Check out what the Tanque Verde Swap Meet looked like in the '70s
Who remembers when the Tanque Verde Swap Meet was on Tanque Verde?
In 1975, Richard Chapin started the Tanque Verde Swap Meet with the help of his parents and sister Linda Fiore. He was 22 at the time.
"I remember it from day one — that was weird. Whew. We had three sellers," Chapin said in a 2001 Tucson Citizen story.
In 1987, the swap meet moved from Tanque Verde and Grant roads to its current location on Palo Verde Road near Ajo Way.
The swap meet is currently closed amid the Coronavirus Pandemic.
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Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Tanque Verde Swap Meet at Grant and Tanque Verde roads in January, 1979. Dan Tortorell / Tucson Citizen
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Tanque Verde Swap Meet at Grant and Tanque Verde roads in January, 1979. Dan Tortorell / Tucson Citizen
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Tanque Verde Swap Meet at Grant and Tanque Verde roads in April, 1982. Peter Weinberger / Tucson Citizen
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Tanque Verde Swap Meet at Grant and Tanque Verde roads in February, 1977. Dan Tortorell / Tucson Citizen
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Tanque Verde Swap Meet at Grant and Tanque Verde roads in February, 1977. Dan Tortorell / Tucson Citizen
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Tanque Verde Swap Meet at Grant and Tanque Verde roads in April, 1982. Peter Weinberger / Tucson Citizen
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Tanque Verde Swap Meet at Grant and Tanque Verde roads in February, 1977. Dan Tortorell / Tucson Citizen
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Tanque Verde Swap Meet at Grant and Tanque Verde roads in February, 1977. Dan Tortorell / Tucson Citizen
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Tanque Verde Swap Meet at Grant and Tanque Verde roads in April, 1982. Peter Weinberger / Tucson Citizen
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Tanque Verde Swap Meet at Grant and Tanque Verde roads in April, 1982. Peter Weinberger / Tucson Citizen
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Tanque Verde Swap Meet at Grant Tanque Verde roads in January, 1987. Xavier Gallegos / Tucson Citizen
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
An electrician prepares light poles at the new location for the Tanque Verde Swap Meet at Palo Verde Road and Ajo Way in February, 1987.
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Site preparations at the new location for the Tanque Verde Swap Meet at Palo Verde Road and Ajo Way in February, 1987.
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Miguel Urquidez, left, in mirror, and Tomasa Urquidez , right, look at different pairs of sunglasses at the Tanque Verde Swap Meet on June 21, 2008. Dean Knuth / Arizona Daily Star
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Maria Jimenez reacts to a buying customer as she works her candy and snack table at the Tanque Verde Swap Meet in 2013. Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily Star.
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Boots from Botas Egures are for sale at the Tanque Verde marketplace in 2001. Some sellers find a space they like and set up what looks like a semi-permanent shop. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
The crowd thronging the swap meet aisles is reflected in a mirror.
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
It’s closing time at the swap meet and Adriana Calleja helps haul in the dozens of mannequins used to show off jeans and other fashions for sale.
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Abraham Lossou, left, and his son Samuel wait their turn in the chair with Armando Ortiz in Ortiz’s Savage Cutz, a mobile barber shop in a buffed-up trailer. Ortiz bought the trailer for $300 and he and Paul Ruiz gutted it and turned it into an inviting barbershop: wood floors, two barber chairs and a sink.
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Rows of decorative rosaries for sale shine under the lights in one of the booths during the Tanque Verde Swap Meet on Saturday
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Wayne Turnage restocks his inventory of knives while his grandson Alex Mitchell chows down in the early afternoon. “It hasn’t been a great day,” said Turnage at the end of the session. But he’s optimistic. “I’ll be back,” he says.
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Four-year-old Turtle Carter sleeps under the lights of Carters Kidswheel, the children’s Ferris wheel his parents operate, just after sunset at the Tanque Verde Swap Meet on Saturday. The swap meet, celebrating its 40th year in business, has entertainment, services and food in addition to about 19 acres packed with 800 vendors selling merchandise.
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Kassandra Vazquez holds her granddaughter Genesis Davila as she gets her eyebrows threaded in Diana Beltran’s booth during the Tanque Verde Swap Meet on Saturday.
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Ramon Ruiz hangs the sign over his booth. He’s getting ready for the second, the afternoon, session of the Tanque Verde Swap Meet.
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
“Hey Macarena” — Vanessa Cota dances with the crew from TK Wholesale outside the booth. The swap meet, packed in the evening, has several entertainment options.
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Berenice Abeles, right, holds her baby Raben Abeles, 2 months, while looking for shoes at a booth at the Tanque Verde Swap Meet on June 21, 2008 in Tucson. Dean Knuth / Arizona Daily Star
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
People walk by mannequins with womens jeans at the Tanque Verde Swap Meet on June 21, 2008. Dean Knuth / Arizona Daily Star
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Dmitrick Lopez, 6, right, watches Chang Yi draw names at the Tanque Verde Swap Meet on June 21, 2008. Dean Knuth / Arizona Daily Star
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Purses are backlit at the Tanque Verde Swap Meet on June 21, 2008. Dean Knuth / Arizona Daily Star
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Rafaela Crockwell's truck is surrounded as women look through clothes at the Tanque Verde Swap Meet on June 27, 2008. Dean Knuth / Arizona Daily Star
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Elbert Esquivel with the Eden Company sets up his booth at the Tanque Verde Swap Meet on June 27, 2008.
Tanque Verde Swap Meet
Tanque Verde Swap Meet draws a wide variety of people in 2001. Max Becherer / Arizona Daily Star
Tanque Verde Swap Meet at 40 — has just about everything.
Denver-based United Flea Markets bought the 30-acre site at 4100 S. Palo Verde Road.
Denver-based United Flea Markets bought the 30-acre site at 4100 S. Palo Verde Road.