Historic garage now houses benefit events
Sitting on a prominent hillside overlooking the Cayucos Pier and a distant Morro Rock is the historic Borradori Garage. Originally built in 1932 along the Roosevelt Highway, the automobile repair garage was named the Roosevelt Garage.
In 1949, when the state of California realigned Highway 1, it purchased the property and the garage. However, Sam Borradori immediately bought the building back, moving the structure slightly to its present location at 455 N. Ocean Blvd.
In 1995, the garage passed to the Dante Borradori family. Dan (Sam’s nephew) and wife, Sharon Borradori, hired Cayucos contractor and winery owner Stuart Selkirk to restore, repaint and provide maintenance because Cayucos is a vacation destination for the Bakersfield residents.
“It was a modern-day blacksmith shop until it was retired in 1985. A 1925 Mack truck is displayed in the garage,” Selkirk said.
Other than some additions, it is the original garage, he added.
The family encourages its limited use for nonprofit benefit events as well as membership events for Cayucos Cellars, the winery owned by the Selkirk family.
“Many have joined our wine club just to get inside the Borradori Garage and look around,” Selkirk said.
And what’s new at Cayucos Cellars?
“When the recession hit in 2008, wine sales dropped,” Selkirk said. “By 2009, sales dropped another 10 percent and in 2010 things stopped, so Laura and I scheduled a trip to Italy.
“Harvest was late and my boys, Ross and Clay, had to step up,” he added. “By Skype, I was directing winemaking electronically.
“Clay knew how to do everything but never had the responsibility. Ross is more into construction,” Selkirk said. “But they did a great job, and so we incorporated into Devils Gate Wineworks.”
They produce pinot from Cayucos-grown grapes, zinfandel, blends and more and compete with Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo to attract customers to taste at their Cayucos Cellars tasting room at 131 N. Ocean Ave. in Cayucos.
Thus, a variety of benefit events at the Borradori Garage complements their marketing campaigns.
Next up: At 6 p.m. Friday, Cayucos Cellars will host a Zinfest Kickoff party to benefit the Morro Bay Community Pool Foundation, which supports North Coast recreational swimming for kids and adults.
Tickets are $35 or $45 and include a catered Mexican dinner, live music by the Lenny Blue Trio and wine tastings of Cayucos Cellars’ zinfandels.
A live auction offers vacation homes in Mexico and Hawaii and paintings from Fiona Bleu and Forever Stoked.
The price of admission includes an invitation to the inner sanctum of the Borradori Garage. For information visit www.cayucoscellars.com or call 995-3036.
Reach Judy Salamacha at judysalamacha@gmail.com or 801-1422.
This story was originally published March 11, 2012 at 10:28 PM with the headline "Historic garage now houses benefit events."