Brooklyn BookBeat: ‘Kalamazoo Gals,’ WWII guitar crafters, have modern day heirs in Gowanus guitar shop
“Only a Gibson is Good Enough” was the popular guitar brand’s slogan. Coined in the 1940s, the phrase appeared prominently on the golden banners adorning the headstocks of Gibson’s World War II guitars. While the catchy motto may sound familiar, most know little about what went into producing the guitars that became known as “Banners.” In his new book “Kalamazoo Gals: A Story of the Extraordinary Women & the ‘Banner’ Gibson Guitars They Built During WWII,” guitarist John Thomas reveals just that. Now recognized as some of the finest acoustic guitars ever created, Banners were constructed largely by young Michigan women who had no prior training in musical instrument production.
Today, right here in Brooklyn, you can find the spiritual descendants of the Kalamazoo Gals. At Retrofret Vintage Guitars, located in Gowanus, Head of Repairs Mamie Minch and her team – which includes two other female repair technicians – are hard at work repairing and restoring fine vintage guitars. Experts in what is traditionally a male-dominated business, Minch and her staff manage the repair work in the shop.
Excited by Retrofret’s connection to the World War II story that Thomas’ book chronicles, Minch and Retrofret owner Steve Uhrik opened up their shop to celebrate the release of “Kalamazoo Gals” in early March. Thomas was thrilled to have found the perfect space for his book launch party. “After meeting Mamie Minch, the head of Retrofret’s repair shop and a modern Kalamazoo Gal, I knew that I had to do a book signing at the shop,” Thomas told the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. At the signing, the author facilitated a discussion about the history of Banner guitars, while audience members were able to meet Minch and her team – women much like those described in the book.