Punk Legend Toody Cole Is Hosting a Year-Round Garage Sale In the Basement of Mississippi Records

Depending on when you come in, you’ll find everything from unopened Fisher-Price toys from the 1970s to vintage dishware and clothes to old musical equipment.

Dead Moon’s Toody Cole at Junkstore Cowboy. IMAGE: Christine Dong.

There's not much marking the entrance to Junkstore Cowboy—just a few arrows and a sign reading, "You never know what you'll find."

That's mostly true of the tiny vintage store in the basement of Mississippi Records. But four days a week, there is one thing you can bet on finding down there: Portland punk legend Toody Cole.

Cole—bass guitarist for Dead Moon, Pierced Arrows and the Rats—opened Junkstore Cowboy in August, two years after the death of her bandmate and husband of 50 years, Fred Cole.

Related: Fred Cole Lived and Created Entirely on His Own Terms, and Portland Followed His Lead.

"I love thrifting, and it was very cathartic for me to be able to go out and do that the first year after Fred passed," says Cole, 70. "This was an idea Fred and I talked about for years. We were going to 'retire' and do something like this as a hobby."

Depending on when you come in, you'll find everything from unopened Fisher-Price toys from the 1970s to vintage dishware and clothes to old musical equipment from the Coles' former retail store, Captain Whizeagle's, all packed in a space not much larger than a child's bedroom

"It's just kind of things that catch my eye," Cole says of the inventory. "Things that look old, look cool, look collectible."

But Junkstore Cowboy isn't just a year-round garage sale—it's also become a destination for touring punk-rockers, who stop in to chat about Dead Moon or snag Cole's autograph.

"When I first opened, there were still a lot of bands touring from out of town, and a lot of people came down [to the store], which was really cool," Cole says. "I miss that camaraderie of being on tour and being backstage with different bands and whatnot."

32 Reasons to love Portland (wesley Lapointe)

1. Because we're creating new neighborhoods…

2. Because we made voting even easier… 

3. Because a doomed building is now a temporary work of art… 

4. Because we're still No. 1 in semi-factual superlatives… 

5. Because you can finally get a beer for less than $10 at Moda Center… 

6. Because our news anchors don't take crap from internet trolls… 

7. Because University of Portland continues to turn out some of the best women's soccer players in the world… 

8. Because we are the champions of cyclocross…

9. … and roller derby… 

10. … and air guitar…

11. Because we're turning wastewater into beer…

12. … and beer into exercise…

13. Because a local punk legend is holding a permanent rummage sale in the basement of a record shop…

14. Because we let you stop and smell the weed…

15. Because we're a world hub for slap-tagging…

16. Because even Texans are impressed by our barbecue… 

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22. …and so does Movie Madness…

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25. Because we're bringing the pay phone back, minus the "pay" part…

26. Because you can turn on the TV and see your neighbor compete in an eating contest against a bear…

27. Because hardcore foosball players finally have a home…

28. Because we're home to the largest astrology school in the United States… 

29. Because this is the best place in the country to be a witch… 

30. Because we believe no kitty should be left behind…

31. Because the barred owls are taking over…

32. Because the best Trail Blazer in history is playing in front of us… 

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