If you haven’t been reading the comments in the Fall and Rise of the Swap Box post, you’ve missed some big news. With Gilles’ help in the googling department, the Swap Box artist was identified (his name is Elmaks), and he turned out to also be our beloved Mirror Art artist. He even visited and left comments and gave a clue about the location of his latest Swap Box installation!
So yesterday afternoon I headed out to find the latest Swap Box, and it was exactly where I thought it would be: right outside Sugar Mountain on Elgin Street. It’s very cool. It’s called the Nostalgia Swap Box, and it’s metal. Inside there were some buttons, a bracelet, a Halloween thingy. I added some Popeye Candy Cigarettes from Sugar Mountain (only they’re not called cigarettes anymore; Popyeye succumbed to the anti-smoking lobby, and now they’re called Candy Sticks. Whatever.) I took a button because that’s what fell out when I opened the door. The button said “Vote October 10th.”
Then I went to the Swap Box on Rochester Street. Michelle (Green Colander) told me about this one in the comments the other day. In an odd twist of coincidence, this swap box appeared at 29 Rochester several weeks before I started blogging about swap boxes. 29 Rochester was my last home – I moved out in October 2006. See the house there, and the swap box on the telephone pole in the front yard? That was my home – I lived on the second floor. That was my balcony. I loved that apartment. And Elmaks just happened to put a swap box on the telephone post in the front yard!* Serendipity, I tell you.
This Swap Box, as you can see, differs very much in size and style from the others. And its inside and outside differ very much in style from each other.
It was empty. I put in the button from the Nostalgia Swap Box as well as a roll of Love Hearts candy, which I had bought at Sugar Mountain especially for this purpose, not even knowing there were sweethearts in the Swap Box.
I love the swap boxes. The one that I rescued from the Ritz will be moving to Wolfville, Nova Scotia in a few weeks. My nephew, Tyren, will create a blog for it, and will photograph its contents every week. 
*UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE
As I was posting this, Megabytes was commenting on the Fall and Rise thread about the 29 Rochester Swap Box. Apparently she and her daughter made this one! And she says there are others in the old neighbourhood too.
This is so COOL!
We noticed a Swap Box today just north of Somerset on Cambridge Street on a post in someone’s front yard. There’s a little Spongebob figurine in it that is just dying to be swapped.
Très cool! We picked up the box with the “quaint” toll painting on the front at Value Village. While I was showing it to my daughter a small girl came running up to talk to me – she & her friend put up the boxes in Hintonburg & on Primrose. How serendipitous, eh?
I’m on a quest to replace my swap box latch now. It broke, and items have been falling out.
We live really close to your old place, and garden at the Sweet Willow Community Garden. I love this neighbourhood!
It’s an excellent neighbourhood Megabytes – I still miss it. I love having a house, but I truly miss that neighbourhood, with the community garden and the dog park and all the kids playing outside and friendly adults and the Plant Recreation Centre. And now it’s even got Swap Boxes!
Ciaochow, I don’t know how I managed to miss your comment! I pass by Somerset and Cambridge every morning, so I’ll check out that Swap Box tomorrow morning. I hope Spongebob’s still there. Thanks!
These are absolutely awesome.
All I had on me when I walked by the (empty at the time) Elgin St. one was a Chapters gift card that had been sitting in my wallet for a couple years, so if it wasn’t there when you got to it, I hope the person who got it put it to good use.
Now that I’m at home, I’ll remember to put some swappable stuff in my pocket to keep with me next time I encounter one!
– RG>
Ciaochow, guess who has a little spongebob now?
I forgot to implement RealGrouchy’s brilliant idea of keeping pocketfuls of swappables, so I swapped a loonie for spongebob.
Hi RealGrouchy – have you had any word from elmaks yet?
alright… new swap box is up.
Requisite clue- What did Gen. Patton get at Remagen?
Alas, the clasp on the Rochester swap box has let go.
So sad! Someone broke the door off of the swap box! We’ve removed it, and will probably wait til next spring to set up a new one.
Oh nooooo! I don’t understand why anybody would willfully damage it! At the risk of sounding like a bleeding heart (which of course I am), I’d be worried someone who strikes out at something that represents generosity and sharing and serendipity and neighbourliness. I wonder what’s going on in their life.
I’m glad you’re going to put it up again in the spring megabytes.
> November 3rd, 2007 | 9:25 am
> Hi RealGrouchy – have you had any word from elmaks yet?
Uh… sorry for the late reply to your question. 😛
Yes, he did contact me, and I acknowledged his message, though I utterly failed to do anything about it.
I have, however photographed his work whenever I’ve seen it (including the new flower box on Elgin), and I’ve gathered materials to make a swap box of my own, if I ever get the time–imitation being the sincerest form of flattery and all.
I’ve also blogged some more Centretown swapboxes:
http://realgrouchy.blogspot.com/search/label/swapbox
Cheers,
– RG>
RealGrouchy – welcome back! I’ve been keeping an eye on your swap box blogging as a matter of fact. And the flower box on Elgin is news to me, so I’ll be checking that out today. Thanks!