When you become an adult, there are certain childhood beliefs you need to reassess -- like leafy green vegetables taste like total garbage or thrift stores, yards sales, and flea markets are all dank and dusty places that your grandparents drag you to on the weekends during prime cartoon time.
"You know, flea markets, when you're younger, they're dirty and gross," says Green Panther Press Flea Market organizer Peter Kowalsky. "And now, as an old person, I am so unimpressed with 'new' stuff."
Kowalsky and his wife Erin (who both operate South Florida vegan zine and merchandise collective Green Panther Press with friend Bart Seltzer) are - with a handful of others - changing the perception of flea markets, one rare first pressing of a Cro-Mags 7" at a time.
They're bringing the DIY spirit of swapping to young punks looking for old band merch, books, CDs, and rare vinyl and adding in live bands and vegan treats for good measure.
"I will never find that record I'm looking for at an FYE. I will never find that one thing I'm looking for because it has been out of press for 20 years and they only made a thousand of them, and I will be lucky if I find it at a flea market somewhere."
So, enter the second installment of Green Panther Press Record Swap and Punk Rock Flea Market, happening next Saturday at Garo Gallo's new old venue, Jump the Shark. If all goes as planned, it will be much different than the first one.
"I did the first one about eight months ago at a bar. That one was small, just a few people selling stuff but a bunch of people came but, it was also on some national soccer day, so it was annoying. I didn't know that, or I would've done a different day for sure," Kowalsky says with a laugh.
It is also all ages this time, and they'll be accepting vegan non-perishable items for donation to Food Not Bombs. Two stages (one inside and one outside) will showcase bands including Fero Lux, Gouge Away, Sweet Nothings, Dissever, Shotgun Betty, Old Habits, Koffin Varnish, Luke Pennell, Fun at Parties, Miller and the Revolvers, and Kowalsky's own efforts Remembering Never and Bed Burner. Veggie Xpress food truck will be serving up the aforementioned (but now somehow delicious) leafy greens.
The first issue of Green Panther Press is slated for release that night as well. The pages will be filled with interviews with vegan power lifters, PETA campaigners, musicians, and even yoga instructors. The Kowalskys would eventually like to see Green Panther Press grow into a brick and mortar used bookstore/coffee shop operation where you can come for workshops and seminars on animal rights. But for now, it's zines and community flea markets where they'll connect with like-minded individuals who recognize the power of a good exchange - be it goods, ideas, or conversations.
"It's mostly collectors or people who don't want to collect anymore so they're getting rid of what they have. It's not for stores; it's for people. People that are really into records, CDs, DVDs, and books. People that really want it. They want to dig through stuff. People that want to find that rare Cro-Mags first pressing. Those type of people," he explains.
Green Panther Record Swap with Old Habits, Fero Lux, Remembering Never, Shotgun Betty, Gouge Away, and others. 6:30 p.m., Saturday, January 3, at Jump the Shark, 810 NE 4 Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Cover is $5. Those interesting in setting up a trading table, email [email protected]. Call 954-667-4126, or visit facebook.com/jumpthesharkcorp.
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