Their Life's Work: Volo Auto Museum making lemonade out of lemons during closure

The Volo Auto Museum dates back 60 years. It started with a garage sale in an old barn and has grown to a 250,000-visitors-a-year destination.

Museum director Brian Grams said his dad, Greg, and his uncle Bill brought the cars into the business. Grams said he grew up with cars and was “born into the passion.”

Since the stay-at-home order the museum has shut down and canceled its events. Grams' family has faced many challenges and says they stand to lose more money during the upcoming peak summer months than the off season.

But they are taking advantage of the closure.

“We are making lemonade out of lemons by doing projects that would be too difficult to do by being open. The closure hurts financially, but the silver lining is that we're able to improve, build and add on at a much faster rate” Grams said. “Our museum may be shut down and we're at a loss of income there. If we were only a museum relying on admissions, we probably would be worried about surviving. But we have our car sales to fall back on” he said.

The museum will not reopen until they feel it's safe and feasible, even if they get the go ahead.

“We will not take half measures in reopening. We also don't want our guests' visits to be anything but spectacular; therefore, if the opening restrictions will diminish the experience, we'll remain closed until we know our guests' visits will be a positive experience” Grams said.

For now, workers are adding to the 33 exhibits. Around 60 famous cars are on display including the General Lee from Dukes of Hazzard television series and a DeLorean car from the “Back to the Future” movie.

Grams is looking forward to unveiling the Carousel Pavilion featuring a fully-functional antique 1927 carousel, automated orchestration and penny arcades.

• Do you know of a suburban small business with a compelling story to tell about working through the pandemic? Send photo director Jeff Knox a detailed email with LIFE'S WORK in the subject line at jknox@dailyherald.com, and we'll consider it.