BHS graduate opens luxury car storage service, social club in NK

In late September, Bainbridge High School graduate Grant Willard launched a new luxury car business called SCL Auto in North Kitsap (5614 NE Minder Road), with a dream of creating both a high-end car storage service and a social club for car enthusiasts.

Willard, who serves as the company’s founder and CEO, said his interest in cars started with a Hot Wheels collection and grew into an interest in creating a business around his love for cars. With a 12,000 square foot climate-controlled facility with space for roughly 30 cars, Willard envisions expanding the storage footprint for up to 45 cars. Since the Sept. 27 grand opening, Willard said SCL Auto has around 15 cars currently in storage.

Several years ago, Willard reconnected with future business partners and fellow BHS graduates Adam McKinnon and Henry Vandersluis, who both currently serve as co-owners/managers. Over the course of several lunches, the group discussed their shared passion for cars, with Willard adding, “Of course, our main topic was always cars. I decided to pitch this idea to them to see if they wanted to join on this crazy endeavor. And without any hesitation, they both were like ‘we are in’ and they’ve been committed ever since then,” Willard said.

“This has been a dream of mine for a while, and it took a lot of hard work and strategizing and patience to get to the point where I could actually make it happen. A big part of that patience was waiting to find the right team, anyone that I have as a partner, as an employee, or even our business partnerships,” he said. “I want them all to be people who are loyal, knowledgeable and professional and most importantly, passionate about what they do,” he said.

As part of the storage process, cars are hooked up to battery tenders to maintain battery life, and drip trays are placed under vehicles to measure leaks. The facility has state-of-the-art 24/7 security and Hagerty insurance (a Michigan-based firm that insures high-end vehicles). Owners receive a monthly vehicle health report about the condition of their vehicle, which includes: photos of the vehicle, reports about leaks, and tire checks.

“This is great for owners who especially are going to be away from their vehicle for a season or for many months; this way they just get that peace of mind that everything is being taken care of,” he said. SCL Auto also provides monthly complementary washes as part of the storage service, including dry washes for vehicles in long-term storage, he said.

Willard said SCL Auto also has a social club, which storage members are able to participate in, and the company offers standalone social club memberships as well. He said he wanted to create a space that is dedicated to car enthusiasts and represents the lifestyle and atmosphere. He described the space as an ultimate car enthusiast space and includes: a loft with viewing of the luxury cars, a full motion negative G-force racing simulator, a custom-made pool table, an 85-inch TV, and a kitchenette stocked with various drinks and snacks.

The space also has a game room with an arcade, including pinball, which Willard said is family-friendly and inviting. “It does make me happy to see when kids do go in there and enjoy themselves, and then we just have kind of more relaxing and chill spaces, like our main space that you walk into, there’s just a lot of nice seating arrangements,” he said. “There’s a smaller TV in there, an area where people could play chess if they want to, and it’s just a fun space to hang out.”

Willard said he wants visitors to feel connected to cars throughout the space. In the future, he’d like to offer additional events including racing simulator tournaments, and member-specific events such as Formula 1 watch nights.

“As we bring in more cars too, it’s going to only enhance our space more, because that’s obviously part of what we’re about, storing vehicles and having a cool collection of cars that our private members get to be a part of,” he said.