Springfield Buyers Market Lodge Story
06/09/08 • Posted in: Retail, Springfield by Joey Marchy 3 Comments »
Royal Treatment Records, Burro Bags, Zombie Bikes and gone, but not forgotten, Inertia. That’s what most people call 1520 Main Street in Springfield. Hardly anyone ever calls it The Buyers Market Lodge, but that was the original name, current name, future name, who knows. Tony Allegretti gives a nice history of The Buyers Market Lodge. Long live Main Street! Here are a few excerpts:
The Buyers Market Lodge was a concept/brainchild/idea that Triclops (owner of some bar on 6th - Shantytown) and I and our benevolent landlord (SRG) came up with to do three things. (1) Create a “place” on Main St, (2) create a few no to low paying green collar jobs, and (3) create a shopping experience of simple yet sometimes hard to find things the new urbanist (really any body, but it sounds sweeter) would want and need.
Matt and Chris (Burro Bags) hand craft these custom bags to your specs (if you wish) and they use recycled materials. Right now they’re kickin vinyl from billboards. Who said clear channel was rubbish? Now you can wear clear channel’s rubbish! They also pad bags for electronics/computers etc.
the real soft spot in my heart is the zombie bikes. These guys are solid. My daughters bike was swiped and she is just learning to ride. I dropped in to the shop (its like the taxi teevee show only greasier) and walked out with a spider man special. Under $20 and built to spill.
Thanks for the history lesson Tony!
More on The Buyers Market Lodge Complex
Polo Is My Life - Bury Your Bike Festival
Take a bike or get a bike. Or get yours handlebars anew. Or get a record. We are going to keep the name buyers market lodge until someone gets it tattooed. The kids call it Frank Darty auto party. Thanks for the love.
If anyone wants to donate money for better sinage or do a simple job in-kind, let us know.
Seriously.
Ian
let me also say that the dudes at zombie bikes were so nice, friendly, and cool when we went in there. sometimes, when dealing with younger folks in specialized areas, like bikes, where they know everything and you know dick, like me with bikes, the people running things can be stand-offish or condescending. NOT THESE GUYS– they were so nice; they changed out the tube on my flat tire in about 2 minutes, and did so without charge– they just asked for the popped tube inside, and we gave them each a free beer. seriously, it was a great experience to have this in my neighborhood, and i wish the best for these guys.