Pop-Cycle takes the "going green" thing to a whole new level. The store, which opened a year ago, is entirely dedicated to recycled artwork. When it opened in 2008, it featured eight artists. Today — on its one-year anniversary — more than 90 feature their talents at the small Fourth Avenue shop.
It's all pretty amazing to co-owner Jennifer Radler, who founded Pop-Cycle with fellow artists Shannon Riggs and DeeDee Koenen.
"We have people who literally buy every gift from us," says Radler. "We thought we would struggle a lot more than we have."
The name Pop-Cycle aptly describes the fun, pop art and pieces practically spilling out of the store. The canjo ($80) will speak to the music lover. What, praytell, is a canjo? An instrument crafted from an old metal can with a wooden neck and four playable strings. Vinyl records are warped into cool, ruffled bowls ($15) or a clutch purse ($37).
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Walk in, and you'll spend hours. Radler happily recalls the recent visit of an "Arizona Highways" TV crew. After the people finished filming and packed up their gear, they came back on their own time and shopped for a good two hours.
Where it is
Pop-Cycle
• 422 N. Fourth Ave.
• 622-3297, popcycleshop.com
Hours 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Closed Sundays.
Who are these people?
Jennifer Radler owns Monster Booty Threads. Her handiwork includes handmade bags with recycled karate-belt straps and adorned with cute, felt monsters or skulls. She also gussies up baby clothes, men's ties and thrifted clothes with her signature felt faces.
Shannon Riggs and DeeDee Koenen of DDco Design are known for drink coasters, artwork and furniture featuring vintage and iconic Tucson images. Even Jennifer's grandmother, Mamie, makes a cameo in their work. In the black-and-white photo they use, 15-year-old Mamie wears a defiant scowl, hands on hips and cowboy hat on her head. Radler said the photo was taken right after she got caught sneaking off to the Prescott rodeo after her father said she couldn't go. The caption beneath the photo reads: "I used to be Snow White but I drifted."
Happy anniversary
The store celebrates its first anniversary from 7 to 9 tonight with drinks, music and specials.
A range of artists
Pop-Cycle showcases a wide range of stuff from a wide range of people. You can pick up a bag ($7) made out of an old T-shirt by an enterprising Tucson High Magnet School student or items made by a nonprofit, fair-trade group called Manos de Madres. The organization helps impoverished women and their families. It's fun to see which chip bags were used in a $23 eyeglass case. Neater still is that each item has handwritten info by the woman who made it.
Low to high
Prices bottom out at $1 for matchbooks with funky covers. "I spent an hour and a half — when I could have been doing paperwork — looking through the matchbooks," Radler says. "They're so cool."
Large, metal animal sculptures and a lamp with a crown-shaped shade made from recycled cans and glass stones are the most expensive at $150.
The ultimate recycled item
Panties. Seriously.
Store manager Libby Tobey recalls that the hand-silk-screened panties didn't sell particularly well when they were marked "recycled." Relax — the undies are actually made from scrap fabric remnants.
Where plastic grocery bags go
One local woman crochets totes out of those annoying plastic grocery bags. The big size sells for $38.
Free gift wrap
Pop-Cycle, naturally, uses recycled stuff for gift wrap. But, this isn't cast-off Christmas paper. Instead, your gift might be wrapped in an old map or a marked-up Bingo sheet.
