By Foster Nicholas | Reporter
One of the largest hot rod part distributors and a monument of the industry is now a brand new spark plug in the Waco community. So-Cal Speed Shop opened up its shop across from the Dr Pepper Museum on Saturday. The shop had a grand opening and saw several hundred people flow in the doors to see Waco’s newest speed shop.
“So-Cal isn’t just a normal shop, it’s like a museum here. It’s awesome being able to see history in all of these cars and know that it will be a new staple in Waco,” hot rod enthusiast Rodger Sampson said.
The shop in Waco features several old cars inside on a display floor that mimics a museum. The group also had several hundred hot rod parts for any make or model presented to the crowd. So-Cal is branded as a place that holds apparel, memorabilia, collectible decals and hot rod parts.
“Being able to have a local hot rod shop will really help grow the community here. We already have a large hot rod community in Waco and there are several car shows here,” hot rod collector Gerald Washington said. “It’s very exciting to have this shop because it shows growth.”
So-Cal Speed Shop has several locations across the United States and opened its first shop in Pomona, Calif., over 30 years ago. However, even though its modern display-like shops are fairly recent, So-Cal has been a large part of the hot rod community for over 75 years.
The group at So-Cal has helped break land speed records throughout the 20th century and continues to be a staple in the integration of hot rods and speed.
“The best part of having the new shop is for sure the excitement of feeling like I’m able to help the hot rod community grow,” car fanatic Ashley Randolph said. “They’ve been around for a long time and it says a lot that they chose Waco for their next location.”
Ultimately, the rise of the car community in Waco is growing with the help of So-Cal. Hot rodders are hopeful that the addition of the speed shop will make Waco a traveling destination for other hot rod fanatics.
Don’t be surprised to see several more car shows and car events in Waco in the near future, as well as a growing community that will welcome more people in.
