Rashaad Hall

“We Lost Our Lease” is emblazoned across the storefront of one of my favorite thrift stores. As I pass it on my way to The Den to see Isaac Gomez’s THE DISPLACED I can’t help but relive my experiences there. This is – or was ­– a pre-hipster thrift store: where the prices were determined by who was on the counter that day, rummaging was required, and mysterious smells rose out of boxes only accessible by parkour. Its windows now masked in papers advertising percentages off, the sun-worn name is the wrong kind of vintage in juxtaposition to the new storefronts with shiny signage and logos in primary retro colors. The store’s closure may be an unhappy accident but it also serves as potent proof of the relevancy of gentrification that THE DISPLACED addresses.