How Junk’s Above Got Its Name

Folks walk in all the time, look around, and ask the same question: the store is all on one floor, so what exactly is above?

Fair question. Here goes the story.

Before there was a shop, there was just a pile of junk – a glorious, growing pile – stacked up on the second floor of a shoe store. The plan was simple: collect good junk, sell good junk. When somebody needed something from the stash, same answer every time: the junk is above, on the second floor. Say that enough times and it starts sounding like a name.

Now, the city had other plans. Code enforcement was not about to bless a junk operation running out of the top of a shoe store, so the whole pile needed a new home. It found one: the first floor of an old plumbing supply warehouse by St. Patrick Park in Mid-City. Solid building, good bones, and fun fact – it once held storage for Jimmy Buffett Margaritaville products. Rest easy, Jimmy.

Only problem? The new place has no second floor. The junk is decidedly NOT above anymore. But the name was already registered with the Secretary of State, and honestly, it had grown on us. So it stuck.

And before you ask – no, there is no secret second floor with the really good junk on it. And if there was, we sure would not tell you, because then it would not be a secret junk floor, would it?

Come see the first-floor junk for yourself. Saturday and Sunday, 11 to 5, at 4626 D’Hemecourt St. Call us at (504) 952-JUNK.

— The Junk’s Above crew