Why We Bought a 1948 Willys in 2020

At the beginning of this COVID crisis, Disney's CEO stepped down and many others did the same. 

I understand why. The amount of stress on a CEO for companies big and small is significant during times of economic uncertainty. 

But to quit? Now that is something I will never do. 

In my life, I have been through some difficult times, and every single time they have made me a stronger and better person.

The benefits of some of these struggles took longer rather than shorter to materialize, but that is due to MY mindset and MY action. 

So to speed up the process, I am not operating in fear, despite having hundreds of delayed orders in our Las Vegas 3rd party warehouse waiting for a depleted staff to scan them into their system so they can ship out. 

I am not going to operate in a poverty mindset as shipping timelines have extended out not just for us but for many direct to consumer companies....even Amazon.

Today, I am looking forward to the new storefront lease we signed on Grand Ave. in Escondido, CA.

I recognize our future is not just selling purpose-built clothing online but also creating a meeting place for a community to come together, which is needed now more than ever. 

Fear told me, you should NOT spend any money on this Willys because this round of pants is coming in small AFTER the last round came in big; so save that money to help pay for returns and exchanges.

Fear tells me, how are you going to afford rent on the new lease? You should just try and get out of it. 

Fear tells me, don't hire that new staff for the store, because you can't afford her. 

Faith tells me, this too shall pass, DO NOT OPERATE IN FEAR. Take care of your customers, hire the new staff, and buy that Willys.

Let it be a memento of getting through tough times. 

Put that Jeep® in the center of your showroom floor as a reminder every day you step foot on the hardwood floors...this too shall pass. 

I can't help to think about what people felt in 1944 when this model of "WWII" workhorse was a military-only vehicle. 

Did they expect the war to end that year? Or did they think it was the end of the world as they knew it?

The parallels are interesting to ponder. 

This vehicle was considered such a valuable vehicle that General Eisenhower wrote that most senior officers regarded it as one of the five most important pieces of equipment used to win the war. 

Winning sounds good right about now, I think I'll take it. 

So stop by our showroom floor when we open next month (September 2020) and see what progress looks like even during tough times. 

Speaking of progress, this actual Willys was built in 1948, three years after the war ended, as the CJ2a model. CJ stands for "Civilian Jeep".

It was the catalyst to launch the Jeep® brand. 

Out of war, out of hardship, out of struggle, a company emerged to produce in a time of peace. 

We optimistically want to do the same.

Join us on our journey. 

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More Willys-Overland "Cherry Bomb" content coming soon!