By Brandon Champion
FENNVILLE, MI – The staff at Saugatuck Golf Carts had a surprising customer roll into its location in Fennville on Monday, April 17.
At around 12:45 p.m., the tour bus for the American rock band Poison stopped by and drummer Rikki Rocket emerged with aspirations of purchasing a golf cart.
Owner Bill Wester said his shop found out around 8 a.m. that the band would be stopping by and that Rocket wanted a golf cart to drive around venues from stage to stage.
Poison, which has sold more than 50 million records worldwide, performed with Def Leppard and Tesla at Van Andel Arena in downtown Grand Rapids on Monday night.
Rocket chatted with staff, took some pictures and signed drumsticks and drum tops during his short visit at the West Michigan business. Rocket purchased a standard club car with LED lights and rear seat.
“They didn’t pull the fame game on me,” Wester said. “He was very nice and really polite. It was very cool.” Wester admitted he had never heard of Poison before the visit. His mechanics even had to tell him who they were. Regardless, it was a neat experience, he said. “He was very gracious,” Wester said.
“A heck of a guy.”
Poison, headed by front man Bret Michaels, achieved great commercial success in the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. The band has charted 10 singles to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, including six Top 10 singles and the Hot 100 number-one, “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.” ❂
