Neon Wonderland

sign at God's Own Junkyard; photo: Val Phoenix

On Friday I made a very belated visit to God's Own Junkyard, the neon gallery-cum-junkyard that calls Walthamstow home. In truth, I never even knew of its existence until my friend Bev said she wanted to visit. We then discovered that GOJY is threatened with eviction (currently scheduled for 21 September), and while various rescue plans have been floated, its existence is still under threat.

Our visit, while brief, was an exuberant stroll through the very warm interior space (heated, the proprietor said, by the same ionization that occurs with tumble dryer fabric sheets!) and the very English summer drizzle of the outside space, which was a real treat for Bev and me. We both love detritus, and this was some Grade A old school Americana detritus: signs for motels and diners and the odd Jesus statue, among them. Great stuff.

This may have been the last weekend to see God's Own Junkyard, in this or any other location. But, here's hoping it finds a new home in the area very soon.