If you were looking to rent a grill for a graduation party or a catering event, the last thing you might consider as a possibility would probably be a tricked out 1974 Volkswagen Beetle that moonlights as a grill.
For entrepreneur and artist Bill Veneklasen, the idea to turn a 1974 VW Beetle into a grill came naturally after being involved in the vehicle recycling business where he had created backpacks made from airbags and seat belts and end tables and chairs recycled from steering wheels.
"I learned how a car came apart," recalls Veneklasen, founder of
Grill-to-Go.com, his new business that not only rents out its unique VW-themed grills, but also uses the unit for vending purposes.
When Veneklasen first unveiled his creation, an orange VW Beetle with a grill under the front hood, he was astounded by the reaction. "Kids could not believe it," Vaneklasen says. After that experience, he decided to enter the VW grill in ArtPrize (2010) where it was displayed near GRCC and received enough positive feedback that he was inspired to turn Grill-to-Go.com into a business venture.
Currently, Veneklasen has one working model and will be finishing two more grills early this summer. As part of his business, Veneklasen also donates 25% of proceeds to
Benjamin's Hope, a nonprofit that supports individuals with autism.
For information on rental, vending and investment opportunities, you can visit their website
here. "It's neat to see the reactions and hopefully inspire others to use and recycle a product," Veneklasen concludes.
Source: Bill Veneklasen, Grill-to-Go
Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs Editor
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