Bay City coffee shop doubles as Beatles shrine
BAY CITY – For Brad Wilderman, it's not just coffee and specialty drinks he and his wife, Peggy, sell from their shop in downtown Bay City.
Their business stands as a virtual time machine, offering patrons transportation to the mid-1960s, when four lads from Liverpool were in the midst of changing the course of history.
"We touch people's lives every day," said Wilderman, sitting inside Espresso Express Presents Beatles and Beans Coffee Emporium. "They come in here and they think they're back in 1964. All they did was walk through that portal there and I transported them back to 1964. They all have memories, too. I've had people start crying in here, just from Beatles memories."
Nearly every inch of wall space is covered with Beatles memorabilia, affixed by about 500 miles of fishing line and 10,000 binder clips. The ceiling has roughly 5,000 vinyl 45s covering it. From the shop's speakers, music from the Beatles or their solo material plays exclusively.
"A lot of this stuff is authentic vintage memorabilia, a lot of it is reproduction stuff, and a lot of it is stuff I've personally made," Wilderman said.
Now 52, Wilderman started collecting Beatles merchandise when he was about 15.
"I just loved their music," he said. "I loved everything about them. They changed the whole world. (In) 1964 you got Ed Sullivan coming on a black and white TV, they're all in black and white clothing and as soon as they start playing ... all this colorful music comes out and cha
nges the world."
The Wildermans opened their business in April 1993 and had a couple of theme changes before making the Beatles its focus a few years back.
Customers from every conceivable age and background have visited the place, just to see the collection. The business' guestbook features signatures from people as far away as Spain, Italy, and Hungary.
"All ages can relate to the Beatles," said Peggy Wilderman. "Everybody's got a totally different story."
"I've got 5-year-olds who come in here and are already hooked on the Beatles," Brad Wilderman added. "People are driving from all over the state to come here, from out of the state. A lot of people think we're a museum. Sometimes we have to explain to people we're a specialty beverage house first. The Beatles thing is just a special treat, a bonus to come on in and enjoy."
On what their favorite or most cherished items are, the Wildermans say it's too difficult to say as they love it all. And an estimate on the total value of their astounding collection?
Source LSJ.
