Dream Station

Calling all cruisers. Report back to headquarters.
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Joe Polito, a former environmental lawyer for Honigman Miller in Detroit, and a founding member of the Woodward Warehouse, with part of his classic car collection. Photograph by David Lewinski

The Detroit region has car collectors, car clubs, and car museums. But there’s never been a single location that melds all three groups. Until now.

Welcome to the Woodward Warehouse. It’s a place where owners of classic cars, muscle cars, hotrods, cruisers, and motorcycles can buff, detail, and socialize over everything metal. Founding members say the 14,000-square-foot club — located in Royal Oak, along a railroad track in an industrial park one mile east of Woodward near Normandy — serves as a daily habitat for Dream Cruise believers.

“I have 11 cars, and my wife and family were getting a little tired of having me store my vehicles in their garages,” says Joe Polito, who needed a way to fill his free time following a 37-year career as an environmental attorney and partner at Honigman Miller in Detroit. “So I came up with the Woodward Warehouse.”

Polito and a group of founding members, including Ronald M. Pruette, first vice president of investments at the Peninsula Wealth Management Group in downtown Birmingham, acquired the former multi-use facility out of foreclosure. Even the bank that held the note failed. No matter. “I’ve got all kinds of experience in real estate, so it was just a matter of dealing with the bank that acquired the failed bank’s assets,” Polito says. “We also had to replace the roof.”

Pruette describes the association, which opened in April, as a “yacht club for cars.” There are two membership offerings: $250 a month provides for year-round storage of a car, while a social membership runs $150 a month. All members have 24-hour access to the club, which includes a conference room, lockers, a kitchen, large-screen TVs, a cigar room, a lounge, two full baths, and a recreation room offering a pool table, board games, and two vintage pinball machines (“Big Brave” and “JokerZ”).

The décor features historic gas pumps, car lifts, framed automotive posters, and other auto-related memorabilia. For an extra fee, members can store car parts or utilize concierge and valet services. Discounts are offered for minor repairs such as an oil change, dent removal, a tire change, or parts. More extensive repairs are referred to private, offsite facilities.

Tapping digital perks, members can view their car from offsite with a smart phone, via 16 surveillance cameras. A dehumidifying system, meanwhile, helps preserve vehicle interiors.

“The big thing here is the social offerings,” Pruette says. “We’ll have car and coffee events on Saturday mornings, a taco food truck night during the week, and various presentations. We can even help you buy or sell a car.”

One noticeably absent feature is a wet bar.

“Drinking and driving don’t mix,” Polito says. “But we will rent the facility out to charitable groups, and if the caterer has a liquor license, we can serve drinks. We do have a dry bar, and members are welcome to bring food here or have it delivered. Basically, it’s a giant fraternity for car freaks.” db