I spent most of my formative years trying to get out of this state.
Away from the callous heat and humidity.
Away from the thousands of miles of flat, lackluster and uninspiring sand scrub.
Away from whatever driving force perpetuating the many white supremacist strongholds, fin de siecle armageddon cults, and the inception of Death Metal.
Away, as far away as possible, from that legend of Florida Man…
Thankfully, over the years, both BMX and punk have given me the opportunity to escape. But just for a short while. To get a dose of the other, non-Floridians, in non-Floridian territory. And the more I travel, the more I’ve come to, unexpectedly, love and appreciate home in its unpredictable chaos. Here in Florida. In Tampa. And in what I’ve deemed my microcosm over the last 20 years; A little enclave known as Seminole Heights.
I’m coming to realize that this neighborhood is made up of those same people who at one point yearned to get out. And for the most part, they did. They got a taste of that opportunity, whether it be a career, the idea of a better punk scene, a better locale to ride BMX/skate. Yet, for the most part, most of them, too, find their way back to this, often times, inhospitable isthmus.
Over the past couple decades, Seminole Heights has become the epicenter for artists, kooks, and punks who have returned home to cultivate their roots. And without grand intention, a cultural re-evolution sprang forth right under our noses.
Folks from all over the Bay area now migrate in to enjoy our diverse, independent restaurant scene, our Indy record stores, bike shops, show venues/bars, and, within the bmx/skate scene, the back (and front) yard, DIY cement/wood-scapes.
ABOVE: Well over 15 years ago, two inebriated skaters built this quarter made of mortar and 2 X 4’s in the middle of the night. So the urban myth goes. Cory Foust demonstrates that it still works properly.
And as a backdrop to it all, a kooky, folk ethos sets the tone...one made up of cryptids, botched Civil War blockade running ships, and a two headed alligator. It involves so much bizarre detail that I’ll have to spare it...I’m here simply to spark your curiosity.
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In the irony of it all, after having spent so many years, personally, trying to leave, it’s now spent trying my hardest to stay.
In January of 2019, we flew part of the Profile crew to Tampa and made Seminole Heights our home base for a week. This is what we enjoyed together...we hope at some point you will come for a visit to experience it yourself.