We Have a Van....

When I first started planning Twist of Fate, I knew we would eventually need some kind of vehicle.

Something we could use to pick up supplies, make deliveries, attend festivals and community events, and, ideally, serve as a rolling billboard for the business.

But I also knew I did not want a standard, run-of-the-mill Sprinter van.

Some of you may know that I am a huge car enthusiast. My usual preference leans toward things that are sporty and fast, but I have always had a big soft spot for the classics. I regularly follow automotive news, watch far too many car-related YouTube videos, and keep an eye on local shows, auctions, and events.

That is how, near the beginning of this entire Twist of Fate adventure, I stumbled across a video featuring a 1965 Ford Econoline passing through a Hagerty auction here in Florida.

I immediately fell in love.

It was quirky, full of character, and completely different from anything else on the road. More importantly, I could instantly picture it transformed into something for Twist of Fate.

Not just a delivery van, but a mobile extension of the café. A vehicle we could take to festivals, markets, pop-ups, and special events. Something that could eventually serve coffee, introduce people to the brand, and make them smile before they even reached the counter.

So, naturally, I started searching.

And searching.

And searching.

I knew exactly what I wanted: an extended-body Econoline without side windows. Unfortunately, the few vans I could find were either far beyond what I wanted to spend or were much larger restoration projects than I felt comfortable taking on.

Eventually, I accepted that the right van simply might not exist.

At least, not yet.

Fast-forward to June of this year.

While visiting Vancouver Island, I happened to reconnect with one of my really good friends from high school. We had not seen each other in years, so I went over to visit and catch up.

And sitting in his yard was the exact van I had been dreaming about.

A 1965 Ford Econoline.

Extended body.

No side windows.

And, as though the universe was being a little too obvious, it was already painted Twist of Fate orange.

I genuinely could not believe the coincidence.

I told him the entire story: how I had seen one of these vans near the beginning of our planning, how I had searched everywhere for the right one, and how I had imagined turning it into a mobile coffee lab for Twist of Fate.

He had not been planning to sell it. It was not listed anywhere, and I had not gone there expecting to buy a vehicle.

But after hearing the story, he decided that I had to be the one to own it.

And just like that, the Twist of Fate van became real.

We have named her Moira, thanks to a fantastic suggestion from Shaka, and she has quite the journey ahead of her.

First, she is getting a tune-up from another friend to make sure she is ready for the road. After that comes the slightly complicated process of importing and transporting a nearly 60-year-old van all the way from Vancouver Island to Florida.

Once she arrives, the real transformation begins.

The plan is to give her a full Twist of Fate wrap and build a custom mobile coffee setup that can be transported inside the van and rolled out for festivals, markets, pop-ups, and community events.

We are still working through the details, but the vision includes a customer-facing coffee counter, espresso equipment, water and power systems, storage, and everything we need to bring a little piece of Twist of Fate out into the world.

There is still a lot of work ahead, and probably more than a few unexpected complications waiting for us along the way.

But that is part of the fun.

Moira is already a perfect representation of what we want Twist of Fate to be: a little unusual, full of character, rooted in community, and hopefully capable of creating some memorable experiences.

We cannot wait to bring her home, begin the transformation, and eventually roll into her first festival.

The adventure is just getting started.