Happy 30th Birthday Post Vintage!
On 6th April, 1979, ready for a new challenge, and with a growing demand for his skills, Chris Johnson started his new business, Post Vintage.
Specialising in “post vintage” cars, that is to say, those built after the “vintage” period between 1919 and 1930. Chris, along with the help of his young son, Adrian and wife, Anne, in the office, opened the doors to a growing customer base looking for a skilled craftsman to build, service and maintain their cars. The business was based in Barwick in Elmet, where Chris worked alone, aided only on weekends and in school holidays by Adrian.
Opening with just a handful of jobs secured, not knowing how many more, if any, were to follow, Chris launched a business that has grown and grown in demand. So in demand, it turned out, that it was decided that it would be sensible to specialise in just one make of car; the Aston Martin.
Chris was joined full time by Adrian when he left school; and in the late 1980s the business relocated to the basement of its current site in Pool in Wharfedale. As the business grew, the opportunity arose to take over the remaining floors of the building where the business has remained ever since.
Now 30 years down the line and many Astons later, Adrian heads the business. Using both his entrepreneurial flair and great knowledge of Aston Martin cars, he drives the business from strength to strength. Chris is also still hard at work, busy building engines, the task that he is both highly skilled at and enjoys tremendously.
As well as celebrating the past, Post Vintage is also looking forward to the future, with another relocation planned. It is not far this time, just next door in fact, to another part of the old paper mill. This will, however, be purpose designed and built comprising workshop space and a magnificent new showroom overlooking the Wharfe Valley, thus starting the next chapter of the Post Vintage story.
Happy Birthday Post Vintage!
Published: Monday, 6th April 2009 at 5:25pm
