The first Thursday of the month always features live music, sometimes with the house band Cherry Lee and Daddy Katz, which features Winger on guitar and shopkeeper Skyp Krantz on drums. There is always some food available, and pets and coolers are welcome.
The four-year-old business is about as eclectic as you’ll find, as they celebrate and embrace the “Kustom Kulture” of vintage and retro lifestyles. Inside the shop are t-shirts, vintage furniture and signs, clothing, musical instruments, stacks of vinyl records and more.
“We’re a lifestyle shop, we even have vintage magazines, old guitars. Heck I just found an old Victrola that works,” Winger said.
Winger also owns a number of interesting cars and motorcycles, including the bright metallic green Daddy Katz ’50s panel truck that cruises the local roadways. On a recent Thursday, Winger had his unique cut-down BSA motorcycle parked by the building.
“It’s really cool, and the sound is great, but it’s pretty scary to ride,” Winger said.
Also parked in the lot was a 1932 Ford highboy with the legendary Moon Equipment logo and signs on the doors. “Yep, that’s the real deal, the car was built for Moon Equipment Co. to take to cars show all over the United States,” Winger said. “Then it ended up in Japan for quite a while, and I just happened to be online when it went up for sale, so I got it.”
The car is the essence of a California hot rod, flat black paint, small block Chevy engine with three carbs, fenderless with treaded whitewalls and spun aluminum disc hubcaps.
Out front, Don and Martha Botkin were sitting in their 1960 GMC Carryall Suburban.
“ It’s our first time out this year,” the Vietnam era veteran from New Lebanon said. “I bought it eight years ago to pull a trailer, and then we got a vintage 1960 Airstream, so we go all over in this.”
GMC is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, but there’s not much stock on Botkin’s ride.
“I dropped a bored-out small-block Chevy in it, with a 6 speed transmission going to a 9-inch Ford rear end. It’s got a Quadra Jet carb and it pulls the trailer real easily. I found it in Arizona so there’s no rust or bondo in it; it’s just a fun ride. And this is a pretty cool cruise in; I think we’ll be back.”
For the complete schedule of events and cruises at Daddy Katz, go online to www.DaddyKatz.com.
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