A Birmingham car-hobbyist shop has been at every single Woodward Dream Cruise since the event launched in 1995. Pasteiner's Auto Zone Hobbies at 33202 Woodward Ave. is now in its 38th year of business and has never missed one of the 31 cruises.
Owner Steve Pasteiner Jr. told WXYZ ahead of Saturday, Aug. 15, that the cars on Woodward keep evolving but the passion behind them stays constant. "The cars change, but the people's love for cars don't change," he said.
The shop was founded in 1988 by Steve Pasteiner Sr., whom the family describes as an incurable "car nut." It is now a three-generation operation run by Pasteiner Jr., his wife Jan and their son Maxwell, according to the shop's website. The shelves are packed with car magazines, scale models, books and automotive memorabilia.
Pasteiner told WXYZ the family caught the car bug early, saying they were "poisoned at a young age." That lifelong enthusiasm fuels the shop's role as a Woodward Avenue gathering spot well beyond Dream Cruise weekend.
On fair-weather Saturdays from spring through late fall, Pasteiner's parking lot hosts a Cars & Coffee-style gathering that draws 100 or more muscle cars, hot rods, classics and exotics between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m., according to a March 2025 Ford Racing profile. Auto executives, engineers road-testing new vehicles and dedicated gearheads all turn up.
Dream Cruise weekend amplifies that energy. WXYZ reported the shop sees a business boom during the event. In past years, Pasteiner's has hosted a Dream Cruise day gathering with free hot dogs, chips and bottled water for anyone who stops by.
The 31st Woodward Dream Cruise runs Saturday, Aug. 15, drawing nearly 1 million visitors and more than 40,000 classic cars along 16 miles of Woodward Avenue. As we reported Thursday, Birmingham's Cruise Fest takes over South Old Woodward from Maple Road to Lincoln Street from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with nearly 200 classic cars on display, Chevrolet exhibits and live broadcasts from WOMC 104.3 FM.
Birmingham's five downtown parking decks offer the first two hours free during the event.
Pasteiner's weekly Saturday morning car gathering continues through late fall for anyone who misses the big day.
