Published: May 08, 2008 08:59 pm         

Hit the Road

Cruisin’ on Main draws more than 275 vehicles

Parking on Main Street was tight Saturday when more than 275 vehicles, including classic cars, souped-up muscle cars and television icons like the General Lee, were on display.

Ernie Tackett liked the 1962 Gran Turismo so much, he drove it home, making a deal to purchase the vehicle on the spot.

“I like the body style of it,” Tackett said the car, which was made by Studebaker. “I like to play with them. I collect, re-do them and sell them.”

It wasn’t just people looking at cars. Stephanie Boshers brought her 8-month-old English Bulldog down to the show. Bella enjoyed the opportunity to paw a ride.

As Boshers and Bella walked down Broad Street, Bella took one last opportunity, going up to Al Hess, the show photographer who had some of his work on display outside of his car.

London Main Street Executive Director Sherri Mosley said this is the second year for the car show, but the 2008 edition promises to be bigger and better.

“Last year we had a three-person board,” Mosley said. “This year we have a 23-person board, including several members who worked on the Somernites Cruise in Somerset. They told me, ‘Think big, Sherri.’”

Not only did some of the organizers come to help, but some of the crowd from Somernites Cruise came along. Jennifer Bowling said her family lives in Somerset and regularly attends the Somernites Cruise. Her daughter Jasmine was busy playing with one of the hula hoops from the hula hoop contest.

“We came to support Cruisin’ on Main,” Bowling said. “We will absolutely be back next time.”

Mosley was very pleased with the turnout in terms of the number of cars on display and the number of people who came to look. Saturday was the first of the four monthly events, which will be held on the first Saturday in May, June, July and August.

In addition to the classic cars, Mosley said future events will include various contests, the details of which are still in the works.

“Next month, we will have the power cruise, which will include more cars,” she noted.

Mosley said this is part of the effort to get the people of London and Laurel County thinking about downtown as more than just a bunch of banks and lawyers. Among the businesses that took advantage of the downtown crowd was Weaver’s Restaurant, which stayed open past its typical 3 p.m. closing time. Mosley said she hopes more businesses will do the same.

“It is my job to bring people downtown so the merchants can get them in the door,” Mosley said.