Sarah Staskauskas first entered the heady world of rock and retail in 1981, when she, her brother, and his wife opened a vintage store in Rockford called Pinkadelic. “A couple of the guys from Cheap Trick came in,” she remembers. “We were so excited–Robin Zander was in here! And we got on the news, because it was such a weird little store for Rockford.”
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After Exit she worked at rock clubs and bars, including Club Dreamerz, Crash Palace, the Rainbo Club, the Empty Bottle, and Lounge Ax, becoming a familiar face in the growing local rock scene. She picked up a guitar herself, playing in a band called Cherry Rodriguez. “That kept going through different band members, and everyone seemed to be PMSing at the same time.” Her son was born in 1992, and about a year and a half later she joined her current band, the Dishes. For a while the members performed in matching outfits, wearing orange China-chop wigs or dressing as a 60s girl group. “But,” she says, “I think those days are over.”
The two found a storefront on Chicago Avenue near Damen early this year. “It was a wreck,” says Staskauskas. “I’ve renovated my own apartments before so they’re livable, but this was worse than I’ve ever seen.” With help from friends they got it ready in a month and a half. “There was no heat. I had my snowsuit on. And then the whole time we were renovating I was working, going to school [at Columbia College], and I had to go find stock.”
Hot Damn, 1937 W. Chicago (312-666-3266), is open 12 to 8 every day except Monday. –Heather Kenny
