We’re Joe and Jaye MacAskill: a musical, married pair of cat-lovin’, vintage enthusiasts who, in the summer of 2020, packed up our massive hoard of estate sale and thrift-store finds, and moved all the way from Southern California to Vermont… Yes, 2020. Truth is, the wheels were already in motion before the pandemic hit. We just happen to have impeccable timing. (Another important note to clear up, while Joe is a native San Diegan, Jaye was born and lived in Canada for the first 30 years of her life before moving to Brooklyn, NY and eventually ending up in California. Some people don’t like Californians or Canadians, so Jaye offers a very special two-for-one deal in that regard!)
So, what’s the deal with Catland? Well, for longer than we can remember, we have always planned to open a cat-themed vintage antiques store one day. Having both been born with the “spirit of collecting” in our blood, we honestly didn’t have too many other realistic options. Our 100s of vintage cat figurines and other kitty-themed curios were at risk of landing us starring roles on the infamous tv show Hoarders! … But all joking aside, we have a ton of cat stuff. However, for those less feline inclined, we have plenty of other unique non-cat-themed vintage and even some new items for sale; everything from kitchenware and housewares to records, clothing, books, and more. One word to describe it all: “Eclectic!” A handful of other words to sprinkle on top of that word: “weird,” “kitschy,” “fun,” “cute,” “emotionally troubling” and “insert word or phrase here.”
We feel so incredibly fortunate to have found the perfect (nay “purrfect”) location for Catland in the heart of Winooski, VT -- WHAT A PLACE!!! Anyone who has ever been to Winooski knows what we are talking about – the natural scenery, the history, the beautiful old buildings, the diversity, the civic-mindedness, the cute dogs, the amazing food and drink options – ALL OF IT! We cannot wait to become a part of the Winooski community and to be able to make our own contribution to such a truly magical place.
And, hey, just one last thing: you may or may not have heard that we’re musicians. Yup, that’s right. We’re the “half-Canadian, married musical comedy duo” known as Pony Death Ride. We even have an entire album, Cat Sounds, featuring funny songs about cats. It might sound too crazy to be true, but we can assure you, it is true.