Griot's Garage was founded by Richard Griot, an avid automotive enthusiast, when he mailed the first handbook in the fall of 1990. The company still adheres to Richard's original vision of, and dedication to, providing exceptional service and products that exceed our customers' expectations. Richard was raised in Southern California and started the company in Vista, a small community just north of San Diego. Griot's Garage began with Richard, an assistant, and a warehouse helper. The first catalog was just 16 pages. Today, the Handbook (we no longer call it a catalog) is over 66 pages long and reaches millions of enthusiasts every year.

Have fun in your garage!®
This is our true commodity. It is what we are, what we sell and why our customers buy from us. Our mission was voiced by Sir Henry Royce, co-founder of the Rolls Royce Motor Company, many years ago. "Take the best that exists and make it better. If it doesn't exist, create it. Accept nothing nearly right or good enough." This is the Griot's Garage character. This is how we strive to perform. This is our vision. And this quote has appeared in every handbook we have ever produced.

As Griot's Garage expands, we embrace diversity and change as an essential component in the way we do business. We expect excellence from all our associates and vendors so we may build a business that is profitable, provides financial security and most importantly, a quality of life. Our commitment to apply the highest standards of excellence to our customers, our products and ourselves will elevate us to experience a vision that ensures success.

GriotISMs
For years our customers and associates have heard many "isms" about Griot's Garage. Our name, pronounced Gree-oh's Garage has lended itself to be used in what we've come to call 'Griotisms'. Here is a list of the most common we hear. Enjoy.

Griotesque (Gree-oh-esk) Adjective. Stemming from the phenomena of Griot's Garage. Very modern looking, either red, black or white in color, high quality, capable of lasting an entire lifetime and is efficient.
Griotage (Gree-ahge) Adjective. Meaning a Garage designed and styled after that of the Griot's Garage style.
Grionnoyance (Gree-oh-noy-ence) Verb. Being anally picky, insanely attentive to detail, almost to the point of annoyance to your car guy friends and/or spouse.
Griother Half (Gree-uther Haf) Noun. The spouse of a car crazy Griot's Garage customer.
Griotual (Gree-oh-choo-al) Noun. A ritual performed customarily or automatically that only a Griot's Garage customer would embrace. Example: To wash and squeegee ones garage floor on a regular basis is a griotual.
Grecessive Compulsive (Gree-ses-iv Compuls-iv) Adjective. Specifically obsessive about the finish of ones automobile paint.
Griotcratic (Gree-oh-cratic) Adjective. Neither DEMOcratic nor Republican and mostly a car crazy guy interested in the politics of the automobile industry. The Griotcratic drinks motor oil for breakfast and breaths exhaust fumes from the time they wake up until the time they retire for the night. And then, they dream about racing.
Grioted (Gree-ohd) Adjective. Someone devoted to the use of Griot's products.
Griotllucinate (Gree-oh-loos-en-ate) Verb. To envision Griot's Garage products in your garage.
Griotfeit (Gree-oh-fit) Noun. Cheap copies of Griot's Garage products. Fake. False. Phony. Usually without guarantees.
Griotation (Gree-oh-ta-shun) Noun. The life cycle of washing the auto, washing the wheels, drying, claying, polishing, waxing, detailing the undercarriage, interior, and the engine bay. One full cycle is a Griotation. For the most thorough of Griotations, the wheels are removed, detailed and remounted for true text book results.