Giovanni's? The parking lot is still there.....

It wasn't that long ago that we of the sports & exotic car community in Atlanta gathered on the 3rd Saturday each month and celebrated our hobby at Giovanni's Restaurant in Johns Creek. What started as a small affair organized, I believe, by the Lotus club blossomed into an event that during warm summer months regularly brought together 50-75 cars of many shapes, sizes and nationalities.

Then, Giovanni's closed, and for some reason, all our attempts to promote the same sort of event in other locations (some quite close by) have fallen flat on their face. So, I wonder, why not go back to the old location? Just because there is no restaurant there at present shouldn't matter until it is time for dinner. (I believe the Caribou Coffee is still next door for anyone who needs refreshment or relief, and I'm sure they'd appreciate the business.) We could gather for several hours just like in the "good old days", and then adjourn somewhere for dinner as evening approaches.

So I propose that we all get together at the old Giovanni's location on GA-141 in Johns Creek at 4 PM this Saturday (5/18) and try and recapture the spirit. We could stay until about 5:30 or so and then go somewhere else (like Sugo, which is just 2-1/2 miles away) for a nice dinner, while those not interested in dinner could leave at their leisure.

If you agree with me, post this on other car forums and tell anyone you know who used to come to Giovanni's, and let's see what happens.

 

Giovanni's was a unique situation because the restaurant went entirely thru the building from front to back, so that the "regular" patrons could park in front while we could park in back and use the back door.

I haven't come across any other restaurants with that neat an arrangement; if anyone else has I'd like to know.

But the cars at Giovanni's weren't particularly visible from the road; that large grassy berm pretty well took care of that. Most of our "incidental" spectators came from either the adjacent Caribou Coffee or the Applebee's next door. I don't think that visibility from the road should necessarily be a dictating factor in a location.

 

Frankly, considering how good that location should be, and how fast that general area is growing, I'm amazed that that space is still vacant! Maybe someone will open a Ferrari-themed restaurant called "Il Commendatore" or something like that.

Of course, Walt, you're dating yourself. The younger people won't understand what you're referring to!!

 

Looking at their website, their Alpharetta location, which I actually pass on my way to Giovanni's, would work out even better! It is on McGinnis Ferry just off of Windward Pkwy.

 

Well, for today, I'm going to head for the Giovanni's location at 4, and everyone is welcome to join me there! (The more, the merrier!) Then at around 5:30 we can begin to discuss dinner options. I'll consider Sugo, and Cinco's Alpharetta location will be an option as well. (If I have time, I'll stop in there on my way to Gio's.)

 

I hung around, enjoying a Coke in the shade, until 5 and then headed over to Sugo to have dinner with Seth and Rick & their wives.