Meet Brennan Sullivan | Founder, Northern Colorado Cars and Coffee

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brennan Sullivan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brennan, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’ve been a car enthusiast for as long as I can remember, and attending car shows became a family tradition growing up. Eventually, I had an ambition to start planning automotive events of my own, hosting my first car show when I was 13 for car enthusiasts in my neighborhood. This led me to conceptualize a community hub for the entire region, which would soon became Northern Colorado Cars and Coffee.

The Cars and Coffee concept is a popular nation-wide program; a casual monthly gathering where anyone with this shared interest can meet and appreciate each other’s passion projects. They’re traditionally free to attend, welcoming all makes, models, and condition of vehicles. While there are several successful events of this style in the Denver area, I saw a need for a similar structure here in NoCo. A major gathering place like this had been absent from the region for years prior, despite the fact that Northern Colorado has a thriving, diverse (and rapidly growing) car scene. So, I graduated from the small neighborhood shows of my past to starting NoCoC&C when I was 17. Our first event in March of 2019 brought in over 1,000 classic, exotic, and rare collector vehicles.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Something we’ve gotten a significant amount of positive feedback on is the diversity of vehicles that attend each show. NoCoC&C is truly inclusive, and we’ve made it a point to appeal to as many subdivisions of the automotive community as possible. There’s always something for everyone at every show, and our attendees greatly appreciate that.

Personally, something I’ve been proud of through this whole process is our commitment to safety. Conduct issues are a common downfall of car events, and we do everything we can to create a safe, family-friendly atmosphere. We have a great relationship with local authorities, are fully insured, and stress a zero-tolerance policy to attendees. This effort insures that not only will everyone enjoy our events, but that Northern Colorado Cars and Coffee will be here for years to come.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If we’re including the Northern Colorado region as a whole, I have to recommend Social, an underground speakeasy in Old Town Fort Collins. They serve classic cocktails and bespoke charcuterie boards all surrounded by a moody 1920’s prohibitionary aesthetic. Live venues like Washington’s and the Lincoln Center in FoCo, or the historic Rialto Theatre in Loveland, always have a healthy mix of touring acts, local music, and other eclectic examples of the region’s art scene.

The beauty of this area is that you’re mere minutes away from Estes, boasting the historic Stanley Hotel and a picturesque downtown, as well as the stunning experience that is Rocky Mountain National Park. This might be biased by my own interests, but this area also includes some of the best driving roads in the state. Spending a cool summer evening cruising through Rist Canyon makes for a great time.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Ultimately, NoCoC&C’s success is due to the incredible people that grow it year after year. Whether that be our attendees, who support us by donating, showing a car, or simply visiting the show as a spectator, or our amazing volunteers. My family in particular have supported me by volunteering at every event we’ve ever hosted, taking on even more as the event has expanded past what I could oversee as simply one person. My parents direct traffic, answer questions, and run our administration tent, while my brother contributes his amazing graphic design talents to our poster every season. While I took the initial steps to get this event off the ground, the day-by-day (and show-by-show) operations are really a family affair.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nococarsandcoffee/

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/brennan-sullivan-658a10183

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nococarsandcoffee/

Image Credits
Mark Hambach, Lizzi Smith