According to owner Gordon Apker, the ground on which his 7,856 sf. Des Moines waterfront estate was built was once a trading site between early settlers and Native Americans. Apker bought the estate, which included a barn and building used for storing birds, in the early 70's and went about renovating the entire thing. He not only designed his original built in 1976 but also designed the $1.3M remodel in 2000. Every feature seems to have a great story or origin. The antique bar in the den came from the Butte Hotel in Butte, Montana. The stained glass window in the dining room came from Belgium. The master shower's ceramic tiles of whimsical frogs originated in Italy. And the covered bridge was a railroad bridge from Cle Elum. Now all of that sounds very cool but let's get down to the thing you're really wondering about...
What's the deal with all those cars?
After making his fortune with Shakey's Pizza, Apker cashed out and eventually acquired seventy or so classic and muscle cars that are housed in the "chicken coop." Up to the mid-90s, Apker hosted fundraisers benefiting Children's Hospital and Medical Center. The Apker Affair D'Elegance Car Show was held every August with 2,500 invited guests who came to the benefit car show to ogle not just Apker's cars but 250 other vintage automobiles brought in by other collectors.
Along with the cars, the barn also contains a recreation of the Veltex service station in Tacoma, including the gas pump that registers 36.3 cents per gallons.
The four-acre estate has been on the market for almost a year now and they haven't budged on the $4,185,000 asking price. With all of the work that's gone into the property, we can understand. So Apker and his cars will wait for someone to come along and write the next chapter of this historic property.
· 625 S 240th St, Des Moines [Windermere]
· Gordon Apker Finds A Fountain Of Youth In A Collection Of Classic Cars [ST]