Nauga Memories

As a kid growing up in Costa Mesa, we had two primary donut shop choices, Winchell's & DK's. Both were on 17th street and although Winchell's ran some cool promotions around Halloween, we always seemed to end up at DK's. DK's Donuts was just a little place that had a lot of glass in the front, real classic 60's architecture, with no indoor seating. But connected to it was another store where they did upholstery and in the chair in the window sat a Nauga Monster. I only really remember going their in the morning so the upholstery shop was never open. So i don't think we ever bought one of the Naugas.

Fast forward to years later, walking around the flea market and I spotted a Naugha and all those childhood memories came back. Luckily this was years ago and I think I paid $10 for him. I took him home and loved him. So I started to collect some Nauga stuff but not really the dolls, I liked the odder stuff related to Naugha advertising. The one doll I wanted was the sparkle one and my friend Randy at Tikiranch was cool enough to sell me one a few years ago. Other great items I have in my collection are a store sign, some ads, a photo with Johnny Carson and even a bank taht was made to look like the Naugha (I doubt this one was sanctioned by the Naughahyde people). I am not sure what makes him such a great character perhaps it is a case of simplicty being perfection.