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The Reverie Room's Alfred Howard hunts honey-holes for memories worth money
Music-heavy sidewalk sale coming August 23
“I’ve got lots of honey-holes I’ve been cultivating through the years, so I come across interesting things you don’t see every day,” says Alfred Howard of the collection that fills The Reverie Room, his recently opened resale shop in South Park, which he runs with his wife. “I’d like to tell you more, but I’d have to kill you. And then be first in line at your estate sale. We have upwards of 25,000 records and a garage full of vintage clothes, and they’ve got to go somewhere. With three kids in the house, it’s tricky having wavering spires of vinyl swaying in the living room while children hike through a canyon of clothes. In fact, it likely borders on dangerous. But all jokes aside, we’re preservationists. My partner and I love to keep people’s memories and experiences alive and get them to those who will appreciate them.”
An experienced salesman, Howard once sold a uniform from the local Heaven’s Gate cult. “It’s a little morbid, and I couldn’t get it out of the house fast enough. While I had it up on eBay, I was fielding strange questions all day, like if I had any bunk beds from the mass suicide for sale, which is an odd thing to collect. And very bulky, and difficult to ship.”
One piece of historical documentation he owns that can’t be sold on eBay and is unlikely to be displayed at The Reverie Room is a document of racism in America. “I have a photograph of a young mother with her children standing in front of a KKK rally poster, while the child is holding a Klan flyer. It should be obvious to anyone who knows me, I’m as anti-Klan as they come. And if I were to sell this historical photo and use the money to feed my mixed-race daughter, that’s basically the biggest middle finger to the Klan I can muster. I don’t throw it away because, if you forget history, you’re destined to repeat it. There’s a box full of stuff like that in my mom’s garage. The problem with that is, if I die first and my mom finds it, she’ll have a lot of confused thoughts about her son. But at least I won’t have to deal with it.”
Other items are less problematic, but still pose a problem. “I had a slide collection from a shark hunter from the '70s, lots of ripped tan dudes with short shorts and long harpoons sailing the open seas and conquering Great Whites. There was one box of slides I couldn’t get open but, once I cracked the box, I found slides of the lead shark hunter, nude in a bathtub and covered in luncheon meats that I wished covered more. Now, I’m not here to kink-shame. But I also can’t close my eyes without seeing that image singed onto my retinas. This is in the box I hope my mom never finds.”
Opened in June at the corner of 30th and Ivy in South Park, the shop has plenty to offer, even without nude shark hunters and Klan propaganda. “We’ve got records, cassettes, CDs, vintage clothes, VHS tapes, and books. Occasionally, we’ll have kids peddling lemonade. This isn’t child labor, just trying to get some work ethic in there.” Because of space restrictions, Howard is unlikely to provide live music at the venue. But he’s been working on that front as well. “Shelbi Bennett of The Midnight Pine and I just started recording an album with Jake Najor [Jake Najor and The Moment of Truth] and Jason Littlefield [Archtones]. We’re taking it at a leisurely pace, so nothing on the books yet, but I’ll keep you posted.”
The Reverie Room’s stock will be plentiful and varied, with buying and selling happening often. “We’re always looking to buy collections of records, 45s, cassettes, old clothes, photos, and assorted cool things. Once a month, we bring down a few thousand records and clothes and things we think are cool, and we set up a big sidewalk sale. We’ll be doing the next one on Saturday August 23rd, starting at 10am.”
As for the location and neighborhood, Howard couldn’t be happier. “We’re right around the corner from Vinyl Junkies, which is a pretty great record store. I like when there’s a couple of record stores in a neighborhood. I think it helps become a destination community for a good dig. I’ve always loved South Park in general, so it’s nice to get some more time there. And I’m addicted to Secret Sister [Sourdough Bakery and Tea House]. Their food is damn delicious. If you see the ‘Back in Five’ sign on the door, that’s where I am.”
[Photo courtesy theredwoodsmusic.com]
Here's something you might be interested in.
The Reverie Room's Alfred Howard hunts honey-holes for memories worth money
Music-heavy sidewalk sale coming August 23
The Reverie Room's Alfred Howard hunts honey-holes for memories worth money
Music-heavy sidewalk sale coming August 23
“I’ve got lots of honey-holes I’ve been cultivating through the years, so I come across interesting things you don’t see every day,” says Alfred Howard of the collection that fills The Reverie Room, his recently opened resale shop in South Park, which he runs with his wife. “I’d like to tell you more, but I’d have to kill you. And then be first in line at your estate sale. We have upwards of 25,000 records and a garage full of vintage clothes, and they’ve got to go somewhere. With three kids in the house, it’s tricky having wavering spires of vinyl swaying in the living room while children hike through a canyon of clothes. In fact, it likely borders on dangerous. But all jokes aside, we’re preservationists. My partner and I love to keep people’s memories and experiences alive and get them to those who will appreciate them.”
An experienced salesman, Howard once sold a uniform from the local Heaven’s Gate cult. “It’s a little morbid, and I couldn’t get it out of the house fast enough. While I had it up on eBay, I was fielding strange questions all day, like if I had any bunk beds from the mass suicide for sale, which is an odd thing to collect. And very bulky, and difficult to ship.”
One piece of historical documentation he owns that can’t be sold on eBay and is unlikely to be displayed at The Reverie Room is a document of racism in America. “I have a photograph of a young mother with her children standing in front of a KKK rally poster, while the child is holding a Klan flyer. It should be obvious to anyone who knows me, I’m as anti-Klan as they come. And if I were to sell this historical photo and use the money to feed my mixed-race daughter, that’s basically the biggest middle finger to the Klan I can muster. I don’t throw it away because, if you forget history, you’re destined to repeat it. There’s a box full of stuff like that in my mom’s garage. The problem with that is, if I die first and my mom finds it, she’ll have a lot of confused thoughts about her son. But at least I won’t have to deal with it.”
Other items are less problematic, but still pose a problem. “I had a slide collection from a shark hunter from the '70s, lots of ripped tan dudes with short shorts and long harpoons sailing the open seas and conquering Great Whites. There was one box of slides I couldn’t get open but, once I cracked the box, I found slides of the lead shark hunter, nude in a bathtub and covered in luncheon meats that I wished covered more. Now, I’m not here to kink-shame. But I also can’t close my eyes without seeing that image singed onto my retinas. This is in the box I hope my mom never finds.”
Opened in June at the corner of 30th and Ivy in South Park, the shop has plenty to offer, even without nude shark hunters and Klan propaganda. “We’ve got records, cassettes, CDs, vintage clothes, VHS tapes, and books. Occasionally, we’ll have kids peddling lemonade. This isn’t child labor, just trying to get some work ethic in there.” Because of space restrictions, Howard is unlikely to provide live music at the venue. But he’s been working on that front as well. “Shelbi Bennett of The Midnight Pine and I just started recording an album with Jake Najor [Jake Najor and The Moment of Truth] and Jason Littlefield [Archtones]. We’re taking it at a leisurely pace, so nothing on the books yet, but I’ll keep you posted.”
The Reverie Room’s stock will be plentiful and varied, with buying and selling happening often. “We’re always looking to buy collections of records, 45s, cassettes, old clothes, photos, and assorted cool things. Once a month, we bring down a few thousand records and clothes and things we think are cool, and we set up a big sidewalk sale. We’ll be doing the next one on Saturday August 23rd, starting at 10am.”
As for the location and neighborhood, Howard couldn’t be happier. “We’re right around the corner from Vinyl Junkies, which is a pretty great record store. I like when there’s a couple of record stores in a neighborhood. I think it helps become a destination community for a good dig. I’ve always loved South Park in general, so it’s nice to get some more time there. And I’m addicted to Secret Sister [Sourdough Bakery and Tea House]. Their food is damn delicious. If you see the ‘Back in Five’ sign on the door, that’s where I am.”
[Photo courtesy theredwoodsmusic.com]