The king of Grotto grills | king5.com

GROTTO, Wash. — Along Highway 2 in the heart of little Grotto, Washington, you’ll find a classic love story between a boy and a grill.

“I don’t really know what made it crazy,” said Jim “Jimmer” DeGroot, standing next to dozens of Weber’s original-style kettle grills.

“I think there are 25 here,” he said, then pointed to his house. “And then four or five, at least, up there.”

Each grill is more colorful, more beautiful than the next.

“It’s almost become addictive. Once you find one, you look for another,” DeGroot said.

He has a tattoo on his forearm of a Weber grill. He even named his dog Weber.

“It just had to be his name,” he said with a laugh.

DeGroot has many collectibles, including a rare Weber beverage can refrigerator.

“It’s a treasure,” he said. “I had to go to Tacoma for that.”

He also owns several discontinued Weber products.

“It’s called the Web,” he said, proudly displaying a very powerful bug zapper. “When a mosquito hits, it catches fire.”

But the star of this smoke show is the spectacular display in the front yard. It is a real eye-catcher for passing motorists.

“Definitely take pictures and everything,” DeGroot said.

Subtle differences make each grill special in its own way. One model has fewer support bars at the base.

“It was a question of economics. Walmart. »

Another displays a strange marking: “The L is upside down on this one. »

A couple have limited edition logos. There’s one for Samuel Adams Boston Lager.

“This is the one my mother chose.”

Another is a marketing collaboration with Schmidt’s Beer. And a bronze beauty with gradient paint is the crown jewel of DeGroot’s collection.

“It’s important because this one was made in the ’70s and the color scheme where you had that ‘fade’ on the lid.”

But these cute beards aren’t just there for show.

DeGroot said, “One of the best cookers you can buy. You can do everything from a quick sear to a long smoke.

At least three times a week, the Grill King of Grotto puts his equipment to the test and shares the results on his popular Instagram page.

“Just stuff on my grill,” DeGroot said. “You won’t see my face, or my dog, or a pretty tree. It’ll just be stuff I cooked.

He will continue to share, collect and add chapters to the love story of Jimmer DeGroot and his glorious grilling.

“You bet,” DeGroot said.

The KING 5 evening celebrates the North-West. Contact us: Facebook, TwitterInstagram, email.