Emily Flora, SWoCo

One side of the Boy's Club garage project that Jimmie Allman built.

Jimmie (Jim) Allman has been a hard worker all his life -- always doing for others and never stopping until the job was done. His life-partner, Fran Holt, can vouch for that.

After years of hard work, Allman finally decided to do something for himself. He decided to build a garage where he could pursue his passion of restoring old cars and of building things. But what started out as a small project eventually turned into something much bigger.

"Every since I can remember, growing up, we had a garage. It was dark and very narrow and damp," Allman said. "I learned I didn't have enough room to work on my cars and always dreamed about having a garage with a work area. It's a guy thing."

Allman has worked many jobs throughout his life as a manager for various companies such as Advance Auto, as a credit and finance manager, and even ran his own business as a general contractor, Jim Allman & Associates and Sunshine Lawn Care. At age 48, he was let go from one of his jobs and decided he'd go back to school. He officially retired in 2002, but didn't stop working until 2006.

Allman presented his idea for his "boy's club" to two friends in the Spring of 2008. With help from Steve Prime, a Class A general contractor, and Matt Carlton, a former Marine, the job is currently complete only from the outside. And let's not forget his friend and neighbor Dick Martin who designed the "Boy's Club" sign for the outside of the garage.

Holt was extremely excited about Allman's project because she knew it would make him happy, but more importantly it would give him a home for all his tools.

"He helped other people realize their dream with his expertise and ingenuity -- he worked hard for his dream," Holt said. "The smiles I will see are worth it."

Everything for the building is underground including the water, electric, and cable. The building stands 24 feet wide and 36 feet long. And what would have been a typical garage turned into a barn style garage after Allman decided he wanted storage space.

The garage has a porch on the side, a lounge area which will soon be equipped with a refrigerator, microwave, recliner, a non-functioning coal stove used as a table, love seat, stereo system, color TV hooked up to surround sound, fireplace and carpet. Another room consists of a workshop which will be equipped with plumbing, electrical, and two wrap around work stations with lighting and shelving. It can also hold two vehicles, has pull down stairs to reach storage space above, and has 16 speakers in the wall so he can listen to 96.3 -- his favorite radio station. He also has electrical outlets outside and an electric hoist that will live about 650 pounds into his storage space above the workshop. In the future, Allman will install air conditioning, heat, and a gas furnace so that he can work through each season.

Allman jokes, "Girls are allowed only by appointment" in the boy's club, and Holt said he gets bathroom privileges since there isn't a bathroom in his garage, but only in the basement.

"It was challenging," Allman said. "We had no plans. I had it in my mind. Each day we'd meet in the morning and decide what we'd do that day. One thing led to another, which led to another, so that's why it ended up the way it did."

"It cost more than he anticipated, but the money he made during work and that he invested is how he realized his dream. It's been hard work on his part. He made lemonade out of lemons," Holt said.

"I'm out of words," Allman said about his dream come true. "It took me a long time to get to this point. It's like this car (the one he restored), the happiest was when I was building it and the saddest was when I completed it. I don't think I'll ever be finished with this. I'll always add things and change things. I can build in here, I can help my neighbors, and I can invite my neighbors and friends to enjoy it with me."

Allman and Holt plan on having a party next spring to celebrate its completion. They plan to invite all of their neighbors and friends to check it out.

"I just want people to see what came out of three guys, and the hours, and how everybody came together from a fault, a wish, a dream," Allman said. "Just watching it grow has been so satisfying. To see what I've accomplished -- I don't have to give it to anyone else, it's mine."