Go-Kat-Go is about to do just that. The ultra-kitschy vintage boutique -- which specializes in mid-century modern antiques, hotrod ephemera, and other relics and throwbacks from a more swanky, hepcat era -- is preparing to move to a new home on Grand Avenue in February.
And, according to co-owner Brandi Kvetko, the store is motoring on over to a new pad that she feels will be a better place to sell pomade, rockabilly clothing, and pieces of cocktail culture: Next door to the Bikini Lounge.
See also: - Shopping: Go-Kat-Go and Bo's Funky Stuff - Devil's Food: Brandi Kvetko's Halloween Collection
This isn't the first time that the pair have packed up their pomade, as Go-Kat-Go has relocated five times since it first opened its doors in 1996, bouncing between Glendale and Central Phoenix before landing in their current location along Seventh Avenue in the Melrose District.
Kvetko says the store's newest spot will be its best, since having the renowned tiki dive as a neighbor will dovetail nicely with Go-Kat-Go's retro-minded clientele.
"I think it's going to be a perfect fit," she says. "We get a lot of customers coming in who are looking for vintage tiki stuff and what they always want to know is where to go in town for [tiki]. The Bikini is the first place we point them to, so it will be nice to just be like, 'Here you go, it's next door.'"
The fact that Go-Kat-Go's new space, which is also adjacent to the Trunk Space and most recently was the site of textile-based co-op Indie Art House, is located in a circa-1920s building was also a plus to her and co-owner Chris Swanberg.
"That's what kind of sealed the deal," Kvetko says. "We took the tour of the vintage buildings during the Grand Avenue Festival a few weeks ago and saw it was available."
Since the store's new home is prime real estate during First and Third Fridays, the pair will keep the store open for both monthly art walks, as well as other special events.
Other factors behind the relocation include their desire to change the store's focus move away from selling mid-century antiques and furnishings and instead sell on retro apparel and ephemera, as well as items in the vein of cocktail and tiki culture. It's why they aren't too bothered that the Grand Avenue space is approximately half the size of their Seventh Avenue store, she says, since they want to narrow their focus.
Since Go-Kat-Go moved to the Melrose District in 2009, it's shared the location and served as a co-op of sorts with Bo's Funky Stuff, the vintage antique and junk store run by her father, renowned local picker Bo Kvetko.
"When we moved here, we combined with my father's shop," Brandi says. "He wanted a Central Phoenix location and we wanted to come over to Seventh Avenue since there was so much stuff going on [in the Melrose District]."
However, running a two stores at once out of a large location boasting several rooms full of antiques became overwhelming, she adds.
"We kinda want to get back to what we used to do where we did a lot of men's clothing and such," Brandi says. "We're gearing the new place up to be more towards men: Hair products, clothing...kind of like bachelor pad, tiki stuff and cocktail culture So we're going to back to that instead of really trying to focus on big stuff. We still want to do some [mid-century modern], but not focus on it so much."
She says her father is planning on reopening the original location of Bo's Funky Stuff near Glendale and 59th avenues, as well as continuing to hold auctions at his ranch out in Waddell.
In the meantime, Go-Kat-Go's Seventh Avenue location will remain open through the holidays before closing January 31. Brandi says she and Swanberg will also be busy conjuring up some special events and news ideas for the store.
"We might be changing a few things, but we're keeping it under wraps for now," she says.
