Hagerty Garage + Social car collecting social club expands in Florida
Car collecting never goes out of style.
Hagerty Garage + Social, a car collecting facility with a social membership club, has continued its expansion in South Florida with a Miami location. This marks the third location in Florida as the influx of car enthusiasts and ultra-high-net-worth individuals makes its way South in droves post-pandemic.
John Belniak, managing director of Hagerty Garage + Social, told Crain Currency that this expansion into Florida is a natural one. “South Florida has a vibrant growing car community that we wanted to be a part of," Belniak said. "It has quickly become an area that we feel is vitally important to us.”
The new facility, which spans over 30,000 feet, boasts a massive TV; a conference room often filled with a Porsche or Lamborghini; and a mixed-use space with tables and couches to allow members to gather, work and relax.
The facility is equipped with all the bells and whistles that car aficionados and collectors could want. Things like storage facilities with climate-controlled, dust-free storage with 24-hour security are available, as is full-service collection and acquisition management.
Hagerty Garage + Social has two other Florida locations, in Delray Beach and Palm Beach, to accommodate the growing number of car collections in the Sunshine State.
The genesis of the launch of Hagerty Garage + Social was to build a community center for car enthusiasts around the country, said Belniak. “We want to be the place that helps facilitate the car community, whether that is providing storage, creating engaging and unique social experiences or connecting car collectors to the best mechanics, detailers or marketplace for their car,” he said.
Belniak wants to build these social clubhouses where members can meet new people socially, while also taking a private test drive of Aston Martin’s newest SUV. Whether they decide to even use the car storage facility is up to them, because they can also just join the social clubhouse.
“We believe that cars, whether vintage or modern, are a connective tissue that brings people together with a shared passion,” Belniak said. “Too many times those meet-ups are in gas stations or Home Depot parking lots. Garage + Social gives car enthusiasts a home away from home where they can meet with friends and make new friends all centered around their love of cars.”
When asked about where the next Garage + Social will be, Belniak remains tight-lipped. They are currently assessing additional places where another location could make sense, he said, but only time will tell.