Thank you once again for a great history lesson. I grew up going to the Slauson swap meet, and I had no idea the history. It was also great to see your dad give his impressions and experience with the swap meet! I look forward to the upcoming videos, and what more I will learn from them! Keep it up, great job!
One reason LA is seeing the swap meets close is due to real estate. Swap meets, especially those in Koreatown and Hollywood sit on extremally valuable land next to LA Metro Stations. Owners are using that to cash out and replace the swap meets with high rises. It's sad but considering our housing shortage, it's necessary.
I love this channel. Please keep bringing us unique and interesting stories about the history of South Central LA. I so look forward to seeing new videos
Yes, I have! I've reached out a few months ago, but I haven't hear back. I think they're doing fantastic work for the community. Let me know if you have a contact!
If it hadn’t been for this video, I would’ve never known what it looks like inside. Growing up in the area,( not too far from this rat house); I would always cringe as I would drive by this place. This place is a cesspool of absolute ghetto.
I remember when they open 1989 I believe there was only a few shops available that were open my friend ran the airbrush shop the original airbrush shop that was inside for many of years
I don’t know if you’ve heard, but The Slauson is closing down on April 1st for good. P.S. I saw this on Instagram. If I’m wrong, feel free to correct me.
I saw an LA Times article about how it was not doing well, but I couldn’t read it behind the paywall. If that is true, that is a real loss to the community and its history…
Great video! That's funny you found a swapmeet expert haha that's good information though there was a surge of indoors during those days and many didn't make it so Slauson still hanging in there is last of a dying breed although it's definitely emptier now. That's super cool your pops gave feedback too 🙌🏽
Thanks! Alec is super knowledgeable about indoor swap meets and has a few in-depth resources that I’ve still been peeking back at. Definitely looking at more bits of history and adding in more lock perspective. This will be cool to look back at years down the line
Hey! So, I dug around a little bit. I have an image, but I haven't found much else. This appears to be a Swap Meet inside of the Avalon Warehouse. This is a street view photo before it was demolished in 2008 or so...goo.gl/maps/BcSpyhGr6K2v3raL7
I found a bit more: The address also appeared to have been 5301 S Avalon Blvd. Multiple businesses operated on the lot, including a used car sales. There isn't much literature on the swap meet, but that Avalon Warehouse building formerly housed the Atlas Spring Manufacturing Company in the 50s. Hope that helps!
@@SouthLARecap wow! thank you so much! 53rd street used to directly connect to Avalon on the west side of the street but got re-rerouted through Towne after they destroyed the homes there, i had forgotten about that entire marketplace and hub that existed. the homes behind the mailman were there just over 10 years ago, epic research sir! www.google.com/maps/@33.9942937,-118.2673005,3a,75y,41.94h,82.98t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s5NfpRS3Zqt0Snxo87jFsiQ!2e0!7i3328!8i1664?entry=ttu
I was 1 of 2 security supervisors (SSgt) during the riots, a 7 member team tripled to 21. LAPD's Metro-SWAT arrived like 6hrs later on 04/29 and asked me that $33Mil question, are they going to give us an escort off the property or are we staying? The entire city was on fire, we said we staying. Honestly not as much out of loyalty but come tomorrow, next week or month where in the hell were we going to get another job? We survived 8 shootouts in a 3 day period. And back then the establishment wasn't gated up. There were only a few poles & chains blocking the entrance and a east/west fence to separate the adjusted alley. The media downplayed things & said it was the swap meets close ties to the community that kept Slauson's existence? Really??
Yes really. The people that live there shop there to keep it alive. The real $33mil question is how do immigrants open these large businesses in black areas, but the black people thats been there since the beginning have such a hard time?
I still have memories of visiting the Slauson Boulevard Swap-meet with my dad during the summer of 1986. I’m so grateful that it’s still going strong❣️
Slauson between Normandie and Western. I went there in the 90's...its like an outdoor swap meet with a roof. Quality of items...wellll. I went there because someone told me they had a same day seamstress and Yes!
South LA Projects are a good topic. This history of them, famous people to come out of them, and major events. Jordan’s Downs, Nickerson Gardens and such.
You’re right, it’s like an immediate throwback to the 2000s to me, but there’s a healthy flow of people coming in every Saturday, with no signs of slowing down. I didn’t get to talk about it this episode, but Alec Stewart talked about how e-commerce has taken a toll on Swap Meets, particularly biting into the convenience factor. The Slauson Swap Meet had pretty much stayed the same for a long time, so I’m curious about it next move to adapt to the changing commercial landscape
