The next step of our journey was to increase our physical brand presence by establishing our roots in another community rich with car culture. What better place to naturally progress to than just outside of the Motor City?
It is hard to imagine that 10 years have passed since we started LBI Limited in 2009. At 19 years of age, what we thought was a fun way to express our passion for cars turned into our careers but even more so our lives. Not a single moment passes without contemplating our next acquisition, assisting a client, creating content or simply turning our business minds off and relaxing to the thoughts of carving through back roads in any one of our special cars. After 10 years, the goal remains the same- to not simply buy and sell cars but rather to build a lasting brand synonymous with creativity, innovation, quality, and reach while firmly establishing ourselves as the next generation of collector car curators. The next step of our journey was to increase our physical brand presence by establishing our roots in another community rich with car culture. What better place to naturally progress to than just outside of the Motor City? With a car community that extends as far back as the birth of the automobile, the Detroit Metro Area car culture rivals that of even Southern California. Many significant collections, world-renowned events, and shows call the Detroit Metro area their home and now, so do we.
In late 2017, we purchased the famous Oakland Press Building in downtown Pontiac, Michigan at 58 West Huron Street. This 5,500/SF mid-century modern style building once housed office spaces for Oakland press employees. It was impossible to miss with its large “Oakland Press” Mural facing Woodward Ave, visible for all motorists passing by. The building is perfectly situated downtown with clear visibility from the well known Woodward Avenue and Huron Streets, the large windowed façade that once contained drab office cubicles now serves as a display case for historically significant collector automobiles. On the exterior, the Oakland Press mural was traded for a large “LBI Limited” mural design. Inside, the entire building has been renovated over a year’s time to create a contemporary space with a chic ambiance and interior mural painted by our friend and local artist, Joey Salamon. The showroom is capable of accommodating 18 cars comfortably, just enough to keep the space focused on a diverse group of interesting offerings while maintaining an art gallery feel. It also tastefully integrates a full kitchen/entertainment area complete with bar style seating. The Architects at Krieger Klatt shared our vision for a relaxed, free-flowing open floor plan for easy navigability that focused on the single most crucial aspect, the cars!
This dream would not have become a reality without our partner, Keith Koscak, spearheading the entire operation. Keith traded car keys for hammers numerous times throughout the yearlong process putting countless hours into managing the entire renovation. In keeping with how we have built this business, Keith was very hands-on, dedicating the time it took to properly complete the space to our extremely high standards.
We are pleased to announce that as of two weeks ago, we are officially open for business and invite all of our clients and friends from around the globe to visit. We are just a short drive away from the major metropolitan airports, excellent food, and steps away from the garage condo’s and race track inspired country club, M1 Concours. We are extremely excited about becoming a part of the Detroit area classic car scene and look forward to what the future holds for the hobby in Michigan!