Hobby turns into a business for generations in Kasson
What began as a hobby became a business for three generations of Kasson men.
Gordy Lubahn, son Kevin and grandson Kegan operate L&L Street Rods and Sport Trucks out of their 7,000-square-foot shop on County 34 in Kasson. It’s a family-owned business that prides itself on building quality vehicles from the frame up.
The team of fabrication craftsman creates show quality vehicles custom built to customer specifications, according to Kegan Lubahn, the spokesman for L&L. As a child, Kegan would get off at the bus stop near L&L and do some work.
“It was better than going home,” said Kegan, now 30 years old. He grew up working at the business and was added to the L&L team officially in 2009.
The business started in 1994 after Gordy and Kevin discovered a love for old cars and for rebuilding old cars. L&L started in Gordy’s three-car garage in Kasson. Two years later, the business out grew the garage and was moved to a larger building on the west side of Kasson. Then in 2001, the business moved to its current location.
L&L has grown through word of mouth and serves customers from throughout the Midwest. Many of the Lubahn’s rebuilds end up costing $100,000 or more and take from 1,000 to 2,000 to 3,000 hours to complete.
Each part is purchased separately for a rebuild. “It’s not like a Lego kit,” Kegan said. “Every car is different and every owner is different.”
Many L&L customers are attracted to a car from their past. They might want updates made to a car, such as putting air conditioning in or updating the motor.
L&L specializes in turnkey cars as well as bodywork, painting, wiring, chassis fabrication, assembly work, AC installation and sheet metal work. The business is an authorized dealer for numerous vendors and has access to any and all parts needed to build or improve any car or truck, Kegan Lubahn said.
“They leave here running and driving,” Kegan said, adding that the shop is always full. He likens their work to building prototypes and said it is a meticulous process.
Kegan said some of their customers are men, while other times couples come in together and are both opinionated about the project.
“Some don’t have kids, they have cars,” Kegan said. “Everybody is different though. I haven’t built the same car twice.”
Kegan prefers the muscle cars and anything he can customize and make his own. He said technology has taken off and there are more options now than in the 1990s.
“A lot of these cars were beat on back in the day,” he said. “We are making them into show cars. We’re working with stuff that’s 80, 90, 100 years old.”
Car owners want modern amenities, but strive to keep the car’s older appeal. “They might want it retrofitted but they still want it to look like an old car,” Kegan said.
L&L is a niche business, and doesn’t need visibility to drum up business. “People don’t need us, they want us,” Kegan said. “We don’t appeal to the masses.”
Like many other businesses these days, L&L is looking to hire. If you’re interested in becoming a part of the L&L team, Kegan urges you to stop into the shop or call.