Zena Carr’s entire life has been spent around the Sky Village Swap Meet.
Zena: “It’s my childhood. I’ll be 40 in June and I was on my dad’s shoulder while he was showing movies when I was probably 6 to 8 months old!”
Her parents Bob and Elizabeth Carr acquired the swap meet from Pauline Hanson back in 1980’s. It had been a drive-in theatre from the 60’s on, Zena doesn’t have exact dates…
Zena: “…because I’m just kind of going off the information my Dad gave me when he was alive. It was always a swap meet, but with the drive-in movie theater, people on the weekends they could set up but then they’d have to clear out by a certain time so that it could transition to a drive-in. We took the screen down in ‘98.
When we took it over, my dad had the brilliant idea of having the cabins which are monthly income. That’s how we became more of a community.”
Dakota Bob’s Western Wear is in one of those permanent spots in the North corner of the lot. Every weekend other vendors truck their wares in and setup around the perimeter of the swap meet, making a giant circuitous spiral of goods that is sure to have something you should take home.
So why the sudden closing? Sky Village Swap Meet is one of many Morongo area businesses that was served with a lawsuit based around the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA. That law ensures people with disabilities have equitable access to services a business provides, along with amenities around that business like parking. Zena can’t talk too much about the lawsuit details, but she said that the cost to get into compliance along with a settlement was too much for the family.
Zena: “My mom got served on November 2nd. It kind of went from there. We did not know that we were going to close or at least close this quickly, but reading through the lawsuit and realizing how much things would cost to be able to update it to the ADA standard… plus we still have to settle on the lawsuit regardless of what we fixed.
It was a bit overwhelming how much that we would have to pay out.”
While the various vendors are deciding where to go, there are some other features of the Swap Meet that will also need new homes. The big blue “Sky Theater” sign will go up for sale along with the property after it closes on December 1st. Her dad’s Crystal Cave will need some special care from whoever gets it next.
“Unfortunately, my dad put so much work in it but he should have put it on the trailer so it was a lot easier to move. Our plan is to donate it to an artist organization of some sort, and then since we’re donating it it’s kind of up to them to figure out how to move it.”
While this upcoming weekend will be the last one open for the vendors, Zena says that they will hold a sale in early December where they will be selling a lot of the infrastructure that has kept the swap meet going for all these years.
Until then, she just wants you to come down for one final time at the Swap Meet.
Zena: “It’s important for us to go out with a bang! It’s important for the vendors that have been there for so many years… for people to come out and buy from them or just support them in general by saying hello and goodbye. Please come and support us on our last weekend.”
