Will Thompson and his colleagues are hosting an event known as The Swap on Saturday, March 29, at the Holiday Inn Convention Center (formerly the Quality Inn) in Clarkston. Thompson is a middle school teacher and entrepreneur from Lewiston.
The Swap has taken place annually since 2017. Thompson describes the event as “a show where people can come and buy pop culture collectibles of all kinds.”
Thompson said he tries to keep the definition of pop culture collectibles “broad.”
“I really try and say, ‘yes’ to folks who want to try and sell without really diluting things,” said Thompson.
He described the “big staples” of the event as toys, vinyl records, and comics. However, people also sell other things like genre-centered books or other physical media like DVDs, CDs, Blu-Ray discs, or video games. The event even curates a space for artists to sell their work.
There will also be events at no extra cost to Swap entrants. A Cosplay Make-Up and Wig Tutorial with Aquasha DeLusty will be hosted at 1 PM in the boardroom and is a presentation suitable for all ages. DeLusty is a licensed cosmetologist and drag performer with over 30 years of stage experience. There will also be a Mario Kart tournament with one bracket for those 12 and under, and one for those 13 and up. Sign-ups will begin at 2 PM for the adult bracket and 3 PM for the children’s bracket. Prizes for the winners will be provided by Charlie’s Retro Reality, Game Play, and Dusty Dowdy Designs.
“It’s open to artists and vendors, so if you’re someone that has something that you make that’s pop culture related, we’re interested in you having a table,” said Thompson. “We have an ‘artist’s alley’ for the first time this year, specifically.”
Thompson also noted that full-time vendors aren’t the only ones encouraged to come and sell. Hobbyists and people who collect as a side hustle are also welcome to request a table.
“Price [your things] up, then come and sell ‘em,” he said. “We really want to let people in. We don’t want this to be an elite thing; everybody’s welcome.”
Though Thompson was originally a one-man show when he founded the Swap, he found that assembling the entire event by himself was a lot to handle.
“I was pretty close to throwing in the towel, but I thought about myself when I moved here,” Thompson explained to the Purr. “I was 19, I moved from the Portland area, and it was so hard to find like-minded people and [access] the stuff I’m into. I just thought about myself 22 years ago and couldn’t do that to old me.”
So he looked for ways to keep the Swap happening. This year, Thompson contacted people who had previously participated in the event and had different skill sets like graphic design, social media management, and marketing and administrative experience. This left Thompson to handle work like sponsorships. Thompson said he is “very thankful” for those who have stepped up to help him organize The Swap.
Regarding sponsorships, The Swap has kept its same sponsors since it began and has also gained traction amongst other businesses in the LC Valley.
“I’m so thankful that the people who have supported us with real dollars have done so because it’s allowed the event to exist,” said Thompson.
This collaboration has allowed Thompson and his partners to push themselves and the limits of what they can do to make The Swap the best event it can be, he said.
“There’s no pushback other than trying to challenge each other just in certain ways beyond our current level of thinking,” Thompson said. “So [we’re asking], could we do this differently? Could we do this bigger? Is there a way to generate more space in an area? Things like that.”
More and more people have returned to The Swap every year. Thompson described his move from the original location, Clearwater Cellar, where The Swap was held for five years, to the convention center as “outgrowing the space.”
The best part of running The Swap for Thompson is that it offers a safe space for thos who are interested in niche pop culture hobbies. Thompson elaborated on the importance of creating spaces for people like those who attend The Swap because of the judgment surrounding interest in their hobbies.
“Especially when you’re into pop culture stuff, you’re essentially branded as weird to people,” Thompson said. “When you come to The Swap, you could be weird, but you’re among other similarly weird people.”
“It’s been fun to have that community of people in the valley because it’s so easy for everybody to have their hidey-hole around here,” Thompson added. “ There are so few neutral gathering places for folks with [these] similar interests.”
Thompson noted that his ability to create something for this group of people plays a role in his connection to The Swap. That’s why he wasn’t willing to let it go in the first place, he said.
“I got to create something, and that’s a really cool feeling,” Thompson said. [. . .] “There was nothing here, and now there’s something there that people expect. [. . .] If I just stopped doing it, people might continue something similar because they had it and still want it.”.
Creating this event has also allowed Thompson to bring a different sense of culture to the valley. He has successfully created something new and innovative that invites a demographic of people who usually aren’t the focus of many events.
“For other people, I hope it just gives a sense of community [. . .] and a sense of pride in where they live. I mean, I love Lewiston, I really do, and it took me a long time to be able to say that because of a lack of things like The Swap, or record stores and stuff like that,” Thompson said.
The creation of The Swap has instilled a new hope for future creation in the LC Valley.
“I hope that other people would look at what I’m doing, and go, ‘Oh, I could do something of my own,’ whether it’s a show like this, or make a movie, or start a band.”
The importance of The Swap is rooted in something beyond a common interest, which is the importance of finding a welcoming community open to everybody.
Food and drink will be provided by the Holiday Inn, and Chili Blues will be catering outside the venue. Alcohol will be available for purchase for those 21 and older. The Holiday Inn is located across from the Clarkston Walmart,
