HIPSTER RUNOFF » Alternative Shanty Towns

My first alternative street sale.

Carles — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:56:06 +0000

Photo via preggersgoldfish

I am so tired of shopping at malls/retail outlets/thrift stores that are ‘chains’/smelly thrift stores like ‘Goodwill.’ I just don’t want stuff that is branded, or stuff that is obvious. Now that Am Appy has ‘gone mainstream’, it’s just harder to express myself without seeming like I am wearing ’some cookie cutter outfit.’

Fortunately, I was able to attend an event called ‘a street sale.’ Basically, people from around the alt part of my town do something like a ‘clothing swap.’ We just put all of our stuff on the sidewalk, and we get to look around for ’shit that looks kewl.’ It was sort of like the ‘perfect economic model’ because we were able to buy, sell, and even trade goods+services to obtain the things we wanted. No need for debit cards. For example, I traded 4 hours worth of Photoshop designing for a really sweet pair of sunglasses. I sold a cute top for the opportunity to use some one’s Wii for 30 minutes with a group of friends.

I feel excited about ‘the scene.’ Think we’re coming closer together, understanding that we don’t need a mainstream economy to continue to thrive. If we just come together, and trade our goods+services, there really isn’t a thing alternative people need, except possibly from WholeFoods/Trader Joe’s.

Does ur community have any ‘community events’ in ur local community space?
Will ‘the alt community’ be able to secede from ‘the world’ in 2k12?
What goods + services would u barter?

Previous street sale coverage
http://www.hipsterrunoff.com/2008/05/t-shirt-yard-sales-end-up-looking-like-alternative-shanty-towns.html

Indicators of a Successful Alternative Yard Sale

Carles — Thu, 29 May 2008 19:17:00 +0000

When your alternative yard sale attracts a mob of alternative shoppers who become one with the displayed merchandise, you know you have a successful alt-yard-sale. In this picture, I can’t tell if all of these t-shirts, sunglasses, and hoodies are still for sale, or if people are ‘trying them on’ or if they are mannequins, or if they are all interns for alternative enterprises.

“I am drowning in a sea of doodled-upon merchandise.”
-a tween from California who asked his/her mom for $80 to buy a kute t-shirt at a yard sale

[yardsale coverage by Cobrasnk]

XXX ****** XXX
BONUS YARDSALE COVERAGE
featuring everything u love about HRO:
Alt-celebs, ice cream trucks, faggy electro remixes, underaged hottiez, Uffie being kute, a deaf Steve Aoki and hundreds of other krazie stuff that makes people hate blog&partiepix-era alties!

<3 <3 <3 <3 What’s ur fave part?
This vid makes me feel alive again.

T-shirt Yard Sales end up looking like Alternative Shanty Towns

Carles — Sun, 04 May 2008 06:13:00 +0000

Do you think Yard Sales where t-shirt designers peddle their goods to the local alternative community are threats to already existing shops like Urban Outfitters, Hot Topic, or Supreme?

Does any one know the standard procedure at these types of yard sales? Can you barter with the designers? Can you offer things like a Chili’s gift card with $17 left on it, or the future rights to an 18 pack of Keystone Ice?

Maybe it’s just me, but when I see piles of fabric, cardboard, and scruffy people in beanies/flannel, I think of shanty towns.

[Photo by the Cobrasnake]