University of Virginia Library

Head Shop Opens In Hookville

By HOLLY SMITH

It's like most of the other head shops
you come across, the unusual part being
that it's in that sleepy, southern town
known as Charlottesville. The shop is
located behind the organic food store on
Main Street; its owners call it "Joywind."

Tom and Pam Fristoe came to
Charlottesville from Florida and joined
up with Jackie Feldman and former
University student Chuck Brewer to open
the store. Mrs. Fristoe had been running a
head shop in Gainesville for several years
when she and her husband decided to
take off and travel around the country. They
happened upon Charlottesville and decided to
stay. "It seemed like a town on the verge of
coming together," Mr. Fristoe explained, "and
seemed like the time to come and watch it
happen."

The store offers a wide variety of posters
(the kind you won't find in Lloyd's), pipes,
hookahs, underground comics and newspapers,
candles, incense, water beds and Indian
bedspreads. In "The Brass Bra Boutique" in the
back, jeans, crocheted shawls, leather work and
clothes from Mexico and India are on display.

The owners say they encourage local artists
to bring their products to "Joywind" for sale
on consignment, especially if their work is
low-priced. Mr. Fristoe said that one of the
problems with hand made items is that the
artist puts a lot of time into his work, then
places a high price on the product. "Well those
people in India put a lot of time into what they
make too, you know. I don't want to sell
anything that I consider a ripoff."

The store has been open since Sept. 15,
replacing a store called "The Gates of Eden"
which occupied the same space over the
summer. The last real head shop, aside from the
still functioning Prism back room, was the Ivy
shop on Chancellor Street which was rumored
to have been put out of business by a bust.

A special feature of "Joywind" is its free
book exchange of paperback books. People are
encouraged to take any book they want and to
bring by books they no longer want for
donation to the exchange. The exchange
symbolizes the feeling in "Joywind": a
freewheeling atmosphere relaxed enough to suit
Southerners and stoned students. "We just all
work whenever we want to-we live in a big
stone house on 29." Mr. Fristoe relates with a
grin.

The store is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Monday through Saturday.

Photo By Lovelace Cook

A 'Joywind' For The Easy Going

Tom Fristoe, manager of 'Joywind', relaxes in Charlottesville's latest craft shop