that I'm really going to miss that place. God bless my friend Don, it's been 38 great years.
Chip
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