The "Spot Saver" is solving a parking problem for people who use wheelchairs
CHANHASSEN, Minn. — Most places having handicapped parking spots, but it doesn't necessarily mean people who use wheelchairs are able to park.
Drilling and cutting and ordering parts, it's a project engineer Brett Thorn never imagined he'd be working on.
"I started in the garage building it out of two by fours, whatever I could find," Thorn explained to WCCO.
And now he's found purpose after watching his beloved cousin Katarina in a pinch. Thorn described an situation when she had to figure out who parked next to her so that she could put down the ramp of her car.
The woes of navigating handicapped parking are well documented. So Thorn, an engineer by day, got to work by night in his Chanhassen garage.
"Katarina said 'if only there was something I could put on the side of my vehicle to stop people from parking there.' And I said I think I could do that," he explained.
And he did. "Spot Saver" is officially on the market. Thorn said so far, he has about 200 of these on back order and has heard from people as far away as Australia and the United Kingdom.
"That was actually a big surprise to me when I saw how many people commented on it, like it, shared it. It was pretty amazing feeback," he said.
He and Katarina just had their first trade show in hopes of showing the world more dignity.
The Spot Saver costs $450 and is available online.