Join us on Saturday, April 18th at 10:00AM on Instagram Live for the virtual launch of Season 12!

While we wish we could be together in person, it's not safe to host large gatherings yet, so we're doing the next best thing and hosting a virtual meet to kick off the season.

The #CCCVirtualMeet will feature special guest appearances and we'll give plenty of updates about the plans for the season ahead. 

We're also encouraging everyone in our community to join the virtual meet by posting a live pic of their car (in the garage, parked on a roadside, etc) on that morning. We'll select three random posts for awesome prizes, so make sure you think of a great location and shoot your car on April 18th around 10:00AM!

If the stay-at-home order dictates, we'll host a second virtual meet in early May. Stay tuned for details!

“Is it Time to Sell Your Baby?”
By: Adam D. Koós, CFP®, CMT® 
President / Portfolio Manager
Libertas Wealth Management Group, Inc.

We’re living in unprecedented times - there’s no doubt about that.  

There aren’t too many people today who can say they were alive when the “Spanish Flu” pandemic killed 675,000 Americans in 1918.  The disease came back again in 1957 and was deemed the “Asian Flu,” causing nearly 70,000 deaths before a vaccine was finally developed.  What’s interesting is that this mutating flu didn’t technically originate in Spain.  Rather, it’s known as today’s run-of-the-mill influenza virus, for which most of us are vaccinated each fall and winter.

Even Polio, which killed 3,145 people during its peak in 1952, isn’t a disease many people think too much about today.  In fact, the CDC (Center for Disease Control) has stated that the United States is officially “polio-free” since 1979.

Today, we’re all dealing with the initial effects of Coronavirus 2019 (or COVID-19), which as of the early morning of March 25th, has killed 582 people, primarily those over 65 years of age and/or individuals with autoimmune deficiencies.  

The bad news?  This is no fun…  For those in the highest-risk demographics, it’s terrifying.  No one wants to catch this thing if they have respiratory issues in their later years.  For the healthiest among us, being stuck in our homes for the most part, not knowing just how bad this virus is – it’s anxiety provoking, to say the very least.

The good news?  When this is all said and done, COVID-19 will likely come back in the fall, medications that help those with arthritis could become part of a future vaccine, and eventually, we’ll be getting a “COVID Shot” every November or December, just like we do as a prevenative measure for the common flu.

The bigger, not-so-great news, is the economic fallout that is likely to transpire as a result of the reaction to this virus…

If the Coronavirus represents the “impact” that everyone is so focused on, then the “shockwave” is the aftermath that transpires shortly after everyone realizes that “this too shall pass.”  

I own my office and have a neighboring tenant that reached out to me last week, asking if I would allow a 60-day deferral of their lease.  Why?  Because their clientele isn’t showing up for appointments any longer, and many are cancelling for future visits, as a direct result of the risks of contracting COVID-19.  I granted them the deferral and we came up with a plan that keeps their employees getting paid while floating the business for another couple months, but what happens in two months from now?  I honestly don’t know just yet.  

Whether the U.S. will be in a position where it’s safe for the 65+ crowd to go outside weeks from now is yet to be seen, and if “life” feels anything to you like it does to me, a week can feel like a month these days!

The “stay-at-home” order dramatically increased the ability for our healthcare providers to wrap their arms around this pandemic.  By cancelling non-elective surgeries, for instance, hundreds of beds were freed up for the sake of taking care of COVID-19 patients.  That being said, there are much bigger, longer-term potential risks at stake, and we’ll continue to refer to this as “The Shockwave.”

What is this Shockwave, you ask?  It’s the upstream “domino-effect” resulting from the reaction to the Coronavirus.  

“Big Business” (with the exception of many luxury businesses, as well as many sectors within the travel, leisure, and other discretionary industries) can make it through this thing, especially with huge government bailouts.  On the other hand, while the numbers surely vary within a marginal variance, Inc.com reported that 49.2% of individuals in the U.S. are employed by small businesses – which represent more than 120 million people – and they aren’t getting any substantial bailouts by Uncle Sam.

So, when the most prominent, upscale restaurant brand closes their doors, there is a fallout that takes place on an economic scale not seen in a couple generations.  

• Payrolls don’t take place any longer, so payroll companies don’t get paid.
• Uniform companies no longer get paid to replace and clean restaurant clothing.
• Janitorial services are told to forego cleaning until further notice.
• Distillers and breweries who sell a good portion of their goods feel the pain.

People who normally would have their suits dry cleaned – do you think there’s any need for those services at this juncture?  Optometrists and Dentists – do you think they’re “just fine?”  Definitely not.  Commercial insurance companies who are used to working with small businesses… these companies are (at least temporarily) doing away with a concept called “Agency Billling,” where they front the cost of the insurance so that the small business can spread out their insurance premiums over the course of 12 months.  Instead, they’re forcing companies to pay their premiums, in-full, up-front.  Think this is the best time for such constraints?  

…but the list goes on.

Contrary to popular belief, many businesses live paycheck-to-paycheck, meaning that many small entrepreneurs have no “emergency fund” to fall back on, in the case of a global pandemic.  Let’s all be honest here.  No one saw this coming!  The adage reverberates indefinitely that, “It can’t happen to me,” but I digress…

At this point, if you’ve even made it this far, you’re probably trying to figure out the point of this article’s title.  Let me be clear:  When I talk about selling your “babies,” I’m not talking about your kids (hopefully that goes without saying).  Rather, I’m talking about your “toys.”  

As a born and bred “car guy,” I love (and I mean love) cars.  Hate me for it – I’m truly sorry.  But since I was a kid, I’ve always been able to identify the year, make, and model of a car by its taillights at night – and sometimes even its headlights in my rear-view mirror.  The funny thing is, I don’t even watch a lot of television!  Still, whenever a car commercial comes into the spectrum of my vision, whether it be on TV, online, or otherwise, my brain locks-in like Maverick on a bogey, and subconsciously, I hone-in on the vehicle in question.  

A lot of those who share this passion know what I’m talking about.  Maybe you’re not a “car person,” but perhaps it’s something else… boats, vacation homes, travel, planes, or expensive clothing, shoes, and other apparel.  

Today, however, we’re going to focus on that exotic sports car or muscle car.  Whether it be a Porsche 911 GT3, a Lamborghini Huracan, one of my favorites, the Ferrari F430, or an original Shelby Cobra… unless you’re uber wealthy (or even so), you’ve likely asked yourself this past few weeks, whether or not unloading your “toy” of choice might make sense, considering the economic turmoil we’ve come face-to-face with in 2020.

The stock market has already been down as much as -34%, it’s more likely than not that we haven’t seen “the bottom,” and we haven’t even had a chance to feel the economic impact of all the business closures just yet.  Adding insult to injury, companies that previously forbade remote, work-from-home policies have not only been forced to retain employees who have been working from home, but they’re going to realize that maybe it’s not that bad.  In fact, maybe they don’t need all that office space, after all… and what do you think might happen to the value of commercial real estate as a result?  

Trust me, I’ve thought about this.  Recall above, I’m an owner-occupant of the building where my business resides.  I realize COVID-19 won’t be the best thing for the growth or value of my property.  However, I got a great deal on the purchase price as a direct result of the prior owner foreclosing, so I’ll be okay… but what about the other companies, both big and small?  Will they want to keep leasing so much space, understanding how easy it was during this outbreak to simply allow their employees to work from home?

“But wait, there’s more…”  It’s not just commercial real estate that might struggle.  What about all the employees who have been working in the childcare industries, sales teams, the travel industry, flight attendants, staffing, background checks, construction, property management, hospitality and hotels, event planning, and so on?

All of those who work in these industries (and more) could struggle to pay their rent and/or mortgage, and I can’t imagine we’ll see an uptick in potential homebuyers.  Very much the opposite, actually.  

So, with stock market prices depressed, jobless claims and unemployment rising, potential commercial and residential real estate foreclosures on the horizon, and several “unknowns” regarding the outcome of this pandemic, should you sell your “baby?”  That beautiful, heavenly toy that you enjoy driving, sailing, or flying in each day?  

I think the answer is a solid “Maybe.”

If you’re in a financial position to where you can absorb the impact of a full-blown recession – or even a depression – then without a doubt, keep your “baby.”  

However, if you’re nervous – even in the least bit – about your ability to make ends meet, or even if you’re analyzing the marketplace, looking for financially intelligent opportunities to jump on (such as the ability to buy real estate or stocks at a deep-discount), then perhaps it’s time to give that “baby” up.

Because on the other end of this thing, there are going to be so many, amazingly rewarding opportunities that you’ll be able to utilize for the sake of stabilizing and furthering your financial position.  One thing is for certain – after taking our clients through 3 (yes, that’s three) market crashes at this point in my career, from the deepest and darkest market crashes and recessions, come the best and most rewarding recoveries!

While we continue to remain positioned largely in cash and money market equivalents in our clients’ portfolios, the time will come when a “bottoming process” takes place in the stock market.  And when that happens, we’ll deploy our cash and take advantage of the opportunities that exist in the market, with the sole purpose being to grow our retirement portfolios as efficiently, but as safely as humanly possible.

Meanwhile, for real estate investors, your time will come as well.  The key is to be prudent and patient – and never to get anxious and make emotional decicions to jump on something without objectively analyzing the opportunity at hand.

Financial success takes time, strategy, and patience – but most of all, intelligent and proactive planning.  Always remember, even if you end up parting ways with your favorite depreciating asset, there will more-than-likely be additional opportunities when this market crash ends to buy something else, and perhaps something even more fun, at a better price.  

Till next time…

Adam Koos
Libertas Wealth

The opinions included in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations to any individual or business. To determine which strategies may be appropriate for you, we highly recommend you consult with a fiduciary, fee-only financial advisory firm prior to investing.

Welcome to Season 12 of Columbus Cars and Coffee!

We have several exciting announcements to share about the upcoming season.

First, we'd like to welcome back our long-time partners from Byers Imports and ESOTERIC Fine Auto Finishing as returning sponsors!

Byers Imports is the leading dealer for Porsche, Audi, VW, and Subaru, in addition to their pre-owned luxury and exotic car boutique, The Byers Collection. For all of your new, pre-owned, or service needs, visit www.byersimports.com.

ESOTERIC Fine Auto Finishing is a globally-recognized car care products and services business located in New Albany, Ohio. As the leaders in their industry, ESOTERIC sets the standard for paint correction and protective coatings and films, along with their full line of car care products and accessories. To learn more, visit www.esotericdetail.com.

In addition, we are thrilled to welcome several great new sponsors this season!

HAGERTY is a company of automotive enthusiasts and experts with offices in the US, UK, and Canada. Their newest office will be located in Dublin, OH, bringing their team even closer to our community. While HAGERTY is the leader is collector car insurance, they're also committed to preserving driving as we know it today. From their Hagerty Drivers Club to events and driver training to their integration in our season, HAGERTY will play a major role of keeping passion for cars alive well into the future. Please join us in welcoming them to the Columbus Cars and Coffee family and visit www.hagerty.com to learn more.

The Motor Enclave is the premiere developer of experiential automotive communities, including auto country clubs, exclusive driving circuits and private garages. Their next private garage community is coming to New Albany and we're excited to partner with them. We expect to spend a lot of time at their new location when it opens! Look for their display inside our booth at the Columbus Auto Show next month and visit www.themotorenclave.com to learn more.

Libertas Wealth is a fee-only Registered Investment Advisory located in Upper Arlington, OH. Their President, Adam Koos, is a lifelong "car guy" and has dedicated his career to assisting clients with high-level, complex financial, retirement, and estate planning needs, as well as managing individual and corporate investment portfolios. Adam is also a frequent contributor to the Wall Street Journal's MarketWatch "TradeDeck." To learn more about how Adam and his team can help you reach your financial, retirement, tax, college tuition, or estate planning goals, visit www.libertaswealth.com.

PATRIOT Stainless and Welding is a full-service industrial service company, specializing in crane service, equipment repair, fabrication, fiber laser cutting, CNC machining, mechanical, and welding, based in Zanesville, OH. Their array of services and cutting edge equipment makes them the right partner for architectural, construction, factories, and manufacturing. They also offer 24-hour emergency services. To learn more, visit www.patriotstainlessusa.com.

VF Engineering is the leader in supercharging and software tuning for a variety of makes and models. Their philosophy centers around enhancing performance while retaining daily, reliable performance. Nik Saran, CEO of VF Engineering, sent this video to introduce himself to all of you! If you're interested in taking your car to the next level, visit www.vfengineering.com.

The season begins with our return to the Columbus Auto Show with a 6,000 square foot display of amazing vehicles. This year, we will offer special access to visit the Auto Show before it opens to the public on Saturday, March 21, along with a discount code. Stay tuned for more details in early March.

Other highlights on the schedule include Supercar Saturday at Jerome Village, the fourth edition of Exotics on Scioto Mile, the Arena District Meet, and Horsepower at Evans Farm. We will be posting details about all of these events in the coming weeks!

Our final announcement today; we're offering a curated road trip experience this season, presented by HAGERTY! Join us October 2-4 for a trip to Atlanta and the Porsche Experience Center! Limited to 15 cars, this trip centers around a 4-hour driving experience with professional instructors using the full Porsche model range. We'll also visit Caffeine and Octane and stay in the luxurious Whitley Hotel. For details, click here!

For more Season 12 news and announcements, be sure to visit the Schedule and Blog pages regularly, and follow us on Instagram.

Columbus Cars and Coffee is proud to announce a new supporting sponsor for Season 11, Lindsay Acura!

Lindsay is the #1 volume Acura dealer in Ohio and provides us with a new meet location for an all-new meet later this season! Click to browse their inventory, including the stunning Acura NSX supercar, built right here in Ohio!

Thanks to Steve Lindsay and his team for their support of our season!

Season 11 is around the corner, and this is a great time to update our Code of Conduct. You can review the Code of Conduct below, plus we will have it displayed on signs at every meet this year. If you have questions, please comment here and let us know!


Code of Conduct

No Fast Exits, Revs, Burnouts, etc!
We have a strict rule against fast exits, burnouts, excessive revs, donuts, etc. Please respect our hosts, sponsors, volunteers, and the community at large by keeping our meets safe. You may be ticketed and/or banned if you violate these rules.

No Advertising
No flyers, business cards, handouts, free samples, invitations, pamphlets, leaflets, will be distributed without prior written permission from Columbus Cars and Coffee.

No Drugs or Alcohol
Columbus Cars and Coffee meets are family-friendly. No drugs, alcohol, or illegal activity is permitted at any time.

No Drones
Most of our meets are held right next to CMH. Do not fly drones at our meets.

No Touching Cars
The cars at our meets are displayed for the enjoyment of everyone in the community, but please do not touch a car without permission from the owner.

No Roadway Photography
Remain a safe distance back from the road at all times. No photography or filming from the roadway, medians, etc. will be allowed. If you are caught in the roadway, you will be asked to leave.

No Unsupervised Minors
Columbus Cars and Coffee is primarily for owners of exotic, classic, and collectible cars. No unsupervised minors are permitted.

Welcome to the 11th season of Columbus Cars and Coffee!

We're thrilled to announce the all-new Columbus Cars and Coffee display at the Columbus International Auto Show March 14-17 at the Columbus Convention Center! Our booth will feature privately-owned cars from our community and we look forward to seeing you there! We have several cars signed up for the display, but there is still room! If you want to add your car, contact us!

​The first Season 11 dates have been posted on the Schedule page. We will post the full schedule in March, stay tuned for news about the first meet of the year!

Of course, this season wouldn't be possible without our sponsors.

We're honored to welcome back Nationwide, Huntington, Byers Imports, and ESOTERIC Fine Auto Finishing to Season 11. These longtime partners have been vital to our growth and success and we can't thank them enough for their continued support. We are in discussions with several new potential sponsors, we will keep you posted. Please support the companies which support us!

Exotics on Scioto Mile was a runaway success last June. Several thousand people came to the Rich Street Bridge to enjoy a family-friendly evening featuring exotic cars in downtown Columbus. This phenomenal event returns for a third year on June 22, 2019! We have redesigned the layout to safely accommodate the growing crowds and to build in more protection for the cars on display. Look for more information on the event website, ExoticsOnSciotoMile.com.

Last season, we announced a new subsidiary, Columbus Trucks and Coffee. This is our new community for owners and collectors of trucks and SUVs, from lifted off-roaders to performance SUVs, and everything in between. The first Columbus Trucks and Coffee meet will be Saturday, March 2 at Whitehall Community Park, across from Byers Imports. The meet is rain or shine, and will only be cancelled if there's a Level 2 or Level 3 Snow Emergency, so join us for trucks, SUVs, coffee, and more!  Going forward, all schedules,  updates, and other information about Columbus Trucks and Coffee will be shared exclusively on the Columbus Trucks and Coffee website, found here.

We're looking forward to seeing everyone at the Columbus International Auto Show and at our first meet in April! In the mean time, follow us on Instagram for updates and photos from last season!

Columbus Cars and Coffee, ESOTERIC Fine Auto Finishing, and MF Autos are teaming up on Saturday, October 6 from 10AM until 12PM for the unveiling of a very special car, the Bugatti Chiron.

Due to extremely limited space and record demand, all parking on the ESOTERIC property will be by pre-registration only. The registration system is designed to ensure a smooth and efficient parking experience. Additional parking will be made available in adjacent parking lots, streets, etc on a first-come, first-serve basis.

To register for parking, click here. Registering does not automatically reserve a parking space. A confirmation will be sent via e-mail with more information.

Note: Some areas near ESOTERIC are NO PARKING ZONES and will be clearly labeled with cones and signage. If you park in these areas, you may be subject to towing at YOUR EXPENSE.

We are proud to offer unparalleled experiences for our members. Thank you for your patience with parking as we reveal Chiron!

A note from Paul Milligan, Founder of Columbus Cars and Coffee

Friends,

Welcome back to Columbus Cars and Coffee!

It's hard to believe, but this will be our tenth season! Many of you have been coming since the early days (remember Bob Evans and the Belmont Building?) and we're excited to welcome all of the of newcomers as well. As Columbus grows by around 50 people per day, we're one of the first places new residents look for car shows and to meet new people in the automotive community.

We have a great schedule this season. It all starts at 10AM on Saturday, March 31 at Whitehall Community Park (directly across from Byers Imports) with our first meet of Season 10! We will add more to the schedule as the season progresses, so check back regularly.

It is my privilege to welcome back our friends from Nationwide, Huntington, Byers Imports, and ESOTERIC Fine Auto Finishing. These incredible companies make everything possible for us and we can't thank them enough for their support. Please support the companies which support our season!

A highlight for me will be the second year of Exotics on Scioto Mile. Last year, we created a whole new experience in Columbus and thousands of people came to see our display on the Rich Street Bridge. This year, we're building on that success with expanded street closures to display more cars, as well as new elements and surprises which we think you will love. We have already seen an overwhelming response, with more than 11,000 people indicating interest in attending Exotics on Scioto Mile on Facebook alone. If you have not registered your car for the bridge, you can do so at ExoticsOnSciotoMile.com. We will be accepting registrations throughout March and April. We have not formally accepted any cars for the show yet, but we will begin doing so soon.

You may notice that there is no Season Opener Party on the schedule. After a legendary 8-year run, I decided that it was time to retire this event. This was a difficult decision because of the popularity of the party. I know how much everyone looked forward to the location announcement every year. From the first party in Season 2 at BoMA (now Bluestone), and on to Fleur, Lane Aviation, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Creative Mobile Interiors, Franklin Park Conservatory, the Columbus Museum of Art, and the Columbus Zoo Africa Event Center, we made some amazing memories together. However, between our other plans for the season, my personal schedule (I'm getting married this year!), and my focus on building the next ten seasons of Columbus Cars and Coffee, the decision was made to discontinue the party. This is not to say we will not celebrate our tenth season! Stay tuned for more to come.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of the people who support us throughout the year. There are many volunteers, photographers, vendors, police officers, dealership employees, and others who work behind the scenes to make it all work. For example, Renner Imaging recently provided new photos for this website. Thank you!

There will be a lot going on in the coming weeks and months. I'm so excited to share another season with all of you. Thank you for all of your enthusiasm and dedication to this community. I'll see you at the first meet!

Sincerely,

Paul Milligan, Founder
Columbus Cars and Coffee

​Photo by Overdrive Photo

We're sending our best wishes for a year of health, happiness, and horsepower! This will be a milestone year for us (our tenth season!) and we can't wait to share it with all of you.

As always, winter is our time to plan for the next season, so we are currently working on great monthly meets, Exotics on Scioto Mile 2018, the biggest Arena District meet yet, and much more. Tentatively, we're planning to open the season with a meet on Saturday, March 24. We will post details once they're confirmed. Our plan is to post the full season schedule toward the end of January. 

In the mean time, in between visits to the garage to stare longingly at your car, be sure to follow our posts on Instagram, subscribe to our e-mail list, and check this website frequently. You can expect Season 10 news posts to pick up over the next few weeks!

Happy New Year!

Paul and the CC&C Crew