Into the comfort zone

Walking into Lounge a-Go-Go, a rare 1962 Avalair trailer converted into a lounge, is like stepping back in time. The lounge features vintage-style couches, tables, shutters and lamps. While this restored trailer has the feeling of a time long gone, it comes with some comforting modern accessories like heating and air, a mini fridge, a wine fridge and bluetooth speakers. Inside, there's seating for 12, but outside, underneath its awning, several people can lounge around old-school diner tables or on another vintage couch. Local couple Robert and Carolyn Engstrom started Lounge a-Go-Go about a year and a half ago. They often take the rig to serve as a lounge for weddings, but it's also been a VIP area at concerts, a cool-down center for outdoor festivals and a meeting space for a book club. For more information on Lounge a-Go-Go, visit www.loungeagogo.com.

Tell me about the trailer.

Robert: This is a 1962 Avalair. It's a really rare trailer; it was in low production. That company was only in business for about four years. They were competing against Airstream and Avion, so they were only in business for a few years. We take it to vintage trailer rallies and there's always interest in not only this as a business but also the trailer itself. You just don't see this very often.

Why did you buy this trailer?

Robert: We have six kids and we've been tent camping all our lives with the kids and as long as I can remember with my folks. We were kind of just done with the tent camping scene and wanted to go looking at trailers. Both our fathers were vintage lovers of old-school trailers and cars and it instilled in us the desire to find something for ourselves. We just went looking for a camper that's unique to go camping in and we found that, plus a business, in this trailer.

When did you decide to turn it into a business?

Carolyn: When we started looking for a trailer, we thought we'd get one with a little kitchen and one with a table. But when we started searching online, this one was available all summer and we kept coming back to it. We thought, let's just drive by and see it. When we first walked in we fell in love with it; it wasn't what we had pictured at all. Then Robert said, “That'd be really fun to make into something people can use for weddings.” We had been at a really hot, outdoor wedding at a ranch that summer and it was 110 and there was no place to go get out of the heat.

Robert: I work at a church and I've seen a huge trend of more and more weddings being outside on private [property] and ranches. It took us a day to finally say yes to the trailer. We were trying to wrap our heads around, “Do we really want to start a business?” Because we both work full time.

What’s the experience been like?

Robert: One of my favorite things about the church are weddings and hospitality, so that's always fun to be a part of someone's special day.