A QUIRKY car accessory is flying off the shelves as drivers surrender to a long-standing and much-loved tradition.
Car owners across San Francisco, California, are flocking to a bright-yellow shop called Kwak to pick up the only item the store sells – yellow rubber ducks.
Dubbed “the largest rubber duck store West of the Mississippi,” Kwak opened in June 2023 and offers nearly 600 variations of duck – including versions that resemble Taylor Swift and Willie Nelson.
In a report by the Daily Mail, co-owner Joanne Calabrese, who runs the shop with John Walton, said: “We really hit you in the face with ducks when you walk in and make you laugh immediately.”
The pair, who once worked together at the clothing chain Gap, started the business “on a whim” and have been left stunned by its rapid success.
Calabrese added: “Within a month, I was like ‘this is crazy.’”
The shop’s success is partly tied to a quirky car-related tradition among Jeep owners, known as “ducking.”
The worldwide craze sees Jeep enthusiasts leave rubber ducks on the Jeeps of strangers, usually on the windshields or side mirrors, as a friendly and playful gesture.
This lighthearted trend has gained popularity in recent years, contributing to the demand for rubber ducks and boosting Kwak’s sales.
It’s apparently not just Jeep owners either, as cruisegoers are known to hide ducks on ships.
Initially a six-month pop-up, Kwak quickly became profitable, achieving six-figure revenue in its first year.
Now 18 months in, the shop is negotiating a lease extension and exploring franchising.
Walton said: “Our next step is looking for ways to expand it.
“It’s just fun.”
Most ducks that the shop sells cost $10 to $12, while premium ducks are priced higher—sometimes between $20 and $24—with new designs arriving every six to eight weeks.
Accessories like beanies and umbrellas have also been introduced, but classic ducks remain top sellers.
This comes as the owner of a classic car dealership claims there’s one US city that’s home to some of the rarest cars in the world.
Daniel Schmitt, who runs Daniel Schmitt & Co., has been in the family business of selling classic luxury cars for decades.
Daniel Schmitt & Co. was first run by Daniel’s father, Charles, who operated luxury car dealerships in Beverly Hills, California, and St. Louis, Missouri.
Charles even sold cars to movie stars Cary Grant and Fred Astaire.
Now, the younger Schmitt continues his father’s legacy with the family’s St. Louis location.
“There are more classic car dealers in St. Louis than anywhere in the world,” Schmitt told St. Louis Magazine.
“I can think of 20 within a 20-mile radius.”
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