World renowned rock musician, Greg Hawkes of The Cars, shopped at Wonderwall Music Shoppe & Emporium (329 B Harrison St) over the weekend. Hawkes is on tour with Todd Rundgren and played the Park West on Saturday and Sunday.

Hawkes met store owner GiGi Wong-Monaco last month at annual The Fest For Beatles Fans in Chicago and played together during the ‘world record attempt’ for which she organized. Greg spent the Sunday afternoon in this local Oak Park Arts District business on Harrison Street, making his Kamaka Pineapple Soprano ukulele purchase, jammed on with Wong-Monaco and a couple of surprised members of her Harrison Street Ukulele Players who came by the store. Hawkes even tried out one of many Sitars at Wonderwall.

Later, they walked down Harrison Street to Eastgate Café, the home of the Harrison Street Ukulele Players and Ukulele Meetup Group, for lunch. Café owners Patrick and Olya Daley were busy serving customers to a nearly packed house and were extremely surprised to see who walked in their door. Greg quietly played his ukulele and sang to unsuspecting cafe patrons.

What a wonderful, ‘wonderwall’ afternoon in the Oak Park Arts District!