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Art Zimmer's Golden SpiritBy Sandra Scott
Knowing that I would never be the owner of a Zimmer, I felt lucky for the hour I enjoyed riding in a four-door Golden Spirit. But I could dream about being a Zimmer owner. Which would I pick: the 4-door convertible like the one used by George Forman when he was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame, or a two-door convertible like Shaquille O'Neal's? I think the four-door convertible Golden Spirit. But what color? Maybe canary yellow. Might as well be conspicuously conspicuous! Oh, to dream the impossible dream.
"Isn't there one somewhere I could buy?" Art Zimmer pondered the question, and replied, "No, there's just mine." "How much do you want for it?"
The Chocolate Pizza Company was as much fun to visit as it was fun to ride around in a Zimmer. The colorful shop offers a variety of items from teas to gelatos but the signature product is Chocolate Pizza, a wonderful blend of chocolate and toffee made in a pizza pan and delivered in a pizza box. The wings are scrumptious - peanut butter spread on a ruffle potato chip, then dipped in chocolate. A Zimmer and Chocolate Pizza. Oh, the joy of decadence!
With our chocolate pizzas and wings we
headed back to the Syracuse and delivered them to Zimmer's wife who was hard at
work at the Syracuse New Times.
There is more to Art Zimmer than his Golden Spirit Zimmer. He is a modern day Renaissance man who claims to be "only a farm boy" but a farm boy who wears an ascot everyday. He has lent his personal "golden spirit" to several enterprises through the years and brought about Renaissance or "rebirth" of others. He resurrected the Zimmer neo-classic car, breathed new life into the failing Syracuse New Times, and added a much-needed spark to the arts in Central New York.
www.zimmermotorcars.com Images by Sandra Scott, Shirley Zimmer, and Norma Jean Young |
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"A car with your name? You have to
buy it!" Shirley Zimmer told her husband, Art Zimmer. The car was a 1987 Zimmer
Golden Spirit and Art Zimmer is a successful self-made businessman in Syracuse,
New York. He was lucky his last name wasn't Benz or Studebaker as that would
have been a more complicated undertaking because the purchase led to
resurrecting the Zimmer Car Company.
What's a Zimmer? The Zimmer is a
neo-classic car that not only got Shirley Zimmer's attention but draws attention
wherever it goes. Recently I had the pleasure of riding in a Zimmer. It was the
new car's test drive before the owner picked up the car. The Zimmer isn't an
ordinary vehicle nor was it an ordinary test drive. We decided to celebrate the
completion of the newest Zimmer with pizza and wings - not just any pizza and
wings, but chocolate ones as unique as the car. Both have a far-flung
reputation. Art Zimmer has a map in his office showing all the places -
worldwide - where Zimmer car owners live. Bonnie Hanyak, owner of the Chocolate
Pizza Company, has a similar map showing all the places she has "delivered"
chocolate pizza and wings.
The Zimmer draws admiring looks
from everyone, even the policeman seemed to ignore that fact that it was parked
for a short time in a No Parking area. When we pulled up in front of the
Chocolate Pizza Company in Marcellus, New York, we knew we would be the talk of
the small Upstate New York town. 
Art Zimmer learned the meaning of work
on a farm near Hamilton, New York, becoming successful in many areas including
real estate. Currently he is the owner of the popular Syracuse New Times, a
weekly alternative newspaper. 
Enter Art Zimmer. In 1996 he started the
Zimmer Motor Car Club for Zimmer owners. With over 700 members, he felt there
was enough support and interest to start producing Zimmers again. Zimmer, the
entrepreneur who doesn't play around with "toys," started the Art Zimmer
Neo-Classic Motor Car Company. Modestly, Zimmer says, "I don't know anything
about building cars." That's not quite true, of course, but he does know how to
make things happen, and where to find capable people to do what needs to be
done. After more than a year dealing with the legalities, research, and
construction the new Zimmer made its debut in Pittsburgh, PA on December 11,
1998, and sold in 24 hours. Today Zimmer's are created in Syracuse, NY. 
Zimmer owners run the gamut from the
discriminating millionaire to oil-rich royalty to sport celebrities. It's no
secret that Shaquille O'Neal's Zimmer is a red, two-door coupe. 
On our way to the Chocolate Pizza Company, Art shared
Zimmer stories. I like the one about the oil sheik who wanted one - immediately!
All Zimmers are custom made but the sheik didn't want to wait. 
Zimmer explained, "I had 10 seconds to consider how much
the car was worth, how much money I had in it, and then added $10,000 because I
didn't want to sell it. I gave him a price and the sheik said, 'It's a deal!'"
It was a fun ride to a fun place. We
celebrated the birth of a new Zimmer and the success of The Chocolate Pizza
Company with a chocolate cocktail made with Serendipity Frrrozen Hot Chocolate,
a mix of chocolates, milk, cream and ice. A dash of Kahlua makes it even more
special!
The only thing missing was music, specifically a
song about the Zimmer. Yes, there is a song, "Art Zimmer's Golden Spirit," which
is not surprising because Zimmer also sponsors the Syracuse New Times Theater
and a variety of other theatrical endeavors.